Holiday shopping continues to reach new levels every year. Online spending during the 2024 holiday season passed 222 billion dollars in the United States alone. Global ecommerce also grew by more than 9% in 2024, with higher volumes expected again in 2025.
These numbers show one thing. Brands that prepare early have a clear advantage. Customers expect speed, accuracy, and reliable tracking, especially during the holiday rush. A strong 3PL partner helps reduce pressure by handling fulfillment, inventory, and shipping at scale.
If you want to understand the full role of a 3PL and how it supports ecommerce growth, you can explore our main 3PL guide for ecommerce.
This checklist gives you a complete holiday fulfillment plan so your store stays organized and ready for peak season.
1. Forecast Your Holiday Inventory Needs Early
Inventory planning is the foundation of your holiday fulfillment checklist. A single stockout during peak season can cost thousands in missed sales and create customer frustration.
Look at last year’s holiday performance, recent growth trends, and products with rising demand. Factor in influencer campaigns, email promotions, and paid ads that may cause sudden spikes.
A reliable 3PL provides real time stock data and low inventory alerts, which help you plan restocks with more accuracy. Many 3PL partners also manage inbound shipments and coordinate with suppliers so your inventory arrives on time.
2. Prepare Your Warehouse and Fulfillment Processes
Peak season requires a warehouse that is clean, organized, and ready for high volume. If you work with a 3PL, this preparation is handled for you. Their team increases staff, updates pick routes, optimizes packaging stations, and adds quality checks to prevent errors.
Your 3PL should also run stress tests on equipment and review past year performance to fix bottlenecks. The smoother the warehouse workflow, the faster your orders move from checkout to shipment.
Holiday Fulfillment Planning Overview
| Fulfillment | What to Prepare | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Inventory | Forecast demand and restock early | Prevents stockouts and delays |
| Warehouse | Organize storage and update workflows | Supports faster picking and higher output |
| Shipping | Set deadlines and choose carriers | Reduces late deliveries and customer complaints |
| Customer Service | Prepare scripts and automation | Keeps response times fast during peak volume |
| Packaging | Check materials and create bundles | Improves experience and reduces damage |
3. Review Holiday Shipping Deadlines
Carriers release holiday cutoffs each year that show the last day customers can order and still receive their package before Christmas. Your 3PL typically reviews these deadlines early and helps you set realistic delivery timelines for each region.
Update your product pages and checkout to show estimated delivery dates. Shoppers appreciate clarity and reward brands that communicate well. It also reduces the number of customer support messages asking about shipping.
4. Strengthen Your Picking and Packing Workflow
Holiday orders often include gifts, bundles, seasonal kits, and special packaging. Your fulfillment partner should prepare for this by updating packing instructions and training staff on new holiday specific workflows.
Branded packaging, QR code cards, and gift messages can be added at the packing station. Your 3PL can also help reduce waste by selecting packaging that fits each item size and weight. This keeps shipping costs under control even when order volume increases.
5. Add More Quality Checks During Peak Season
Mistakes become more common during high volume periods. A strong 3PL adds additional quality control steps during holiday weeks to prevent incorrect shipments.
Extra checks include:
- Verifying SKU accuracy
- Confirming quantities
- Inspecting fragile items
- Checking labels and addresses
- Reviewing gift notes and special requests
These steps protect your customer experience when order volume is at its highest.
6. Prepare Your Customer Service Team
Holiday shoppers want fast and friendly communication. Even small delays can lead to support tickets, especially when gifts are involved.
Support your team by preparing:
- Automated email replies
- Clear shipping timelines
- FAQ updates for holiday questions
- Message templates for late or missing packages
- Tracking reminders
- Refund and return policy explanations
A well structured customer service flow reduces stress on your team and helps customers feel more confident during the busiest shopping period of the year.
7. Confirm Holiday Return and Exchange Rules
Holiday returns often increase due to gifts, wrong sizes, or product duplicates. Make sure your return policy is clear, simple, and easy to follow.
Your 3PL can prepare a return station, process inspections, and update your stock count as items come in. A smooth returns experience builds trust and helps turn seasonal customers into long term customers.
8. Monitor Your Fulfillment Data Daily
Fast decisions matter during the holidays. Check your dashboard for low stock alerts, delayed shipments, or carrier issues. Many 3PL partners track performance metrics such as:
- Processing time
- Picking accuracy
- Daily order volume
- On time delivery rate
- Average shipping time
- Return reasons
Daily visibility allows you to adjust promotions, reorder stock, or shift carriers before problems grow.
9. Plan for Higher Marketing and Traffic Volume
Holiday marketing pushes customers to buy more often and more quickly. This means checkout volume can jump suddenly. A strong 3PL protects your brand during these surges by keeping fulfillment stable, even when demand doubles or triples.
Pair your marketing plan with your fulfillment capacity. If your 3PL tells you they can handle one thousand shipments a day comfortably, match your campaigns to this threshold.
10. Schedule a Post Holiday Review
When peak season ends, review your results. Look at what worked and what needs improvement. Focus on:
- Top selling products
- Most delayed shipments
- Customer complaints
- Packaging issues
- Inventory forecasting accuracy
- Carrier performance
- Return patterns
A good 3PL will provide reports and insights so you can plan the next season with more confidence.
Holiday fulfillment requires clear planning, fast workflows, reliable shipping, and strong communication. A well prepared 3PL gives your brand the structure needed to handle high order volume and maintain a smooth customer experience.
This checklist covers everything from inventory forecasting to warehouse preparation, shipping deadlines, packaging, customer service, returns, and data tracking. When each part works together, your brand stays ready for the busiest shopping season of the year.
Do you need help improving your holiday fulfillment process? You can send us a note and our team will walk you through how we can support your seasonal volume. You can also explore Lansil Global’s full list of services to see how we help ecommerce businesses ship faster, stay organized, and scale with confidence.
