When Is It Time to Prepare for Peak Season?

Updated July 31, 2025

Peak season 2025 is already taking shape—and consumers are shopping earlier, spending smarter, and expecting seamless, cross-channel experiences. Is your brand ready?

With inflation stabilizing, logistics capabilities improving, and omnichannel retail now the norm, holiday shopping this year is forecasted to be bigger, faster, and more customer-centric than ever. To succeed, brands must plan now to avoid missing out on revenue opportunities—or worse, damaging their reputation when it matters most.

Use this comprehensive guide to prepare your retail or e-commerce operation for a profitable and scalable Peak Season 2025.

Holiday Shopping Starts Sooner: Plan Early to Capture Demand

The peak season calendar is expanding again in 2025. According to the Adobe Digital Economy Index, more than 48% of U.S. consumers plan to start holiday shopping by October, and 20% plan to shop as early as August, driven by early promotions, loyalty discounts, and concern about product availability.

Retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Target have already announced early holiday sales campaigns starting in late September, blending back-to-school with early gifting.

Takeaway: Your peak planning should start by late Q2—earlier if you’re managing multiple channels or complex inventory.

Forecast Inventory with Precision—and Flexibility

Inventory planning has shifted from “just in time” to “just in case.” But now that inventory gluts in 2023–24 have eased, retailers are focused on balance. According to a 2025 NRF survey, 64% of retailers say demand forecasting accuracy is their top priority heading into the holidays.

To prepare:

• Use AI-driven demand forecasting tools
• Analyze sell-through data from previous peak seasons
• Coordinate forecasts with marketing and promotion calendars
• Allocate inventory by region to reduce fulfillment delays

Flexibility is key: Use 3PLs or multi-client warehousing solutions to scale capacity as needed without long-term commitments.

Diversify Your Holiday Shipping Strategy to Beat Delays

While parcel volumes are projected to grow 7–9% YoY, peak season shipping costs in 2025 are expected to rise 4–6%, according to ShipMatrix. Add in potential labor actions and a tight carrier market, and you need a flexible plan now.

Strategies to protect your margins:

• Onboard multiple carriers—including regionals and gig delivery platforms
• Offer tiered shipping options to customers
• Plan promotions and order cutoffs around carrier timelines
• Automate shipping rate shopping and routing logic

Bonus: Show delivery estimates at checkout and offer package tracking via SMS/email to reduce WISMO contacts.

Upgrade Your Returns Process to Retain Customers

With generous holiday shopping comes high return rates. The average e-commerce return rate during Q4 is projected to hit 18.3% in 2025, especially in fashion, beauty, and electronics.

To create a positive post-purchase experience:

• Extend your return window into mid-January
• Offer label-free and box-free drop-offs via partners (e.g., Happy Returns)
• Enable instant exchanges for size/color
• Let customers track return status and refunds online

Brands that treat returns like a value-add rather than a loss leader are more likely to win repeat business in Q1.

Optimize Your E-commerce Website Before Traffic Spikes

Your website is your most valuable storefront—especially in Q4. Even a 1-second delay in page load time can reduce conversions by up to 20%, according to Akamai’s 2025 web performance benchmarks.

Pre-peak checklist:

• Mobile-first UX
• 3-second page load times
• Streamlined checkout
• Accessible site navigation
• Order tracking portal
• Updated FAQs, policies, and holiday-specific info

Run real-time stress tests using platforms like Google Lighthouse, GTmetrix, or Cloudflare analytics to simulate holiday traffic.

Boost SEO for Product Pages and Holiday Landing Pages

The first three Google search results get over 54% of clicks, and during peak season, SEO-optimized product pages can directly impact Q4 revenue.

Start optimizing now by:

• Targeting long-tail holiday keywords (e.g., “best gifts for dads under $50”)
• Updating meta titles/descriptions with seasonal language
• Creating dedicated gift guide landing pages
• Adding alt-text and schema markup to product images

Bonus: Use high-res product photography and lifestyle content to reduce return rates and increase add-to-cart conversion.

Prepare Physical Stores for Cross-Channel Holiday Demand

Despite e-commerce growth, 74% of U.S. shoppers plan to do some of their holiday shopping in physical stores, according to Deloitte’s 2025 Consumer Holiday Study.

Focus areas for store readiness:

• Train staff for BOPIS and in-store fulfillment
• Offer mobile checkout or self-service kiosks
• Enable in-store inventory lookup via mobile app
• Use QR codes for gift guides or personalized offers

Ensure your store team is equipped to manage both foot traffic and digital order pickup workflows efficiently.

Scale BOPIS and Curbside Pickup Without Chaos

Buy Online, Pickup In-Store (BOPIS) and curbside grew 12% YoY last holiday and are now essential. According to eMarketer, nearly 50% of U.S. consumers will use BOPIS at least once during the 2025 holiday season.

Get it right by:

• Clearly marking pickup zones and counters
• Automating order-ready alerts
• Enabling easy order edits and substitutions
• Training staff for quick order handoff

Poor execution of these services can lead to negative reviews—especially during holiday crunch time.

Create a Seamless Omnichannel Experience

Today’s shoppers don’t think in terms of channels—they expect fluidity. According to Google, over 73% of holiday shoppers switch between devices or locations before making a purchase.

How to build a connected omnichannel experience:

• Sync loyalty programs across mobile, app, and in-store
• Let customers save items to a wish list and access it anywhere
• Enable real-time inventory visibility online and in-store
• Personalize messaging across SMS, email, and push

Delivering a frictionless omnichannel journey will increase conversions—and keep your brand top of mind beyond the holidays.

Partner With Ryder for Peak Season 2025

Whether you're managing a direct-to-consumer operation or running multiple retail stores, Ryder’s scalable logistics network gives you the flexibility and speed to meet 2025’s peak season demands.

With Ryder, you get:

• Port to Door fulfillment solutions whether you need end-to-end or something in between
• Fast, accurate order fulfillment across North America
• Advanced automation and scalable staffing
• Real-time inventory visibility and analytics
• Carrier diversification and peak season rate optimization
• Omnichannel fulfillment and reverse logistics support

Peak Season 2025 FAQs

When should retailers start planning for the 2025 holiday season?

Ideally, by the end of August 2025. This allows enough time for forecasting, warehouse planning, staffing, and technology optimization.

What are the major trends impacting Peak 2025?

• Early promotions and shopping (starting as early as August)
• Increased BOPIS and curbside demand
• Higher customer expectations for seamless omnichannel
• Elevated shipping and return costs
• More pressure on returns management and refund speed

How do I avoid shipping delays during holiday 2025?

• Use multiple carriers, including regionals
• Set clear order-by deadlines for customers
• Leverage fulfillment centers closer to customer zones
• Track performance and adjust routing in real-time

What’s the best way to manage holiday returns?

• Extend your return window through mid-January
• Offer automated returns portals
• Use exchanges and store credit to retain value
• Communicate clearly via email and SMS

Can a 3PL really help during peak?

Yes. A fulfillment partner like Ryder enables you to scale quickly without long-term overhead, access discounted shipping rates, and handle spikes in demand across all channels with advanced technology.