In partnership with GFS, who power delivery for leading retailers and B2B brands worldwide, we will be bringing you a GFS Peak Pulse Weekly Bulletin coving the current state of the logistics industry and a forecast of expectations for the upcoming few days. Today we publish the second Peak Pulse Weekly Bulletin – check back next week for an update:
Current Outlook
Another week of record parcel volumes, and service performance continues to be outstanding…
Carriers are currently running at 90% capacity, but months of comprehensive planning by carriers and retailers has paid off.
Service split has swung slightly to 55% 2+ Day, 45% Next Day
GFS Peak Pulse Weekly Bulletin #2: key headlines
Retailers are reporting it feels like peak – even following heightened volumes over the last few months.
Consumers seem to be more understanding than ever about the challenges of “Peak in a Pandemic”, with inflight notifications giving them confidence their parcels will be delivered successfully.
Naturally, Monday remains the biggest shipping day – with 20% of weekly volumes being labelled on a Monday. For carriers not collecting over the weekend, a build up of parcels labelled on Saturday and Sunday results in a +30% spike in carrier volumes on a Monday.
The GFS Checkout Dashboard shows that when given a choice of delivery day, 30% of consumers are choosing Friday. By offering Nominated Day, retailers can spread their own picking capacity throughout the week to avoid that huge pressure point each Monday.
Top performing sectors
- Electrical
- Technology
- Arts & Crafts
- Gaming
- DIY
GFS have seen noticeable growth in the Fashion sector this week, but this varies significantly by retailer.
Top international lanes
Domestic and International split is the same as last week – a consistent 80:20.
The top international lanes have all seen growth this week, with a boost for Italy and Spain.
- Ireland
- France
- Germany
- USA
- Italy
- Spain
- Australia
The outlook for next week – and Cyber Monday
Cyber Monday is a great day for consumers, retailers and carriers alike!
It’s also when we begin obsessively checking order volumes, output, delivery performance and revenue, often watching by-the-minute to see the metrics increase.
The success of peak planning will be defined by this 72-hour period
Feedback from our carrier partners indicates that the planning and preparation this year has been the best it’s ever been – even during these challenging circumstances.
Uncertainty around what will happen when lockdown ends on 2nd December
It’s clear consumers will be seeking in-store bargains, as retailers attempt to recover 2 months revenue in the last 3 weeks before Christmas. What remains to be seen is what impact this will have on the more convenient, and now trusted, home delivery option – now the “go-to” for more consumers than ever before!
