Last Minute Black Friday And Cyber Monday Tips For Online Sellers

With the two biggest shopping holidays of the year just a little over a week away, e-commerce merchants can still take action to prepare for Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM).

In a recent report, 66% of e-commerce consumers claimed they will spend more than last year. This increase in sales could mean an increase in logistical challenges related to shipping, but also a huge opportunity for your e-commerce business to acquire new customers and finish the year strong.

To help you optimize fulfillment operations and minimize shipping costs, we’ve compiled this list of resources and advice to keep in mind as you count down the days to BFCM.

Stay On Top Of Peak Season Shipping Surcharges

Managing your costs during BFCM sales will be key to ensuring you come out of the holidays in the black. One cost you can’t afford to overlook is the cost of shipping. As outlined in our 2021 State Of Shipping Report, 58% of merchants say the cost of shipping is their biggest challenge.

With the expected flurry of orders around this time, national carriers announced peak season surcharges months ago.

• USPS Peak Season Shipping Prices – Shipping surcharges range from $0.25 to $5.00 depending on the weight of the parcel and the zone it’s traveling to.
• UPS Peak Surcharges – Shippo users can avoid peak season surcharges as well as access special rates for UPS Ground.
• FedEx Peak Season Prices – Residential packages can incur a surcharge between $1.15 and $6.00 depending on your percentage of sales compared to pre-pandemic numbers.

Taking these figures into account will help you set up BFCM discounts. For example, you may only want to offer free shipping to customers who purchase merchandise over a certain dollar amount. This may allow you to cover the additional cost of shipping while also still incentivizing more purchases.

Know Carrier Holiday Schedules And Deadlines

Because of expected clearances and sales, many consumers buy Christmas gifts on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. However, the Christmas shipping deadlines for certain shipping services have gotten earlier this year due to supply chain delays.

• National Carriers Holiday Schedule – While all carriers will be shutdown for Thanksgiving, the services each provides on the following days may differ.
• USPS Christmas Shipping Deadlines – Cutoff dates start as early as December 2 for certain shipping services in the U.S. and December 6 for certain international services.
• UPS Christmas Shipping Deadlines – E-commerce merchants are encouraged to contact UPS for deadlines regarding one of the most common services the carrier offers, UPS® Ground.
• FedEx Christmas Shipping Deadlines – Christmas shipping deadlines for certain services such as FedEx Ground Economy are as early as December 9.

Letting your customers know when the Christmas shipping deadlines are before they purchase can help them build trust with your site and can incentivize them to order earlier.

Black Friday And Cyber Monday Shipping Advice

Running an e-commerce business comes with plenty of ongoing challenges, but, Black Friday and Cyber Monday come with their own unique pain points. To help you avoid BFCM shipping headaches, we’ve curated some of the best advice from experts both in the shipping and e-commerce industries.

• BFCM Tips From Industry Execs – Some of the biggest tips were to look to the DDP method of international deliveries, automate customer communications when possible, and diversify your carrier mix among many other insightful tips.
• BFCM Post Purchase Playbook – BFCM operations aren’t finished once your customer places an order. Some post purchase plays to consider include making sure your return policy is visible and customer focused as well as creating an unboxing experience worth sharing.
• 3 Ways To Prepare For The Holiday Shipping Crunch – E-commerce merchants should expect the unexpected during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, so making sure you’re informed and have reliable shipping technology like Shippo in place can ensure a smooth process for you and your customers.
• In-house Experts Secrets To Staying Ahead of Peak Season – One of the biggest secrets e-commerce merchants use to stay ahead of peak season is to use automation when creating shipping labels. This can save time and prevent human error during the BFCM rush.

Shippo Features To Help Through BFCM And Beyond

Being prepared for Black Friday and Cyber Monday means having the latest tools and features. At Shippo we’re constantly improving our product so that you have exactly that. Some features to keep in mind for BFCM include:

• Rates At Checkout – With Live Rates at Check-Out your customers will get a more accurate shipping cost based on the weight of the products in their shopping cart and the distance they’re traveling to. This feature is available for e-commerce merchants using a Wix store.
• Hiding Service Levels – If you know your business only uses certain shipping methods, you can hide other shipping service levels in order to avoid anyone on your team from selecting the wrong one.

But the biggest advantage of using Shippo for Black Friday and Cyber Monday and beyond is that you can compare rates and transit times from the nation’s top carriers all within a single platform. This allows you to choose shipping options that serve the needs of your business, and meet your holiday season fulfillment goals.

Sign up to Shippo for a free account today and begin comparing discounted rates ahead of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday rush.