Twice as many consumers listed “speed” as a key concern in 2019 than in 2018. However, the number two factor is gaining steam. Cost remains the number one factor affecting retail decision making during the holidays. What does a holiday shopper want? If you answered “great deals,” you’re right. Speaking of the customer experience… Consumers are demanding fast shipping Late shipments and backorders won’t fly in 2019, especially as on-time delivery plays a bigger role in determining the customer experience. Direct mail campaigns, inventory shipments, and deliveries all have to go off without a hitch. With a short holiday season, retailers have less margin for error when it comes to all things logistics, from marketing to fulfillment. However, it does create new logistics challenges.
After all, consumers still want to buy the things they want to buy, even if they have to do it faster. Losing nearly a week of holiday sales isn’t necessarily bad for business. Thanksgiving falls on November 28th in 2019, which means the official holiday shopping season (Thanksgiving to Christmas) is technically six days shorter than it was last year. Politics and market shifts will always be unpredictable, but there’s one-factor driving uncertainty this year that all retailers could have seen coming - the calendar. Let’s take a look at the most important factors that will impact retail sales and logistics during the holidays. However, there are also plenty of reasons for retailers to be optimistic about Q4 2019.
In 2018, holiday sales fell way short of expectations, and there are other factors at play this year which could make the situation even worse. Consumer demands are shifting more rapidly than ever, e-commerce continues to disrupt brick-and-mortar retail in unexpected ways, new pressures are being put on fulfillment, and the trade war with China looms over every sales projection.įor retailers, the anxiety is justified. This year, as many retailers prepare for their busiest weeks, uncertainty abounds. ‘Tis the season to be worried about retail logistics!
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