Tag: ecommerce

eCommerce Carrier Success. How to Boss Peak Season Shipping. Part I

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With more holidays and festivities, the fourth quarter is where peak season eCommerce takes off. But are you fully prepared to handle high volumes of orders shipping across multiple carriers, not just outbound but inbound?

The best news is that there is technology out there that can help you power through this madness – and that’s eCommerce carrier management software.

This first article in our two-part series will show you how to set up your shipping software to achieve your peak season goals.

Why You Need a Multi-Carrier Management System

If time is money, investing in a system that can do both is a win-win. Multi-carrier management systems offer a single platform solution that enables access to all the crucial parcel delivery services necessary to run your business. As a result, you save time by accessing all your carriers in one place, and you save both time and money on human resources.

But that’s not all. A multi-carrier system can also help you boss your peak season goals. That’s because it’s easy to install and the best ones like SmartConsign typically go live in less than 14 days. In addition, eCommerce carrier integration and standard set-up are free.

How to Integrate SmartConsign With Your Ecommerce Platform

To integrate your eCommerce carrier. You will need the following to get started:

From your eCommerce platform, you can access a list of shipping integrations. Scroll down until you see “SmartConsign” and click to connect. Next, you will see the complete list of carriers connected to SmartConsign. We offer a wide range of carriers, so you’re sure to find one that meets your needs.

You can create a carrier by adding your unique SmartConsign URL link (which you will receive from your platform provider). Then, the system will automatically generate a carrier token, which is used to link to your SmartConsign account.

Developer Not Required. Carrier Management Software without constraint!

From here on, SmartConsign will take care of all future systems upgrades and updates issued by the carrier you’ve connected to via our system. Our developers do all the heavy lifting, leaving your team free to work on other higher-priority tasks.

How to Create Shipments With SmartConsign

You can create a shipment in seconds with SmartConsign. Here’s how:

From your eCommerce platform, click ship to reveal a list of all the SmartConsign carriers you’ve created. Next, select the shipment services you need from your chosen courier and click ship.

A shipping label will appear post-shipment creation, and the tracking number will be imported to your shipment.

Labels fit in a 4-inch by 6-inch area in portrait orientation. The label can be printed directly to a printer or saved for printing later. Please save the label and print from a pdf application such as Adobe Acrobat for higher quality print.

What to Do if You Have Problems With SmartConsign

Our system is really easy to use. But if you’re having problems with SmartConsign, don’t hesitate to contact our support team. Read what one client had to say about us

“your whole team are brilliant, answer queries and complete setups really quickly” M Langford [DX Delivery]

In part two of this series, we will share a few pro tips and tricks to power up your operation for eCommerce peaks by leveraging SmartConsign.

In the meantime, you can contact support@smartconsign.io for help setting up, and to create a SmartConsign Account contact sales@smartconsign.io.

2022 Shipping Challenges: 3 Common Problems Shippers Face Today

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No matter the growth rate of the shipping sector, the immediate challenges of inflationary pressures are hard to ignore. And while it’s clear that the pandemic and war in Ukraine have profoundly affected the global supply chain, the shipping industry continues to face a multitude of challenges not related to these events. 

This article discusses the three most significant shipping challenges facing eCommerce businesses everywhere and how to overcome them.

1. Rising Shipping Costs

Of course, all customers want low shipping costs. But, the shipping cost continues to rise for big and small businesses. So, instead of passing these costs on to the customers, they subtract them from their total profits. Big companies can afford to do this, but this is not sustainable for smaller enterprises.

Fortunately, there are some strategies businesses can implement to lower shipping costs. They include:

· Bulk shipping

· Consolidating shipping

· Comparing costs between carriers 

· Negotiating and asking about discounts

· Packing items in smaller boxes 

· Pre-paying

· Using carrier-provider packaging

Most importantly, businesses can factor shipping fees into product pricing. If more companies implement this practice, customers will understand their need to contribute to rising shipping costs.

2. Returns

Returns for any business are inevitable. Although companies can take steps to limit returns, they will never eliminate all customers who are dissatisfied with their purchases. Yet, if businesses track returns, they can manage them more effectively in the future. 

First, your business needs to have a clear return policy.

Unfortunately, many new companies forget to create a channel for customers to send back defective items or items with damage to the packages.

A well-communicated return policy alone can reduce returns. Some other tips for managing returns include:

· Collect reasons for returns 

· Inspect items upon return

· Implement a restocking system

· Refund customers properly and promptly

· Integrate multi-carrier management systems with built-in returns management

You’ll see your e-commerce business growth soar faster by following these tips and lessening the number of returns.

3. Customs

For businesses shipping internationally, customs is another problem. Each country has rules and regulations for goods entering and exiting the country. Likewise, items in transit also have rules to follow.

Shipping internationally isn’t going to get easier soon as more companies expand their operations overseas and ship globally. Thus, it’s vital to have a shipping partner who understands the necessary international shipping forms. This includes:

· Bill of Landing (BOL)

· Certificate of Origin 

· Commercial Invoice

· Duties Declarations

· Packing List

· Shipper’s Letter of Instruction (SLI)

When all the documentation is in order, your business works toward preventing lost shipments and tracking packages and deliveries more easily.

Beat These Shipping Challenges With SmartConsign

Businesses’ three most pressing shipping challenges are rising shipping costs, customer returns, and customs regulations. However, there are many more not discussed here.

If you’re ready to overcome your shipping woes, contact us at SmartConsign. Our software is proven to support the delivery of parcels faster at a lower cost. So why not learn about our shipping integrations?

Simply request a free demo from one of our team members. 

Courier Spotlight: YODEL

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Each year billions of items are purchased online via marketplaces, eCommerce and social platforms, serviced by a growing list of courier service providers.

But not all couriers are created equal and with rapid change in the market, keeping up with individual courier developments is not easy. In this article, we spotlight Yodel, a UK courier pioneering full integration of their services via Shipping API.

Courier Providers UK Market Share 2022 – Source: Statista 2022

Who is Yodel Parcel Deliveries?

Yodel is an independent courier service with over ten years of experience in B2B and B2C deliveries. It’s one of the UK’s most well-known courier brands, delivering 190m parcels yearly.

Yodel transports parcels via three delivery networks:

  • Local delivery operations to towns and regional areas
  • Door-to-door (D2D) collection of goods
  • Petrol station delivery and pick-up services

With CollectPlus, parcels can be collected or distributed by Yodel at local petrol stations and various parcel points operating within partnering stores.

Who Are Yodel’s Customers?

Yodel’s primary customers are small to medium-sized businesses, including those operating online through e-commerce stores. However, they aren’t limited in their distribution services to retailers only. Yodel’s customer base also extends to online marketplace buyers and sellers, for example, users of Amazon or eBay.

What’s more, Yodel have a significant presence in the ‘subscription box’ sector delivering items such as pet food, flowers, wine and meal boxes.

How SmartConsign API Works

SmartConsign is a multi-carrier management system that offers an all-in-one platform for managing shipments.

With SmartConsign, parcel delivery is made easy. Here’s how it works:

  • Connect your carrier services with your e-commerce site
  • Select your shipments
  • Create, print, and attach your shipping label
  • Track your parcel from the moment it’s sent until it reaches the buyer

SmartConsign and Yodel: One Perfect Solution

The simplicity and ease of using SmartConsign shipping API are a perfect fit with Yodel’s services. To date, they are the only courier to fully offer all its services via SmartConsign, helping to make life easier for its customers. One perfect platform enabling complete control of all aspects of the parcel delivery process.

As well as Yodel, here are some of the top couriers SmartConsign provides solutions for:

You can use the software if you have an e-commerce store set up with one of many different platforms. These include:

  • Shopify
  • eBay
  • Amazon
  • WooCommerce
  • Veeqo
  • Linnworks

Integrate the two and begin running your business more efficiently while enjoying a smoother parcel delivery process.

SmartConsign Features

The software allows you to benefit from a variety of features. Want to know what some of the best features are? With SmartConsign, you can:

  • Create your labels in less than 30 seconds
  • Send your parcel using the same-day booking feature
  • Bulk dispatch your orders in large batches as and when required
  • Choose from multiple shipping options, including pre-paid delivery
  • Access couriers not provided by your marketplace or eCommerce platform
  • Unbiased access to carrier performance

SmartConsign has a solution for most businesses, whether you are fulfilling 200 to 100K+ orders per month, using a wide selection of carriers, and integrating with some of the UK’s most popular eCommerce platforms.

Sign Up to Improve Your Delivery Service Today

If you are an existing Yodel customer or just starting, sign-up to SmartConsign and make significant savings in costs and time.

Talk to us to find out more! We’ll be happy to tell you how we can give you better control of your deliveries and smoothen your end-to-end shipping right away.

What sets eCommerce platforms and Marketplaces apart?

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The eCommerce ecosystem offers many selling channels, but can you tell the difference between eCommerce platforms and marketplaces? Both tracks are crucial to sales success, and understanding the differences, might help ensure you scale your business the right way. Read on to learn more.

What Is an eCommerce Platform?

eCommerce platforms are SaaS solutions that enable businesses to set up their website (or store) for selling and order fulfilment management. They allow access to multiple selling channels, including marketplaces.

Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, Linnworks, Veeqo to name a few, are some of the markets leading eCommerce platforms. You only need to create one product or advert, and the platform will publish it to each marketplace and website. And as the item is sold, it synchronises available stock, so you don’t oversell.

Maximum Efficiency and Control

Efficiency and control are attractive benefits of eCommerce platforms, but they also come with an abundance of tools that can help synchronise many aspects of sales, marketing and distribution functions. These tools include integrations like SmartConsign, an advanced shipping API that help to smooth the parcel delivery process.

SmartConsign integrations consist of market-leading eCommerce platforms with large user bases:  Linnworks, Veeqo, Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento and more. Visit our website to view all.

What Is a Marketplace?

A marketplace allows businesses to list and sell their products to customers directly. There are several eCommerce marketplaces; Amazon, eBay, and Etsy are some of the largest global platforms that sell all products. Other marketplaces specialise in one product category or may sell products with similar characteristics.

These marketplaces allow businesses to win a share of wallets from many potential customers. It is a quick way to sell your products without investing in building brand awareness. The platform’s algorithms help the customer discover your product. Minimal effort is required, provided you invest time in optimising your listings for search.

Expand Your Reach

Amazon is the largest marketplace (85m visitors per month) and has surpassed Google as the number one destination for product searches. Whilst, eBay retains its popularity as a marketplace for unique or hard-to-find products and is suitable for testing international markets.

SmartConsign Shipping API integrates with both Amazon and eBay, allowing merchants to control and manage their shipping processes, helping them save money.

eCommerce vs Marketplace Platforms: An Overview

eCommerce platforms connect and help businesses control multiple marketplaces and websites (online stores). Whereas marketplaces (i.e. Amazon and eBay) are single online stores that allow companies to list their products on their platforms to reach a ready-made audience of prospects.

Now that you know the difference between an eCommerce platform and a marketplace, why restrict your choices to one shop (marketplace) when you can scale your business across multiple channels (eCommerce platform) with the same effort.

Multi-Carrier Management

Furthermore, don’t miss out on the opportunity to truly scale your business by ensuring you have access to all carriers, even the ones not provided by the marketplace or platform.

Here is how you can benefit from SmartConsign integration by using either of these platforms:

  1. Access a library of carriers and related services that are not accessible directly via a marketplace or eCommerce platform
  2. Granular control of shipments (certain shipment features may not be available via either of these platforms)
  3. Centralised data source (all carrier tracking data consolidated in one place)

SmartConsign is a multi-carrier management system powering carriers, retailers, resellers and partners. Our system securely integrates your carriers, eCommerce platforms and marketplaces into a single platform, allowing you to manage and control your parcel deliveries across multiple carriers easily.

You can read more from our blog or email sales@smartconsign.io for a quick demo.

Sustainable Parcel Delivery: Quick Tips for Ecommerce

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In a study by the World Economic Forum, over 50% of online shoppers cite concerns about the environmental impact of eCommerce. What’s more 38% are willing to help address the problem by paying more for low emission deliveries. Sustainable parcel delivery is fast catching consumer’s attention. But how do eCommerce businesses tap into this growing sentiment without the risk of losing their customers to competitors?

Adding a premium on parcel deliveries sounds excellent in practice, but few customers have the willpower to resist free delivery offers.

Read on to learn how eCommerce stores can tackle sustainability within their parcel delivery process without compromising business performance.

Delivery Tech

With the same-day delivery services market projected to grow by over 20% each year. Even the largest shippers have lost the power to slow down the demand for faster delivery.

Delivery technology like SmartConsign are designed to address the challenges of shrinking delivery times. From aiding order processing to multi-carrier management – these systems are essential to modern eCommerce shipping management.

They can also help businesses tackle sustainability by providing rich data to inform decisions throughout every stage of the parcel’s journey. For example, DHL, one of several carriers integrated on the SmartConsign platform, offers a ‘Green Plan. The solution calculates the most efficient route using delivery patterns and travel times.

The trick is having access to these carrier solutions from a single touch-point. Parcel delivery software enables this process effortlessly. Shippers load all their carriers onto the system, set rules and automatically process labels without accessing individual accounts. 

SmartConsign Multi-Carrier Management Dashboard

For unbiased shipping rates, sign up for a carrier-agnostic solution. Carriers on these systems do not pay a fee, so their rates are neutral. Overall helping to take eCommerce and suppliers within the order processing journey a step further in realising sustainable parcel delivery goals.

Use Packages That Are the Right Size

A lot of waste comes from using excessive packages to ship products. Amazon is often exposed for its packaging failures and in most part, they can withstand the criticism. But for most eCommerce businesses that level of consumer ridicule can cause serious damage to the brand’s reputation.‘Egregious Packaging‘ is a Reddit thread populated with consumers’ packaging fails.

Source: Reddit

Paying attention to packaging choices and using fewer plastics can help businesses reduce their environmental impact. As well as minimising waste, lighter delivery vehicles can be used and thereby help reduce carbon emissions. 

Bonus Shipping Packaging Tips

  • Using the same packaging twice helps reduce waste and is often more convenient for the consumer. Double-sealed mailers or zip-locked bags are hassle-free solutions, especially when the product needs to be returned.
  • Replace the plastic with paper-based packaging, which is recyclable and cost-effective. In the Paper and Packaging board study, 63% of people surveyed perceive a brand that uses paper packaging to be higher quality. When choosing paper-packaging solutions look for FSC-certified packaging products. 
  • Consider using biodegradable materials made from corn starch and sugarcane for single-use packaging.
  • Explore alternative protective packaging solutions such as those made from mushroom fibre. They are more sustainable than styrofoam.

Apply the Most Effective Tips for Sustainability Shipping

We hope we have piqued your interest in how your parcel deliveries can become more sustainable. As consumer sentiments towards sustainability continue to evolve making small changes now can make a world of difference.

To learn more about new shipping trends and sustainable practices, feel free to reach out and talk to our shipping experts. Email: sales@smartconsign.io

How to Choose the Best Shipping Software

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The global logistics industry is predicted to be worth $12 bn by 2027. With so much stock moving between retailers and customers, you need to be sure your shipping is working well.

Choosing the right shipping software is one way to help managed costs and your logistics. But with different options available, how do you choose the right software for your business?

Read on to learn what questions to ask when choosing shipping logistics software.

Does the Shipping Software Do the Basics Well?

At its most basic, logistics software needs to improve your productivity and efficiency. It’s designed to save money and keep your customers satisfied.

It’ll perform plenty of functions, such as warehouse functions like picking, and even transportation.

So ask yourself these questions when you’re looking at software.

Don’t be afraid to look at a package of solutions, rather than a single model you use for every client.

Can It Provide Analytics of Data?

More data passing through electronic systems give better opportunities to analyse such information. Having software that uses analytic tools gives you better insights through regular reports.

It’s all part of the ‘Big Data’ revolution. 90% of the world’s data was generated in the last two years.

Your software can harness the power of Big Data to help you grow your business. The software can spot patterns faster than human operators. So your reports might start providing solutions to problems instead of just highlighting the issue.

These recommendations can help your business make better, and faster, decisions about the entire business process.

Does It Offer Integration?

You can choose between plenty of stand-alone software solutions. But because of the moving parts involved with shipping logistics, you may need more.

You’ll need either one suite that covers all functions. Or you’ll need a series of stand-alone solutions that integrate. Alternatively, you’ll need your solution to integrate with those of your partners.

The software needs to extract data from the process in order to make decisions. Maybe it needs to change the warehouse dispatches to keep stock levels up. Or it might slow down to build stock levels / speed up to reduce stock?

Will This Software Address Pain Points?

Introducing new software can introduce its own problems. You don’t want to cause issues if it’s not necessary.

So you need to be sure that you know exactly what problems the software is going to solve. By evaluating where your current pain points are, you’ll be better able to choose the right solution for you.

If you’re looking for the cheapest way to ship, you need software that excels at that. But if stock management is more of an issue, that’s where your new software needs to place its focus.

Now You Can Choose the Best Shipping Logistics Software

The world of shipping logistics doesn’t need to produce headaches. By evaluating exactly what problems you need to solve, you can find the right software for you.

If you’re looking for a partner to help solve your shipping problems, then why not get in touch? We can discuss how to get you moving today.

SmartConsign integrates with all major carriers and sales platforms:

eCommerce Parcel Delivery – 3 solutions for growing enterprises

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Few couriers, carriers, and retailers have the resources of behemoths like Amazon to truly scale their logistics and parcel delivery services. It is not an easy feat to strike the right balance between efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Scaling your eCommerce parcel delivery business requires optimisation of the right solutions at the right time. 

eCommerce logistics a brief history

In the 1970s most businesses used direct deliveries from wholesalers or suppliers. When the ’80s arrived, eCommerce started using distribution centres to help streamline its delivery systems.

Import centres were used in the ’90s and in the 2000s the first eCommerce model and methodology were used from an e-fulfillment distribution network. The 2000s also welcomed cloud-based shipping software solutions like SmartConsign. Carrier Management Systems (CMS) designed to help simplify how businesses manage their parcel deliveries.

Fast forward to 2020 and the boom in eCommerce has accelerated demand for faster deliveries, putting pressure on margins. 

Getting eCommerce Parcel Delivery Right

With faster shipping at the forefront of many business strategies, identifying the right solution is critical to future success. Here is our top three:

#1 Multi Carrier Shipping

Adopting a multi-carrier shipping strategy can help you scale and respond to market needs faster. You can quickly access and compare rates across multiple carriers, helping you identify the best rates faster and control your costs. The best solutions are carrier management systems that allow you to plug in all the major carriers. These applications give you instant access to all the carrier information you need from one single touchpoint.

#2 Faster Label Production

You can manage complexity out of your business by simplifying consignment production. Systems that offer standardised label production offer multiple benefits. You can replace the manual processing of labels, remove the need to print different size labels and separate printers for each carrier, and more.

To accelerate your parcel deliveries, switch to a faster CMS. Certain systems can process thousands of consignments in less than an hour and spot anomalies in real-time. For smaller batches of 1000 or less, there are applications that can produce 100 labels in less than 3 seconds. Where parcel delivery is concerned, speed matters and by addressing complexities in your process – you can respond to the market faster.

#3 Cloud-based CMS

It sounds obvious; however, in order to grow, eCommerce businesses need to stay agile and remain relevant. The best carrier management systems include features designed to directly address the challenges of faster parcel delivery including returns management.

The ease of installing cloud-based CMS’s helps to make it easier for you to get started quickly. You can effortlessly test a new CMS side by side with your current system. You only need to switch if you’re satisfied with the overall performance.

The efficiencies gained from using a high performing CMS can save you money and help satisfy your customer’s delivery timeline.

Scale your Business with smart shipping solutions

Progressive e-commerce businesses know that their delivery performance is a key differentiator over their competitors – this is one area where the use of innovative solutions can bring big benefits. To learn more about these ecommerce shipping solutions and more, get in touch.

 

Top 5 eCommerce Trends for 2019 That Will Boost Sales

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Looking for new ways to grow your eCommerce business? If so, there are some key economic trends you need to take note of in 2019.

There’s no question that the eCommerce industry is advancing at an amazing rate. By 2021, global retail eCommerce sales should reach a staggering $4.8 trillion. The problem is, how can you get ahead of the pack?

Whilst there’s no easy answer to this conundrum, it helps to take note of where the industry is heading. After all, knowing the future is the easiest way to prepare for it. To that end, here are the 5 most important eCommerce trends in 2019.

1. Voice Commerce

It doesn’t take a lot to realize why voice is the future of eCommerce. Once you get used to asking your app to buy something, it’s hard to go back. No other checkout method provides so little friction.

In 2019, voice adoption rate is set to keep rising. Within a few years, voice commerce should be worth £3.5 billion in the United Kingdom alone.

2. Easy Checkouts

Of course, that doesn’t mean you should neglect the traditional checkout experience. The key here is to make the process as easy as possible. If the purchase path is too complicated, many of your customers will abandon it.

Not sure where to start? Autofill fields, image recognition software, and single-page checkouts are always a good idea. Also, don’t force your customers to register unless necessary.

3. B2B

When it comes to eCommerce growth trends, B2B is in a much better place than B2C. As a general rule, the B2B model doesn’t have to compete with the customers. Of course, the increased scalability doesn’t hurt either.

If you’re running a B2B business, you can’t afford to have a subpar eCommerce offering. In other words, focus on treating your business customers as individuals.

4. Faster Delivery

These days, there’s no shortage of ways to deliver products to your customers. Once again, the keyword is convenience. With same-day deliveries becoming the norm, optimizing your supply chain is a necessity.

Of course, bigger retailers can afford to think outside the box. For example, Amazon is developing a drone-based delivery system called Prime Air. Their end goal is to make all deliveries within 30 minutes.

5. Chatbots

If you aren’t familiar with chatbots, they are computer programs designed for user interaction. As AI keeps evolving, businesses will be able to use chatbots even more efficiently. By 2020, they should be an industry mainstay.

You may think chatbots are depersonalizing human interaction, but that’s not the case. Their main purpose is to streamline the customer journey. By providing the right information, chatbots can connect customers to their preferred brands.

More on eCommerce Trends

If you’re familiar with these eCommerce trends, your business should be in good shape. The eCommerce industry continues to move at pace, even the time it takes to check your desktop for notifications might be a few minutes too late. SmartConsign mobile App is a free download that is set to advance how we manage parcel deliveries in 2019. Sign up here to be one of the first to access the SmartConsign App.

Interested to learn more about us? Looking to improve your parcel delivery process? Contact us here. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible!

Save the Date! 2018 Top Sales Days to keep in mind for your Shipping Logistics

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Last year, SmartConsign shipping logistics software enabled the delivery of over 600,000+ parcels, generating millions of labels and helping our clients achieve real cost efficiencies in their shipping logistics. With more and more shipping logistics professionals recognising the benefits of our cloud-based multi-carrier management software, we are poised for yet another busy year. To help you get organised for this year’s sales opportunities, the SmartConsign team have compiled a list of all the key sales days you should be planning for to make sure your shipping logistics go smoothly.

As for SmartConsign, we are getting ready to launch SmartConsign version three. It’s designed to further improve your overall parcel shipping efficiencies so that you can truly maximise the potential of all those selling opportunities. Save the date!

Blue Monday
Some claim that the third Monday in January is the most miserable day of the year. Whether or not this is true, retailers use Blue Monday as a way to encourage people to shop away their misery.

Valentines Day
Globally celebrated, Valentine’s Day finds people showing their love by purchasing gifts for their significant others. Typically, both offline and online retailers discount their products with Valentine’s deals and sales. Last year, people across the UK spent an estimated £987m ($1.23bn) on gifts and cards, according to GlobalData Retail.

Mothers Day
As the name implies, this day typically involves gifting mums. Mother’s Day is celebrated exactly three weeks before Easter Sunday and five weeks after Valentine’s Day. The purchases made for our mums are typically offline.

Last year, Mother’s Day spending was estimated to reach a record-high $23.6 billion in the US and £1.4 billion in the UK. The research also found that Londoners spend more on their mums than on their dads (poor dads!)

Labour Day
A bank holiday, Labour Day marks the day when workers earned rights they didn’t have previously (like the eight hour work day). It’s associated with the start of spring as well. People tend to relax or go on holiday, which makes it a great time for retailers to focus on travel and leisure items, among others.

Easter Sunday
Easter Sunday is one of the most festive events among Christians worldwide. This year, Easter Sunday falls on the 1st of April, closer to payday,  which gives people an incentive to spend more money towards Easter goodies like chocolate eggs and candy bunnies. Customers also tend to buy new clothes to fit the turn of the season.

Fathers Day
You guessed it. Father’s Day is dedicated to honour dear ol’ dad. About a third of all Father’s Day gifts were bought online in 2017. The dads in the UK are less lucky than the mums; Brits spend 15% less on Father’s Day than they do on Mother’s Day. In 2017, it was estimated that the spending on Father’s Day in the US would reach a record $15.5 billion, according to the National Retail Foundation (NRF). In the UK this will be around £700 million, barely any difference from last year.

Amazon Prime Day
The shopping holiday ‘Amazon Prime Day’, was launched by Amazon in 2015 to celebrate its 20th anniversary. The day is similar to Black Friday and has become one of the biggest online shopping days of the year. As the name would suggest, it’s exclusive to  Amazon.

Amazon does not release sales figures, but the company stated it had a record revenue in 2017 and Prime Day was the biggest sales day in the company’s history–busier than Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Prime Day 2016.  It’s estimated that Prime Day brought in between $1.8 billion and $2.8 billion dollars for Amazon.

Halloween
Halloween comes from the American celebration, but nowadays it’s observed in a number of countries. The UK is among these countries, and it was estimated that Brits will spend an extraordinary £320 million ($418 million) on Halloween. Most of the sales come from the Millenials and is spent on pumpkins and fancy dress.

Singles Day
This Chinese event, where people celebrate being single and gift themselves, is also referred to as the Chinese version of Black Friday. Alibaba reported that sales in 2017 from Singles’ Day amounted to $25.3 billion, a 40 percent jump from 2016 figures and hitting a new record. In the same year, Singles Day beat both Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Grey Thursday/Thanksgiving
Grey Thursday refers to the day before Black Friday. It consists of preview deals ahead of the Friday Frenzy that marks the start of the holiday shopping period. As expected, Thanksgiving, or Grey Thursday, is an especially popular holiday in America. Online shoppers in the US spent $2.9 billion on Thanksgiving, with mobile phone and tablet purchases accounting for nearly half of those sales.

Black Friday
This is a global online sales event that typically has deeply discounted deals, both offline and online. British shoppers are estimated to spend £10.1bn in the week of Black Friday, nearly 4% higher than last year, as more retailers take part in the US-inspired promotional day. Online spending was predicted to reach £7.42bn in the week of November 20-27 in 2017. The figure, from retail trade association IMRG, is up 15% on the £6.45bn in comparison to the same time last year. This includes a £1.35bn that’s expected to change hands online on Black Friday alone. That’s 9% more than last year.

Cyber Monday
The Monday after Thanksgiving is a day when people are encouraged to shop online, hence the name ‘Cyber Monday’. Consumers in the UK spent a total of £1.1billion shopping online on Cyber Monday.

It was the biggest sales day ever for online and mobile in the US. Online sales brought in $6.59 billion in total, while sales on mobile broke a new record by reaching $2 billion.

Small Business Saturday
The exact date of Small Business Saturday for this year will likely be the 1st of December in the UK. This global online sales event typically sees deals of 50% off or more, offline and online. The campaign celebrated its fifth birthday in the UK last year.  It comes a week after two big Christmas shopping days – Black Friday and Cyber Monday – that traditionally favour larger businesses. On Small Business Saturday, customers are encouraged to visit independent retailers in their communities, many of whom mark the event with deals and discounts.

Retargeting Tuesday
This is mainly a noteworthy day for marketers. The aim of Retargeting Tuesday is to retarget customers who were previously engaged on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Green Monday
Green Monday is Ebay’s busiest online shopping day, which comes from consumers doing last minute shopping to avoid higher delivery charges. Green Monday is seen as the online version of Super Saturday. Green Monday has become the biggest online shopping day in December, and one of the biggest of the year. In 2016, online sales on Green Monday were their highest ever at $1.6 billion.

Free Shipping
As the name suggests, participating merchants and retailers offer free shipping with guaranteed delivery by Christmas Eve. Hundreds of retailers in America offer free shipping on this day, helping consumers to save some money. The Free Shipping Day hasn’t taken off in the UK (yet).

Super Saturday
The last Saturday before Christmas targets last-minute shoppers. Shoppers were predicted to spend £1.6bn on last-minute presents on this Saturday in 2017. It was set to be one of the biggest trading days of the year in the UK. Around 14 million people in the UK headed to the high street to spend £1.4bn in store, up 49% on in-store spend on the same date in 2016. Online spend was also set to rise, up 46% in comparison to 2016, to a staggering £220m. This particular day is a big opportunity for retailers.

SmartConsign has the vision to simplify shipping operations and create collaboration within the logistics industry. From order through to delivery, a parcel has a long list of checkpoints before it reaches its final destination and we aim to make the journey as seamless as possible. Designed in 2008, SmartConsign is the first true cloud SaaS delivery management solution. SmartConsign is used at over 300 companies across the nation including retailers, distribution warehouses, resellers, couriers and carriers. Our parcel delivery software offers full visibility of shipping operations and seamless integration with in-house system without hardware installations.

Contact us now to get started simplifying your shipping process!