APS Fulfillment, Inc. (www.APSFulfillment.com), one of the nation’s leading cost-effective fulfillment and integrated direct mail marketing companies, is weighing in on record Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales and releasing its expert opinion on how brands can take advantage of holidays and other festivals in product fulfillment.
According to APS Fulfillment, Thanksgiving Day online sales increased 21% over Thanksgiving Day last year to $766 million. On Black Friday, e-commerce spending climbed 15% year-over-year to a record $1.2 billion as more and more consumers chose to shop online and avoid busy stores. Record online spending carried over to Cyber Monday, where sales jumped 16% year-over-year at a record $2.29 billion. (Source: “Holiday 2013 – Cyber Monday and Cyber Five FINAL,” eBayStrategies.blogs.com, December 3, 2013; http://ebaystrategies.blogs.com/ebay_strategies/2013/12/holiday-2013-cyber-monday-and-cyber-five-final.html.)
Over the five days covering Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, reports APS Fulfillment, total online sales soared 26% over the same period in 2012 to $7.4 billion. Thanks to the Internet, retailers with an online presence now earn about 10% of their annual sales over the five Thanksgiving holiday cyber shopping days. (Source: “Shopping In A Digital World: Cyber Monday Blows Past $2B In Online Sales,” CMO.com, December 3, 2013; http://www.cmo.com/content/cmo-com/home/articles/2013/11/20/cyber_monday_adi.html.)
“In just a few short years, the Internet has evolved from being a simple research and communication portal to being the world’s most influential marketing tool, bringing the world closer together and opening the door to a global customer base 24/7,” says Charles Aultman, president of APS Fulfillment, Inc. “The record online Thanksgiving holidays sales also illustrate just how important it is for brands to have a reliable fulfillment company.”
Consumers may want to know they’re getting a good deal, Aultman explains, but the second after they press ‘send,’ they’re more concerned about getting what they ordered and receiving it when they were promised. Thanksgiving falling later in the month leaves just 26 days between it and Christmas, meaning that shoppers are going to try and squeeze in as much online shopping as possible during that time.
Whether it’s for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any other holiday, it’s important that brands ensure their inventories are stocked up; according to Aultman, online shoppers that find an item is backordered will take their business elsewhere. It’s also important to use a fulfillment company that can handle the seasonal rush. It’s one thing to get orders, but it’s another to know they will be filled accurately and on time; after all, fast and accurate shipping translates into loyal, repeat customers.
“At APS Fulfillment, Inc. we understand that accurately packed orders and fast shipping are the two cornerstones of reliable fulfillment services,” Aultman concludes. “When it comes to fulfillment services, it’s essential that retailers trust their reputation to a company with a warehouse management system designed to exceed its clients’ expectations every time.”
APS Fulfillment, Inc. is one of the United States’ leading cost-effective fulfillment and integrated direct mail marketing companies, offering affordable and real-time fulfillment services to small, medium, and large companies. Its state-of-the-art technology provides turnkey solutions for high-volume perfect-match mailings, personalized direct mail, snap-pak mailers, postcards, and triple-tabbed booklets. More information on APS Fulfillment, Inc. is available by visiting the firm’s web site at www.APSFulfillment.com or by calling 954-582-7450.
