The 2024 festive period could be a tricky one for retailers as shoppers hunt down the best deals amidst an ongoing cost of living crisis and focus the majority of their bargain hunting on the Black Friday weekend. While a sales bonanza is no bad thing, pallet and sack truck supplier, Pallet Truck Shop is urging retailers to be prepared for an inevitable increase in orders and returns.
As households continue to feel the pinch of rising costs and businesses digest the implications of the first Labour budget in more than a decade, this festive shopping season is shaping up to be a little different to most for retailers, warehouses and logistics companies.
The UK eCommerce Association expects sales to be 1.0% lower than last year and YouGov predicts everyone will spend less – but it’s clear that Black Friday will remain the focus with 72% of shoppers using the day to find the best value products for the festive season. To this backdrop, Pallet Truck Shop expects retailers and warehouses to be doubly pressured, with the rush to get goods out the door on Black Friday and Cyber Monday followed by a rush to process returns in the following days.
“Budget is sure to be the watchword for this year’s shoppers, which is why we expect returns to be higher than normal in the first few weeks proceeding Black Friday”, says Pallet Truck Shop Managing Director, Phil Chesworth.
“We expect there to be a wave of sales throughout November as households take advantage of early Black Friday offers, but retailers and warehouses must be prepared for the wave of returns which will inevitably follow. Processing those as efficiently as the initial sales dispatch will be critical to managing shopper expectations and maintaining reputations.”
Based in the West Midlands, Pallet Truck Shop has been supporting retailers, warehouses and the logistics industry to manage their goods inwards and outwards since 1984. Its catalogue of materials handling equipment includes a wide range of warehouse essentials, including electric pallet trucks, weighing scale trucks and manual stackers.