By Pioneer Packaging

Tips for Making Peak Season Run Smoothly

The surge of the holiday peak shipping season is just around the corner. That means that businesses need to act now to ensure they have the ecommerce and retail packaging supplies they need for the next few months. Peak season can hit companies hard, but there are steps you can take before it begins and throughout the year to help it run as smoothly as possible.

Planning ahead is key

Careful planning is a must for successfully navigating peak season. Many factories and businesses close down during the holiday season in the U.S. and Chinese New Year, potentially leading to supply chain disruptions during and after the peak time. It’s important to order enough packaging supplies and materials to last you at least through Q1, before these holidays begin.

Handle machine maintenance before peak season arrives

Whether you have a retail or ecommerce packaging operation, you need equipment that operates at its best. Automation has become a key part of many packing processes, but you can’t realize the productivity gains it brings if it’s not working properly. Preventive maintenance pays for itself through increased machine lifespan and decreased downtime when you need the equipment most, like you do during peak season. We recommend reaching out to your Pioneer rep before the rush starts, and we will discuss your maintenance options with you and help you get any parts you may need.

Think about your packaging materials now, not later

Without enough retail packaging and ecommerce packaging, you won’t be able to meet the surge in demand that this time of year brings. It’s important to analyze past years, look closely at which products sell the most, and order packaging materials sooner rather than later. At Pioneer, we offer clamshells, corrugate containers, bags, wrapping, void fill, tags, labels, automated machines, and much more.

Remember that you’re not alone! Our team can help you determine what type of packaging and equipment is best for your products and how much you should order to make this peak season a success.

We’ll store your packaging materials for you

With over 60 3PL warehouses throughout the country, Pioneer provides complete supply chain solutions, specializing in transportation, logistics, air and ocean forwarding, and warehousing services. We and our partners will store your packaging supplies and materials until you need them, so you don’t have to purchase in bulk and pay to store them. That way, you can ensure that you’ll have the retail and ecommerce packaging supplies required for peak season.

Understand the capabilities of your suppliers

To successfully manage peak season, you need to be on top of your supply chain and your suppliers. Have the conversations about capacities and capabilities before the busy time, so you know exactly how much volume they can handle. At Pioneer, we make easy for you.

Pioneer has multiple suppliers in different regions, both in the U.S. and abroad, to help us maintain flexibility for our customers. For example, we can import packaging products affected by U.S. labor issues and source some products domestically that are currently difficult to import. Either way, we ensure your packaging supply chain keeps moving.

Take advantage of our blanket order agreements

At Pioneer, we offer blanket orders that contain multiple delivery dates for the duration of peak season. They are negotiated with predetermined pricing and the availability of raw materials. The benefits of a blanket order are that it assures supply of the materials you need, you don’t have to hold large amounts of inventory, and it streamlines the ordering process by using a single PO.