Why It's Not Too Early To Think About Christmas!

Now that most of the country has entered a second lockdown with non-essential shops shutting their doors. Once again, consumers are returning to more reliable online shopping. Next day delivery options are standard for most websites so you may be thinking there's no rush to order those Christmas gifts. But with experts predicting that online sales this festive period are going to be much higher than ever before there is a real need to get shopping early!

Even if the lockdown restrictions start to relax in early December as expected, the high street won't be the bustling scene we are used to from previous years. Seb James, the CEO of Boots, confessed he 'just doesn't know' what demand will be. He stressed that shopper safety is integral, with stores not wanting to 'cram people in as we normally do at Christmas'. Boots have, therefore tripled their online capacity to accommodate the coming surge in online Christmas shopping.

Boots are far from the only retailer to predict a change in consumer behaviour this year. The industry body for online retailers, IMRG are hoping that shoppers will adapt their shopping habits this year and gradually purchase throughout November and December to avoid a mad panic in the week leading up to Christmas. Andy Mulcahy of IMRG reflected that they predict the volumes of buying to be 'excessive this year'.

Be gone panic buying!

During the first lockdown, we all saw the media images of empty shelves in supermarkets. Already in the second lockdown, we have seen similar photos starting to appear. This kind of panic buying is what retailers are hoping to avoid by emphasising the convenience of online Christmas shopping.

However, pre lockdown, online sales at the beginning of 2020 were still 5% higher than that of last year. Since COVID-19 hit, these numbers have exponentially risen, with growth rates increasing by 40-50% according to the IMRG and haven't decreased since.

For small online businesses that adapted well to eCommerce selling, this growth has been an unforeseen silver lining to undeniably dark circumstances. Many of these have translated their brick-and-mortar shops to Squarespace or BigCommerce stores and have reaped the benefits of doing so.

These businesses have found that pairing with a parcel courier like Interparcel offers them security in reliable sending and access to low-cost rates to deliver Christmas gifts. But it's not just businesses that can benefit from our services this merry season.

With the second lockdown and the previous 'rule of 6' consumers may be wondering what Christmas will look like this year. With the growing uncertainty, it makes sense to get ahead of the curve and deliver Christmas gifts to loved ones across the country before the big day. That way, if you don't arrive to celebrate, at least your present will make it!

How can Interparcel help with Christmas shopping?

At Interparcel, our main goal is to help you stay in touch. We can make sure that your Christmas gifts are delivered safely. We provide you with access to services that make sending and receiving presents this year easier. For businesses, we're also here to help manage and fulfil orders quickly so that customers stay happy and business runs stress-free.

We offer a range of services that allow you to avoid the shops - our contact-free collection services enable customers to stay safe at home. Your parcel can be collected from your doorstep and delivered contact-free. Whether you are sending in the UK or worldwide we make sending Christmas gifts online safe, easy and affordable. Alternatively, you can use our drop off services to drop-off a parcel at one of thousands of locations across the country

We partner with a range of couriers that specialise in sending parcels of all sizes. With the likes of Parcelforce, who have one of the most extensive selections of shipping services, you can send packages between 28kg with dimensions limits of 140cm - 250cm. Their solutions are perfect for shipping Christmas presents and decorations like Christmas trees, alcohol to boozy loved ones or toys for the little ones.

How can I minimise risk when Christmas shopping?

Although according to the WHO (World Health Organisation) packages that have been transported to multiple locations and been exposed to varying temperatures are highly unlikely to spread the virus. It's still a good idea to proceed with common sense and good hygiene when receiving or sending parcels.

To minimise risks while sending be sure to wash hands before handling and packaging goods to ensure items are not contaminated before shipping. Additionally, when receiving packages, be sure to empty parcel contents and dispose of packaging immediately, washing your hands after handling. Masks could also be worn when interacting with couriers during collection or delivery to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

During this uncertain financial climate, we can help cut costs with cost-effective shipping solutions.

For businesses, we also offer Branded Tracking. Now you can offer your customers a consistent branded experience; creating a reliable and recognisable tracking solution at no extra cost. Keep your customers up to date by opting for our free email notifications when booking. At Interparcel, we believe keeping your customers informed, and happy helps your business look more professional.

Enjoy Christmas with Interparcel this year

With companies already seeing a surge in sales for products like trees, decorations and toys approaching Christmas, we all become acutely aware of the upcoming season and its shopping stress.

In these uncertain times, we can be sure of one thing and that is that this Christmas shopping 2020 will be the most digital season to date. So forget cramming this year, and get ahead of the game - start shopping online and send with Interparcel today!