Miami, FL, December 16, 2014 – APS Fulfillment, Inc., one of the nation’s leading cost-effective fulfillment and integrated direct mail marketing companies, is weighing in on recently announced retail sales data for November. The company is also commenting on how businesses can mitigate supply chain risks ahead of the holiday season.
“Gas prices being at multi-year lows and consumer sentiment at multi-year highs have given U.S. businesses reason to be optimistic about the 2014 holiday shopping season,” says Charles Aultman, president of APS Fulfillment, Inc. “And recently announced strong November retail sales data could make the holiday season even brighter.”
The U.S. Census Bureau announced that November retail sales increased 0.7% month-over-month to $449.3 billion. This represents the largest monthly gain since March 2014, despite economists expecting November sales to climb just 0.4%.On a year-over-year basis, November retail sales were up a robust 5.1%. (Source: “Advance Monthly Sales for Retail and Food Services, November 2014,” U.S. Economics & Statistics Administration web site, December 11, 2014; http://www.esa.doc.gov/economic-indicators/2014/12/advance-monthly-sales-retail-and-food-services.)
“The holiday retail season has started very strongly. Back in October, the National Retail Federation predicted November and December sales would increase 4.1% year-over-year to $616.9 billion,” Aultman adds. “But the unexpectedly strong November retail data suggests holiday sales at both traditional brick-and-mortar stores and online should easily surpass expectations.” (Source: “Optimism Shines as National Retail Federation Forecasts Holiday Sales to Increase 4.1%,” National Retail Federation web site, October 7, 2014; https://nrf.com/media/press-releases/optimism-shines-national-retail-federation-forecasts-holiday-sales-increase-41.)
Aultman explains that over the coming weeks, shoppers will continue to leverage different sales and purchasing channels. And they will also expect exceptional service, from the initial purchase to final delivery to contacting customer service; that puts increased pressure on both retailers and e-commerce brands to maximize their supply chain network.
He also notes that APS Fulfillment, Inc. provides its growing list of international clients with a tailored range of services that exceeds their unique needs. The company’s state-of-the-art facilities and fast and accurate pick-and-pack rate can more than handle the seasonal demand that brands face at this time of year. In addition to being able to accommodate new products that get launched during the holidays, APS Fulfillment, Inc. also uses real-time shipping that receives orders as they’re placed; preventing backlogs and late shipments.
“APS Fulfillment, Inc. understands that time is of the essence when it comes to customer satisfaction. Conveniently located in South Florida, APS Fulfillment, Inc. is just minutes from Interstate 95, 20 minutes from the Port Everglades and the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport; and just 40 minutes from the Miami International Airport and Port of Miami,” Aultman concludes. “As a result, our clients can have their products received, inventoried, and shipped in just two days. This ensures customers receive exactly what they ordered and get it when promised.”
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 or by calling 954-582-7450.
