Packing Orders Before the Christmas Rush

The weeks before Christmas are often the busiest of the year for sellers. Buyers order gifts, treat themselves and want everything to arrive in time. The post gets slower just as orders pick up. A little preparation now makes the whole month calmer.

Stock up on supplies early

Count your envelopes, boxes, tissue paper and labels, then work out what a busy week would use. Order enough for the whole month now. Running out of plain packaging in mid December is stressful and slows every order down.

Set up a packing corner

Keep everything you need in one place: packaging, tape, scissors, a pen and a printed list of open orders. Packing in batches at the same time each day is quicker than packing each order the moment it comes in.

Be honest about dispatch times

If you usually dispatch in two days but expect to need four in December, say so in your shop now. Buyers are happy to plan around a clear promise. They are unhappy when a promise is quietly missed.

Share your last order date

Check the last posting dates for your carrier and tell buyers when they need to order by to receive things before Christmas. Put it somewhere easy to see, and add a day or two of safety.

Keep packaging discreet

Many December parcels arrive at busy family homes. Plain outer packaging with no hint of what is inside is always the kind choice, and buyers notice when you get it right.