Opinion: Failed to deliver - How ecommerce brands can recover from peak season setbacks

By Ben Whitby, operations director at Staci UK

It’s an all too common problem in the UK. The busy festive season ends and as January sweeps around, brands are left counting the cost of failed deliveries. 

Estimates suggest that UK retailers, their delivery partners and even consumers collectively lose a staggering £1.6 billion a year due to failed deliveries.

A range of factors - an earlier-than-usual festive peak, supply chain delays, shipping bottlenecks, and the growing demand for next-day delivery - created the perfect storm for retailers this past festive season. 

While avoiding disruption entirely may be unfeasible, proven strategies can mitigate risks, minimise impacts, and optimise performance during peak times to ensure on-time delivery and satisfied customers. 

For retailers and their supply chain partners alike, resilience and strategic planning are essential to safeguarding continuity during these key sales periods.

To address a failing supply chain and protect margins, it’s more important than ever that ecommerce retailers focus on four core areas of operations.

Accurate forecasting 

Reliable and accurate forecasting is the cornerstone of successful peak performance. Forecasts should be grounded in data from previous peaks, the current year’s performance to date, and consumer interest in your brand and products. 

For retailers that struggle with this, partnering with a third-party logistics provider (3PL) can make all the difference. 

Experienced 3PLs can draw on sector-specific insights to provide accurate forecasts, helping you plan effectively for increased packaging needs, additional staffing, and extra trailer collections.

Transparency 

Clear and continuous communication is essential, especially during peak periods. Keeping your 3PL informed about changes in orders or performance ensures they can adapt quickly and continue fulfilling your orders seamlessly. 

Maintain an open dialogue leading up to and throughout the peak season. Your 3PL should never be there to restrict what you do but rather be agile to handle any unexpected changes to make sure you have the best season.

The right 3PL will develop a strong relationship with your brand, allowing for open communication about any challenges you’re facing. 

They’ll take the time to understand your business and your customers, supporting you with accurate forecasting and demand predictions.

Planning and testing 

The saying goes, “proper planning prevents poor performance”, and this rings especially true during the most profitable and challenging time of the year for eCommerce retailers. 

For instance, if you’re onboarding a new customer partner or platform, it’s crucial to ensure you've prepared for all requirements. This means addressing everything from paperwork, presentation and booking in, or data processing, well ahead of peak periods. 

Only then will operations run smoothly when the pressure intensifies.

Effective fulfilment process planning is another key step for retailers aiming to improve the efficiency of goods movement and minimise supply chain disruptions. 

By gaining a detailed understanding of their warehouse and fulfillment centre infrastructure, considering factors like arrival and departure schedules, inventory management, and picking procedures, retailers can boost speed to market while keeping costs in check.

Ensure you choose the right 3PL partner 

For brands let down by their supply chain partners during critical sales periods, finding the right 3PL partner is a priority for 2025. 

Integration with a 3PL isn’t just about outsourcing tasks; it’s about forming a strategic partnership that enhances fulfilment processes and drives year-round success. 

A data-savvy 3PL will also analyse past peak periods to identify opportunities for improvement, ensuring that services continuously evolve and adapt. This is especially important when up to 90% of annual sales can occur within just two months.

Integrating your operations with a third-party logistics (3PL) provider is a critical step in streamlining fulfillment and setting the stage for a productive, long-term partnership. 

The only way to do so is through a smooth implementation process that will build a logistics framework that supports your business’s growth.