Black Friday Shipping Preparation

Our guide to contingency and capacity planning for Black Friday and Christmas for Shipster clients


Additional Workstations
► Ensure spare workstations are readily available.
► Conduct system updates (Shipster, Windows, Printers) for spare workstations to avoid interruptions during high-demand.
► Install label printers and activate any additional Shipster licences required on spare benches. 
► Make sure you and additional staff are familiarised with the process of enabling and disabling licenses on workstations. 

Current Workstation Maintenance
► Check and update the operating systems of existing workstations to prevent disruptions.
► Monitor the performance of workstations now and seek advice for improvement if they are slow or experiencing issues.

Internet Stability
► Address any previous issues or slowdowns with the internet.
► Contact your internet service provider to ensure stability and consider upgrades if needed.

Label Printers
► Test any spare label printers to ensure they are in working order.
► Have spare label printer supplies on hand to avoid running out during the holiday season peak periods.

Carrier Service Evaluation
► Assess the performance and reliability of your current courier services.
► Consider the shipping costs and how these might be better managed with automation rules.
► If planning to make changes, implement them well in advance of Black Friday and Christmas.

Service Diversions & Backup Carrier Strategy
► Develop a contingency plan for handling courier service struggles or outages with extra shipping options.
► Consider a backup carrier.
► If you're a Descartes Peoplevox user, you could setup alternative services on your eCommerce platform, map them into PVX, then ask us to map them into Shipster.
► Or, you can simply ask our team to divert a current service to another with automation rules. 
► Test the diversion strategy, additional shipping method or backup carrier to ensure its effectiveness.

Communication
► Maintain open lines of communication with your software provider to ensure they are aware of any changes or issues.
► Communicate any new shipping rules or amendments you need to the Shipster team before our Black Friday rule freeze (which will come into effect a week before Black Friday to ensure everything runs smoothly over the holiday season). 
► Establish a communication plan to inform customers of any service diversions or delays.

Inventory Management
► Monitor inventory levels closely and ensure there is enough stock to meet the expected demand during Black Friday and Christmas online shopping. 

Staffing
► Plan for additional staff during peak periods to handle increased order volumes and customer enquiries.
► Prepare your customer support team for an increase in inquiries and provide them with the necessary tools and resources to assist customers effectively.

Regular Testing
► Conduct regular stress testing of your systems to identify potential bottlenecks and issues before they become critical.

Data Backup and Recovery
► Ensure robust data backup and recovery procedures are in place to prevent data loss in case of unexpected events during this busy time.


By implementing these contingency and capacity planning measures, you can better prepare your warehouse operations for the challenges of Black Friday and Christmas, ensuring a smooth and successful operation at the busiest time of year.