Black Friday, a sales tradition originating in the United States, begins the day after Thanksgiving. This year, it falls on November 24th. Globally, it is recognized as a major retail holiday and a key date in the pre-Christmas shopping calendar. For logistics companies, Black Friday is a challenge that requires efficient planning and effective supply chain management. How does logistics prepare for this sales holiday? CEVA Logistics, a global logistics operator managing fulfillment distribution centers in Poland and around the world, shares its experience.
During Black Friday in 2022, a 2.3% increase in sales was recorded compared to the previous year, and e-commerce shoppers spent a total of USD 9.12 billion. The number of consumers who took advantage of promotional campaigns and discounts during this time was record-breaking – 196.7 million people made purchases in online and brick-and-mortar stores during the Black Friday weekend.
What does Black Friday mean for logistics?
This year, the sales holiday will be celebrated on November 24th. In the United States, 53% of shoppers plan to do their holiday shopping then. However, Black Friday is also very popular in other countries, especially in the UK, Germany, Brazil, and Poland.
Many companies start organizing online sales earlier and offer their customers attractive discounts. This increases demand and freight traffic between stores and their customers. As CEVA notes, for logistics companies specializing in e-commerce, this means that the focus on adjusting supply chains begins to gradually increase in September and October, peaking in November.
In times when purchases are made with a single click, consumers also expect the delivery of their ordered goods to be just as fast. Their dissatisfaction stems from stock shortages or delivery problems. This shows how important a role effective logistics solutions and proactive supply chain management play.
Preparations for Black Friday completed well in advance
A significant increase in commercial activity during the “sales holiday” period requires greater involvement from logistics companies and a corresponding increase in deliveries within international supply chains. Customers must be sure that they will be able to offer their products to consumers and guarantee fast and timely delivery after the sale is completed. This can only be ensured by an operator that has an extensive distribution and transport network.
CEVA, operating in over 170 countries, not only has long-standing experience in delivering during Black Friday but also manages e-commerce distribution centers worldwide, including in Poland, processing over 360 million orders annually. It provides comprehensive service, from supplier management and warehouse order fulfillment, through transport services (air, sea, and land) and customs clearance, to last-mile and reverse logistics.
Additionally, to ensure full readiness to handle the increased number of deliveries during the Black Friday period, CEVA has strengthened its teams of employees responsible for preparing orders in distribution centers. Here, the foundation and support are the most modern and innovative technologies in the field of automation and robotics, which are being implemented in CEVA centers. They increase the productivity and efficiency of warehouse processes while minimizing the fulfillment time for e-commerce orders. A great example is the Autonomous Robot Shuttle, used in the CEVA warehouse in Liuzhou, China. Its use increases picking process efficiency by 170% and storage capacity by as much as 200%.
For delivery punctuality during Black Friday, optimal planning and control of deliveries are crucial. A dedicated team of contract logistics experts at CEVA is responsible for managing international and intercontinental goods transfers. Their task is to find the most efficient routes for shipments, balancing costs and delivery time. Checking whether delivery is proceeding according to plan is facilitated by a real-time transport monitoring system.
Only through proper preparation is a logistics company able to guarantee the delivery of goods while maintaining deadlines and safety, and thus meet customer expectations during Black Friday.
Source: CEVA Logistics