Pandemic has sped up digital transformations, which has also accelerated E-commerce adoption for the majority of consumers. We’re becoming more dependent on online shopping for our daily essentials to holiday gifts. Few years ago, our idea of giving gifts would be to personally send it to our friends or loved ones’ houses but now gift shopping and giving are all happening online! 

Most of us would just get our friends’ house addresses and send them something over via on-demand couriers like Lalamove, Grab. Things have changed and it’s here to stay. 

If you’re thinking of starting an ecommerce business, EZ Sourcing is here to help! We help you source products from China, pay your China suppliers, and ship it to any parts of the Philippines. A one stop importation service built for your convenience. Inquire here, if you want to know more how we can help. 

For some, the holiday season means exchanging gifts with friends and family, office parties, a break from work, etc. While for many warehouse operators or business owners holiday season can also mean STRESS, especially if you are not quite sure what to expect. So, properly managing your warehouse during peak season is crucial, as it can break your business’ reputation if not handled properly. 

1. Plan ahead. Expect the unexpected.

• Plan as early as possible. Predicting your expected order volume is a must. Know your numbers to prepare internally and to ensure that you can still provide excellent customer experience despite the holiday season being x 10 or more of your normal operations. 

• Always expect the unexpected. While there’s no one size fits all demand planning for businesses since it all boils down to what industry you’re in and your business structure, but this golden rule is always applicable to any business at any circumstance. 

2. Stock the right inventories

• Stocking the right inventories at the right amount improves cash flow and avoids dead stocks. Inventory demand planning is always a balancing act. Order too much and you’ll end up with little cash, while ordering too little can lead to missed sales. 

• Minimize overstocking and stockouts by exploring third party service providers or by investing in inventory management softwares

3. Make room for new inventories and buffer stocks

• You need a well-designed warehouse layout plan to ensure the smooth operation of your warehouse. Make the best use of your warehouse spaces. Not properly utilized warehouse space is a waste.  

• When your warehouse is cluttered, picking orders makes it harder than it already is. Since, orders might get mixed up. So, don’t underestimate the power of a highly organized warehouse. 

4. Get more hands

• Seasonal hiring might be for you if you experience sudden influx of orders in peak seasons. As a business owner, it’s also important to take into account periodical training for your seasonal hires, to reduce operational mistakes. Since, there will always be a learning curve.

• Part-timers/seasonal hires offer flexibility, one of the best ways to adjust to workload fluctuations. 

5. Data is key

• In business, data is your best friend. Fulfillment errors can cost you clients and cut your profits. So it’s always important to review historical data. Examine previous year’s peak season breakdowns, cost of delays, non-fulfillment rate, etc. And check what are the root causes and how you can improve on this. 

In conclusion, Ecommerce has changed how we shop and will continue to do so. Thus, managing your warehouse efficiently is the only way to minimize order mistakes and increase productivity. 

Ecommerce is growing so fast and more and more business owners are taking advantage of this. If you’ve been wanting to start your own online business and not sure where to source your products, how to start importing in order to maximize profits, EZ Sourcing Group is here to help you! Don’t hesitate to message us here to see how our one stop importation services can help you.