MetaPack have for several years tracked Christmas sales up to Christmas with their Peak Delivery Analysis.
Early indications suggest that, following the trend of the last three years, the 2013 shopping season is starting later and will peak later, as online shoppers take advantage of ever later cut-off times for Christmas delivery. In fact peak growth has started slowly compared to previous years with an increase of 8% since the beginning of September – this time last year, we saw an increase of 11% compared to the beginning of September
In 2010 there was a stark drop off for deliveries after week 50, but in 2011 and 2012 sales slowed but nowhere near as dramatically in the final days before Christmas. Richard Rangel, MetaPack’s Business Intelligence Manager added “Once again we’re seeing the peak build up progressing slower and we are likely to see the main sales spike running closer to Christmas”.
Consumers are now accustomed to fast delivery and rely on companies not only to ship fast, but for the carriers to keep their delivery promises. This probably means that December will unsurprisingly an exceptionally busy month, but it could see an even bigger hike in last minute orders than previous years.
Why this year last minute orders could be even later
This could be particularly exacerbated this year due to Christmas falling on a Wednesday. For the last few years Christmas day has been at the weekend and last year on Tuesday – not too many consumers would buy over the weekend expecting delivery on Monday. This year however the last shopping weekend means that items can still be delivered in time for Christmas day and that could push the peak several days later than has been the norm.
MetaPack will be updating their Peak Delivery Analysis every Monday from now until Christmas. They’re in a unique position to track sales patterns as thousands of orders flow through their Delivery Management Platform every hour.
Knowing that final weekend before Christmas could see bumper sales, will you stay open to take advantage or will you be putting your holiday settings on and taking time to get your own Christmas preparations finalised?
6 Responses
with the CWU playing silly buggers we might just Spend December in the Canary islands
I am of an age when every Christmas the Post Office used the slogan “Post Early For Christmas”. Its all very well leaving your purchases until later expecting the deliveries to still be there by Christmas but what about the possibilities of Strikes in the Royal Mail and the ever present possibility of foul weather before Christmas?
No I will still be “Posting Early For Christmas” as far as I can,.
and to add to the festive fun this lot of Rodneys are
joining in,
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24637357
It will be interesting to see what influence Click and Collect has, it’s going to drive the physical stores into meltdown!
Wouldn’t the 2010 big drop off in deliveries of been down to the really bad snow we had just before Christmas which totally messed up all deliveries and had people crying on the news?
It’ll get busy in the run up to Christmas, well no surprise there then, it’s been the same way for the 34 years I’ve been in retail. 🙂
I shall shut down 18/19th December until 2nd January, had my fill of idiots in previous years wanting the impossible. Luckily I’m in a position to be able to afford to do this.