November 06, 2024

174: Holiday Shipping Hacks: Surviving the 4th Quarter

Listen Later

24 minutes

It’s the 4th quarter—also known as the busiest, craziest time of the year for product-based business owners! You've planned your 4th quarter promotions and products are arriving, but have you thought about the logistics of fulfilling and shipping all those orders?

In this episode, I share shipping hacks and strategies to help subscription box owners and product-based businesses navigate our busiest quarter… and stay sane doing it!

Prep Packing & Shipping Supplies Early

Audit your packing and shipping supplies now: tape, labels, boxes, poly mailers, filler.

Order enough to get you through December.

Plan for the unexpected.

Establish a dedicated storage space for your extra supplies so your team knows exactly where to find what they need.

Optimize Fulfillment by Prepacking, Prepping, and Batch Packing

Pre-pack items that will be sold together, like holiday bundles or Black Friday specials.

Reduce friction, eliminate unnecessary steps, and gain efficiency

Implement batch packing by processing similar orders together for a smoother, faster workflow.

Research Shipping Carrier Cut-off Dates & Have Options

Research carrier cut-off dates and set your own Christmas shipping cut-offs well in advance.

Overcommunicate! Post these cut-off dates visibly in your social media headers, on your website, and in emails.

Stay flexible and ready to adjust by having multiple shipping options.

Maintain open communication with your drivers to help manage any unexpected delays.

Be Prepared for Increased Customer Service Volume

Expect an increase in customer service inquiries and be transparent with customers about shipping timelines and potential delays.

Have a contingency plan in place to deal with lost packages, including a policy for replacements or refunds.

The holiday rush can be chaotic, but with these tips, you’ll feel more prepared than ever to tackle Q4.

Have a shipping manager or team? Have them listen to this episode to boost efficiency and reduce holiday chaos in your shop!

Join me for this episode where I share fulfillment & shipping strategies to help subscription box owners and product-based businesses navigate the busiest, craziest time of year - the 4th quarter. Grab your coffee (or something stronger!) and let’s dive in!

Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast platform and leave a 5-star rating and a review!

Join me in all the places:

Facebook

Instagram

Launch Your Box with Sarah Website

Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join the waitlist today!

...more

View all episodes

View all episodes

Download on the App Store

Download on the App Store

Get it on Google Play

Launch Your Box Podcast with Sarah Williams | Start, Launch, and Grow Your Subscription Box

By Sarah Williams

5

156156 ratings

November 06, 2024

174: Holiday Shipping Hacks: Surviving the 4th Quarter

Listen Later

24 minutes

It’s the 4th quarter—also known as the busiest, craziest time of the year for product-based business owners! You've planned your 4th quarter promotions and products are arriving, but have you thought about the logistics of fulfilling and shipping all those orders?

In this episode, I share shipping hacks and strategies to help subscription box owners and product-based businesses navigate our busiest quarter… and stay sane doing it!

Prep Packing & Shipping Supplies Early

Audit your packing and shipping supplies now: tape, labels, boxes, poly mailers, filler.

Order enough to get you through December.

Plan for the unexpected.

Establish a dedicated storage space for your extra supplies so your team knows exactly where to find what they need.

Optimize Fulfillment by Prepacking, Prepping, and Batch Packing

Pre-pack items that will be sold together, like holiday bundles or Black Friday specials.

Reduce friction, eliminate unnecessary steps, and gain efficiency

Implement batch packing by processing similar orders together for a smoother, faster workflow.

Research Shipping Carrier Cut-off Dates & Have Options

Research carrier cut-off dates and set your own Christmas shipping cut-offs well in advance.

Overcommunicate! Post these cut-off dates visibly in your social media headers, on your website, and in emails.

Stay flexible and ready to adjust by having multiple shipping options.

Maintain open communication with your drivers to help manage any unexpected delays.

Be Prepared for Increased Customer Service Volume

Expect an increase in customer service inquiries and be transparent with customers about shipping timelines and potential delays.

Have a contingency plan in place to deal with lost packages, including a policy for replacements or refunds.

The holiday rush can be chaotic, but with these tips, you’ll feel more prepared than ever to tackle Q4.

Have a shipping manager or team? Have them listen to this episode to boost efficiency and reduce holiday chaos in your shop!

Join me for this episode where I share fulfillment & shipping strategies to help subscription box owners and product-based businesses navigate the busiest, craziest time of year - the 4th quarter. Grab your coffee (or something stronger!) and let’s dive in!

Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast platform and leave a 5-star rating and a review!

Join me in all the places:

Facebook

Instagram

Launch Your Box with Sarah Website

Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join the waitlist today!

...more

More shows like Launch Your Box Podcast with Sarah Williams | Start, Launch, and Grow Your Subscription Box

Build Your Tribe | Grow Your Business with Social Media by Brock Johnson

Build Your Tribe | Grow Your Business with Social Media

2,624 Listeners

The Amy Porterfield Show by Amy Porterfield

The Amy Porterfield Show

4,593 Listeners

Well-Oiled Operations with Stacy Tuschl by Stacy Tuschl

Well-Oiled Operations with Stacy Tuschl

516 Listeners

The Goal Digger Podcast | Top Business and Marketing Podcast for Creatives, Entrepreneurs, and Women in Business by Jenna Kutcher

The Goal Digger Podcast | Top Business and Marketing Podcast for Creatives, Entrepreneurs, and Women in Business

12,124 Listeners

She Means Business Show by Carrie Green

She Means Business Show

310 Listeners

She's Equipt with Jennifer Allwood | The Christian Business Coach for Women by Jennifer Allwood: Christian Business Coach

She's Equipt with Jennifer Allwood | The Christian Business Coach for Women

1,906 Listeners

Boutique Chat by The Boutique Hub with Ashley Alderson

Boutique Chat

863 Listeners

The Product Boss with Jacqueline Snyder by Jacqueline Snyder

The Product Boss with Jacqueline Snyder

888 Listeners

GOD-LED BUSINESS - Make Money Online, Business Ideas, Passive Income, Online Business, Start a Podcast by Stefanie Gass - Christian Business Coach, Podcast Coach, Podcast to Profit™ Founder

GOD-LED BUSINESS - Make Money Online, Business Ideas, Passive Income, Online Business, Start a Podcast

1,244 Listeners

The Jasmine Star Show by Jasmine Star

The Jasmine Star Show

2,607 Listeners

How to Sell Your Stuff on Etsy by Lizzie Smiley

How to Sell Your Stuff on Etsy

318 Listeners

The Professional Creative by Bonnie Christine

The Professional Creative

433 Listeners

Etsy Seller Success: Tips for Starting, Growing and Scaling Your Etsy and E-Commerce Shop by Dylan Jahraus | Founder, Etsy Business Coach and E-commerce Expert

Etsy Seller Success: Tips for Starting, Growing and Scaling Your Etsy and E-Commerce Shop

139 Listeners

Six Figure Etsy Seller | Sell on Etsy, Digital Products, Passive Income, Online Business, Money Mindset by Jacqueline Butler | Top 0.1% Etsy Seller + Digital Products Coach

Six Figure Etsy Seller | Sell on Etsy, Digital Products, Passive Income, Online Business, Money Mindset

156 Listeners

Subscription Box Answers by Liam Brennan

Subscription Box Answers

8 Listeners