Are you ‘Black Friday’ ready?

Australians have a long love-affair with all (well, most) things American and pre-Christmas sales are no exception. Locally, annual discount shopping days Black Friday and Cyber Monday are becoming increasingly popular. Traditionally held in the U.S the day after Thanksgiving they are referred to as the “bargain hunters holiday”.

Despite Australia not officially celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday, the timing has proven perfect for retailers to take advantage of pre-Christmas online spending. In 2018 these sales are due to take place in Australia on the 23^rdand 26^thof November, (unofficially) opening the Christmas trading season, the busiest of the year for retailers. Australian shoppers can expect to pick up fashion, tech, beauty, homewares and travel bargains in plenty of time for pre-Christmas delivery.

During these chaotic days of trading, stores will need to be packaging-prepared to ensure all online orders are fulfilled in time. Below is a checklist of things to consider when selecting or recommending pack-and-post solutions:

PROTECT: Ensure packaging offers a suitable level of protection. Protection from weather and the elements is increasingly important with customers utilising “permission to leave” options during the busy time of year.

AVOID BREAKAGE: Delivery drivers will be particularly busy and may not be as cautious as we’d like. Ensure goods have sufficient protection against dropping, impact and breakages. Avoid the stress of arranging last-minute replacements by wrapping right the first time.

TAMPER EVIDENT: During the chaos of the silly season, it’s important that consumers can be assured their goods will arrive complete and intact. Tamper evident seals put minds at ease.

EASY RETURNS:  The biggest barrier to consumers adopting online shopping is anxiety around product returns. Ensuring a seamless return policy with supporting packaging can promote and stimulate online sales.