Originally posted September 12, 2024, updated November 13, 2025.
Peak season is here, which often brings a healthy mix of anticipation and anxiety for ecommerce brands. While the holidays offer an incredible opportunity to expand reach and boost sales, the pressure is on as customer expectations for a positive experience are at an all-time high.
This year, however, brands additionally face some differences from a record-breaking 2024 peak season. Consumer sentiment is down, and shoppers plan to be tighter with their budgets, likely forgoing loyalty for the best deal. October Prime Day, often a kickoff to the holiday season, highlighted a more subdued start.
Before brands start channeling their inner Grinch, there’s good news: plenty of ways still exist to stay agile, adaptable, and ready to maximize peak-season sales. Here are seven smart tips to get started.
When does peak season start?
When most people think of the holiday season, their minds jump straight to December…lights, cocoa, and holiday sweaters. But ecommerce insiders know the real action starts much earlier. Peak season quietly kicks off in late October, when shoppers begin hunting for early deals and hard-to-find products before the rush.
The National Retail Federation (NRF) officially defines the holiday season as November 1 through December 31, but the main event happens with Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) weekend. That’s when inboxes overflow, carts fill up, and retailers battle for attention (and conversion).
Here are a few dates every retailer should keep on their radar:
- Nov. 28, 2025 – Black Friday
- Nov. 29, 2025 – Small Business Saturday
- Dec. 1, 2025 – Cyber Monday
- Dec. 25, 2025 – Christmas
- Dec. 25, 2025 – Jan. 2, 2026 – Hanukkah
- Dec. 31, 2025 – New Year’s Eve
Holiday 2024 recap: Consumers came out to spend
If last season proved anything, it’s that shoppers still show up for the moments that matter. According to the National Retail Federation, core retail sales during the 2024 holiday season grew 4% year over year to a record-breaking $994.1 billion, far surpassing expectations.
The season’s momentum really began during BFCM, which drove strong online and in-store engagement despite a shorter shopping calendar. In fact, online and non-store sales jumped 8.6% to $296.7 billion, while December alone saw a 4.2% year-over-year gain thanks in part to Cyber Monday and Thanksgiving weekend sales landing later than usual.
Lower inflation helped fuel consumer confidence, while a growing appetite for early deals and in-person shopping added to the surge. By year’s end, core retail sales hit $5.28 trillion, capping off a record-setting year and setting a confident (if cautious) tone for 2025.
So, before brands start feeling stress about the next peak season, take heart. Shoppers are spending, and there are plenty of ways to stay agile, adaptable, and ready to capture their attention all over again.
2025 peak season trends to watch
To get ahead of the game this year, brands must look closely at what’s driving customer decisions. Buyer behaviors continue to evolve, but brands that anticipate these shifts and meet consumers where they are can still win big this holiday season.
Insight: AI and ChatGPT-powered shopping is becoming mainstream.
The rise of conversational commerce is reshaping how consumers discover and buy products. Shoppers are now using AI assistants like ChatGPT to generate gift ideas, compare prices, and even build custom wish lists. Retailers that optimize their product feeds for AI search and provide clear, structured data will have a competitive advantage in visibility and conversion this year. Expect more “AI-assisted shopping journeys” that blend chat-based discovery with one-click checkout.
This year, Shopify partnered with ChatGPT to facilitate the ability to shop directly within “chats.” Think of it as a new search bar, one that allows shoppers to discover, research, and purchase, all in one place.
Insight: Consumers are embracing the circular economy.
Sustainability and affordability are converging in 2025 as more shoppers turn to resale and refurbished products, especially among younger demographics who see “pre-loved” as both smart and socially responsible. In NRF’s 2025 holiday predictions, 60% of consumers surveyed would consider buying secondhand or refurbished products.
Retailers who integrate circular options (such as resale programs, trade-ins, or refurbished product categories) stand to gain trust and repeat business while aligning with shopper values.
Insight: Delivery times matter, especially as it gets closer to key holiday dates.
As peak season nears its peak, patience runs thin. Expectations for 2- to 3-day delivery have climbed sharply since 2023. Brands that clearly communicate order cutoffs and offer reliable delivery windows will win those critical last-minute sales. According to a Capital One ecommerce shipping survey, 62% of online shoppers consider shipping speed critical to a positive online retail experience.
Mastering peak season fulfillment: 7 tips for success
With an overview of what to expect, brands can utilize these tips for success:
1) Prepare to be agile
Even the best-laid plans hit snags once orders surge and networks tighten. The brands that thrive aren’t just the most prepared…they’re the most adaptable. Building contingency options, such as backup carriers, overflow fulfillment partners, or flexible inventory routing, ensures you can pivot quickly when disruptions hit. During peak, the ability to reroute, reassign, and recover fast is what keeps promises and customers intact.
2) Enable a cohesive, omnichannel experience
Flexibility is the name of the game. Capital One reports that 73% of retail shoppers are classified as omnichannel shoppers, and retailers that use three or more channels can increase engagement by up to 251%.
Before creating a new channel or working on existing ones, be thoughtful in mapping out a seamless buying experience across brick-and-mortar locations, online channels, and pick-up in-store options.
Whether customers grab a product off the shelf or with a quick tap on their phone, the experience should evoke the same brand personality and be packed with practical information.
3) Surprise and delight with a stellar unboxing experience
This is a special time of year for shoppers, especially if they are shipping gifts directly from an ecommerce store to their loved ones.
The package itself could be the ultimate present, so brands should take advantage of fulfillment/marketing advantages, like custom holiday branded packaging, marketing inserts, and discount codes to encourage repeat purchases.
If this is a first-time customer, it’s also a great opportunity to share a unique brand story, which builds identity and encourages customer loyalty.
Whether a retailer leans into creative copy or eye-catching graphics, make it a visual, engaging experience that social-media savvy shoppers feel compelled to grab their phone for.
One survey found that 62% of people who view unboxing videos do so when researching a particular product, and a gift provides an excellent opportunity to encourage user-generated content that leads to more brand awareness.
4) Prepare for shipping disruptions and stay transparent with customers
Peak season brings enormous shipping volume, and with it, plenty of potential for disruption. Weather events, carrier capacity constraints, labor shortages, and even traffic congestion around key distribution hubs can all create unexpected delays. Winter storms in particular can snarl routes, reroute freight, and extend delivery windows with little notice.
To stay ahead, leading retailers and 3PL partners should build contingency plans well before the rush. This includes diversifying carrier networks, maintaining buffer inventory across multiple fulfillment centers, and using data to monitor transit times and performance trends. Proactive communication with carriers and warehouse teams helps identify risks early and reroute shipments before they become bottlenecks.
Transparency is just as critical as preparation. During the holiday rush, customers are short on time and focused on delivery promises, which means even small surprises can impact brand trust. At checkout, clear communication about shipping cutoff dates, service-level expectations, and potential weather-related or carrier delays allows shoppers to plan with confidence.
Once an order is placed, integrated CRM and fulfillment systems can automatically send timely updates, including order confirmations, estimated ship dates, tracking details, and delivery notifications, keeping customers informed and reassured every step of the way.
5) Avoid any ‘Goldilocks’ inventory effect
We’ve all felt the disappointment of finding the perfect present, and then realizing the item is out of stock or on backorder.
While this situation is not always preventable, brands should do their best to order inventory appropriately. Ordering too much may mean a pricey bill and a packed warehouse, while too little sends customers to competitors.
But the right amount, just as Goldilocks learned, can help maximize sales.
To forecast demand, look back at your historical sales data to get an accurate picture of sales, especially for seasonal items. Closely examine factors such as forecast vs. order accuracy, inventory turnover, forecast accuracy, and order fill rate.
As the season approaches, stay tuned to your inventory levels to see what may be running low. From there, communicate with your suppliers to reorder or prepare a backup solution.
6) Refresh your returns process
Every retailer would love to see a zero-percent return rate for their products, but that isn’t a dream worth waiting for. In 2024, retail returns reached an estimated $890 billion, with online returns up significantly from the previous year.
Returns aren’t always seamless for consumers, which makes a clear and convenient process a key differentiator. Many brands are extending return windows during peak season and communicating policies upfront to reduce friction. Reverse logistics can be simplified through customer-friendly solutions such as the Loop X Kase partnership, while warehouse teams rely on defined SOPs to manage returns efficiently, from designating storage space to determining when to restock, refurbish, or dispose of products, particularly perishable items.
7) Conduct a peak season post-mortem and assess 3PL performance
Once the rush has settled, it’s the ideal time to evaluate how peak season really went and how well the logistics network performed under pressure. A thoughtful post-mortem helps identify what worked, what didn’t, and where improvements can strengthen resilience for next year.
Brands that partner with a third-party logistics provider (3PL) should take this opportunity to review service levels, communication, and scalability. A capable 3PL provides access to a broader carrier network, optimized transportation routes, and real-time visibility into inventory and fulfillment data. Many also offer value-added services (VAS) such as pre-kitting, product bundling, and retail compliance support — all of which can have a measurable impact on customer satisfaction and cost control.
To guide the review, key performance indicators (KPIs) can offer clarity on how well operations performed during the season:
Peak season KPI checklist
- On-time delivery rate: Measures carrier reliability and fulfillment efficiency.
- Order accuracy rate: Evaluates picking, packing, and labeling precision.
- Return rate: Indicates product quality, order accuracy, or fulfillment consistency.
- Average fulfillment time: Assesses processing speed from order to shipment.
- Inventory accuracy: Reflects how closely recorded stock matches physical inventory.
- Cost per order shipped: Highlights operational efficiency and cost management.
- Customer satisfaction or NPS: Captures the end-user experience post-purchase.
- Warehouse utilization: Gauges how effectively space and resources were used.
A clear-eyed review of these metrics enables teams to benchmark performance, strengthen 3PL partnerships, and set a stronger foundation for the next peak season.
How Kase unlocks scalable, peak-season fulfillment
Peak season success starts with a fulfillment partner built for flexibility. Kase combines hands-on service with real-time technology to help brands scale confidently through every surge.
Custom fulfillment, done right:
From branded packaging and gift wrapping to kitting and product bundling, Kase ensures every order feels intentional. Smart shipping recommendations keep deliveries on time and on budget, while flexible order creation keeps everything organized behind the scenes.
Visibility that keeps operations moving:
Our inventory management platform provides real-time performance dashboards, low-stock alerts, and clear order status updates to minimize “Where Is My Order” (WISMO) requests and keep both brands and customers informed.
Peak season may bring pressure, but with Kase, it’s also full of opportunity. Talk to our team today to make fulfillment your competitive advantage this season and beyond.
