APS Fulfillment, Inc. Weighs in on Holiday Delivery Delays as Retailers Try to Keep Up

Miami, FL (PRWEB), January 6, 2015 – APS Fulfillment, Inc., one of the nation’s leading cost-effective fulfillment and integrated direct mail marketing companies, is weighing in on holiday delivery delays as retailers and courier firms continue to struggle to keep up with demand.

A high number of retailers were unable to deliver their parcels when promised to customers over the holiday season. According to one study, seven percent of packages did not arrive at their destination by the promised delivery date; while that number is better than the 12% rate from 2013, it still remains untenably high. (Source: “See Which Retailers Met Guarantees for Christmas Delivery,” StellaService web site, December 26, 2014; http://happycustomer.stellaservice.com/2014/12/26/stellaservice-study-see-which-retailers-met-guarantees-for-christmas-delivery/.)

“Industry experts have been watching how well retailers and carriers deal with increased demand over the holidays.” says Charles Aultman, president of APS Fulfillment, Inc. “In 2013, bad weather, record volume, and late order deadlines caused two-million parcels to arrive late; more broadly, it is estimated that retailers were responsible for 56% of the delays in 2013. Most of the shortcomings were a result of processing errors or a failure for brands to upgrade shipping.”

Aultman explains that this year, none of the delivery issues could be attributed to carriers. This represents a major turnaround from 2013, where carriers were responsible for 44% of the delivery errors. What this also means is that retailers alone bear the responsibility for late shipments.

Another study found that 13% of orders did not make it to shoppers in time for Christmas, down slightly from a 15% failure rate in 2013. Further, a quarter of late shipments were the result of inventory issues, up from 13% in 2013. On top of that, approximately one-third of late shipments were attributed to retailers that should have sent items via air but didn’t upgrade their shipping. (Source: Gustafson, K., “Who spoiled Christmas? Fewer packages arrive late,” December 26, 2014; www.cnbc.com/id/102296005.)

“The decrease in performance metrics is a result of brands learning how to deal with online ordering and fulfillment issues,” Aultman observes. “Having fast and accurate pick-and-pack and shipping is everything when it comes to customer satisfaction. Brands that fail to live up to their promises risk damaging their reputations and bottom lines.”

“When it comes to driving long-term customer loyalty, nothing is more important than warehousing systems. To be more competitive, retailers and brands with an online presence need to streamline operations and maximize order fulfillment,” Aultman concludes. “Businesses that use APS Fulfillment, Inc. can have their products received, inventoried, and shipped in just two days.”

Centrally located in Southern Florida, APS Fulfillment is just minutes from the Port Everglades and the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. The company is also just 40 minutes from the Miami International Airport and Port of Miami. On top of that, APS Fulfillment, Inc.’s state-of-the-art real-time shipping solution can connect to a retailer’s online shopping cart and receive orders as they occur. More information on APS Fulfillment, Inc. is available by visiting the firm’s web site or by calling 954-582-7450.