Get your retail and e-commerce operations ready for the holidays with smart packaging strategies. From managing inventory and shipping efficiently to handling post-holiday returns, learn how the right packaging can protect products, delight customers, and boost your seasonal success.
Every shift in consumer behavior or economic trend has a direct impact on retail packaging. With more purchases now fulfilled online or shipped through parcel networks, wholesalers, retailers, and supply chain operators must stay agile. As we head into the peak season warehouse operators, fulfillment centers, and shipping professionals are adapting quickly to meet rising shopper expectations.
Headline Holiday Predictions
The story of holiday shopping continues to be speed and convenience. Brands rolled out major promotions and product launches well ahead of the traditional Black Friday kickoff. And while Black Friday once marked the start of the shopping frenzy, consumer habits are shifting:
- Fewer shoppers are lining up in stores on Thanksgiving night, a trend that began several years ago.
- Sales in the week leading up to Black Friday have surged, signaling that customers are spreading out their shopping instead of concentrating it on one day.
- Cyber Monday continues to dominate, with e-commerce sales projected to exceed record levels and cement its status as the biggest online shopping day of the year.
With so much riding on digital performance, e-commerce merchants and distributors are relying heavily on fast, reliable, and scalable packaging solutions. This year, practical, efficient packaging isn’t a nice-to-have—it’s essential to hitting revenue and service goals.
Priority #1 Inventory: Product and Packaging
The online economy lives and dies by its inventory. Too little of it leaves customers upset and causing operations to grind to a halt, while too much of it leads to balance sheet irregularities. But product inventory isn't the only concern – logistics providers need to ensure they are well-supplied with boxes, tape, labels, void fill and other packaging materials to keep orders moving out of the door.
E-commerce thrives on accurate inventory planning. Too little product creates stockouts and customer frustration; too much ties up cash and warehouse space. But beyond product availability, operations teams must also account for packaging inventory.
Keeping essentials fully stocked like boxes, mailers, tape, labels, cushioning, void fill, and protective packaging, ensures orders keep moving. A single missing component can stall an entire fulfillment line, costing time, labor, and customer satisfaction.
Don't Forget the Post-Holiday Rush: Returns
Even after the last gift is opened, the work isn’t finished. The days immediately following Christmas bring a predictable spike in returns. E-commerce brands that excel here win long-term loyalty by making returns:
- Simple
- Fast
- Hassle-free
- Clearly packaged and labeled
But a great returns experience requires strategic packaging choices, including easy-open designs, dual-adhesive strips, durable materials, and right-sized solutions that protect items during both outbound and return transit.
Packaging Preparedness Pays Off
Mastering holiday packaging before, during, and after peak season creates benefits that last well beyond December. The right strategy helps:
- Reduce damage rates
- Improve fulfillment efficiency
- Strengthen customer satisfaction
- Build brand loyalty
- Lower operational costs
When companies get packaging right, they enter the new year stronger, more efficient, and ready for continued growth.
If you’re looking to optimize packaging for peak seasons or year-round operations, reach out to Pregis.. Our experts can help build a solution that keeps your supply chain protected, efficient, and ready for anything.
