Black Friday is knocking on the door, are you ready?

Black Friday falls on 24th November this year. The combined IMRG and Salmon report predicts that online sales will reach £7billion over the seven-day Black Friday period.

This might only be a slight increase in comparison to the £6.45bn forecasted for the Black Friday ‘peak period’ (Monday 21 – Monday 28 November 2016) last year, yet it does not mean retailers can sit back and relax… The Salmon/IMRG report estimates that online sales in November will be higher than in December this year, reaching an astonishing £20billion!

Macfarlane’s own peak demand research revealed that over half of respondents struggled to maintain operating speed in the pre-Christmas peak period, and 1 in 7 businesses hadn’t considered the impact of packaging on the speed of packing and dispatching items. 43%, however, considered Black Friday as an opportunity for their business.

Advanced planning is key to ensuring your packaging operation is up to speed, and there are a few things you can do to prepare yourself for the busy period ahead.

If you are thinking of employing seasonal staff, ensure they receive appropriate training ahead of peak and have everything they need to complete a days work. This will help you maximise efficiency and ensure your packaging operation runs smoothly.

The last quarter of the year may not be the best time for major changes, but consider introducing solutions such as tape and void fill dispensers and boxes with a crash-lock base into your operation. They will allow your staff pack faster while minimising strain and fatigue and increasing your throughput.

A review of your packaging will help you speed up your packing process, reduce parcel size and courier costs. Ensure you are well-prepared for peak – contact Macfarlane Packaging today to arrange a free, no-obligation packaging review.

References

IMRG – Black Friday online sales performance update: https://info.salmon.com/black-friday-playbook

IMRG – Black Friday online sales performance update: https://www.imrg.org/media-and-comment/press-releases/imrg-black-friday-online-sales-performance-update/