A Solid BFCM Shipping & Inventory Strategy Will Get You Far
So I know we've been preaching about Black Friday Cyber Monday for the past few months, but it's about more than just the discounts...having a solid inventory and shipping strategy will keep the BFCM shoppers coming back for more.
Although the exciting discounts will get customers through the door, if your inventory isn't fully stocked or your shipping strategy isn't up to par, you may not only miss out on repeat customers but you may also receive a lot of charge backs and angry shoppers.
Let's get into creating a shipping & inventory strategy for shoppers that will turn into loyal fans.
Shipping
Team Up with a Warehousing Company
It's time to step out of your garage and into a warehouse that can support your inventory and your dreams. Don't try to do it alone or all from your home this shopping season. Finding a warehouse or fulfillment center can help you do just that.
Why is this necessary?
- Inventory Management: A dedicated warehouse can help you track inventory levels in real-time, ensuring you never run out of bestsellers.
- Faster Order Fulfillment: With a streamlined warehousing process, you can speed up order picking and packing, getting products to customers quickly.
- Scalability: A reliable warehouse partner can easily scale operations to accommodate the increase in orders during BFCM.
- Reduced Shipping Costs: Many warehouses offer competitive shipping rates, helping you save money while delivering excellent service. Our Partners over at Saltbox just launched their Parsel app which will help merchants with the expensive shipping cost (and I've also heard that the rates are better than the Shopify shipping discounts 👀)
- More Space: A professional warehouse can maximize storage space, ensuring your inventory is organized and accessible - not hard to find like in your closet or garage.
If you're in the Atlanta area come stop by and see us at Saltbox, our office space is there and we get to see how eCommerce merchants are benefiting from utilizing a co-warehousing and fulfillment space. Schedule your tour today!
Shipping Options: Give 'Em What They Want
Using the standard shipping that Shopify offers isn't enough. The one-size-fits-all shipping is so last season.
Mix it up:
- Offer budget-friendly options for those that don't like to spend an arm and leg on shipping. This may increase the delivery time - but hey they are saving some coins
- Offer speedy shipping for those that are use to Amazon shipping times. Yes, this means they'll pay more but they'll get their orders quickly.
- Offer same-day or next-day shipping for those last-minute gift givers
Shipping Deadlines: Crystal Clear Communication
A late package arriving for a Christmas gift? A Christmas horror story. Be sure that your shipping deadlines are everywhere – homepage, product pages, checkout, you name it. Transparency is your best friend here.
Inventory
Prepare for the demand
Numbers don't lie! Look back at last year's BFCM data and see what were your bestsellers and what products didn't perform as well. Use this data to stock up or either know what not to prioritize ordering for this season.
Implement Back in Stock Features
If your products are always running out of stock then implement a back-in-stock notification feature that will let your customers know when the item is back in stock. Just because they aren't able to purchase it during BFCM doesn't mean that they won't purchase it in the future.
Real-Time Tracking
Implement tracking on your Shopify website to notify you when your inventory stock is running low. This will avoid having to order inventory last minute and hoping it arrives in time.
All in all...
Remember, we're playing the long game here. BFCM isn't just about one-time sales – it's about building a customer base that'll stick with you for the long run.
Let's do this!