Get ready for peak season

Peak season is a critical period for ecommerce, with increased order volumes and heightened customer expectations. Peak season runs from Click Frenzy in October to Boxing Day, and we're here to help you navigate the rush and ensure your deliveries are timely and efficient.

Preparing for peak

Start your peak period shipping preparations early:

How should I pack parcels to avoid delays? 

Well packaged parcels have fewer delays, so make sure your staff are well versed on packing procedures, and know how to meet carrier packaging requirements. 

• Pack & Label it Right: Use sturdy, standardised, branded packaging that can support the item, and attach the correct consignment label. If you’re carrying dangerous goods, affix the correct dangerous goods labelling and have the declaration ready for the driver. Ensure dimensions and weight are correct and updated in Shippit. For more information about packaging see the packaging guidelines article. If mis-picks or packing errors are a recurring issue, Shippit's Pick & Pack app can improve your warehouse process — scan-to-verify steps catch mistakes before an order leaves the floor, rather than after it's returned. See Pick & Pack to learn more.

• Manifest Before Collection: Once freight is picked, packed, and staged, trigger the manifest. No manifest means no pickup request is sent to the carrier. For more information about manifests, see the understanding manifests article.

• Sort Freight by Carrier: Use a clear, dedicated area that is easy for staff and drivers to access. Group freight by carrier, not by order, using the logo or name on the consignment label to tell them apart. Keep a staff member on hand in the afternoon who can match freight to the carrier quickly.

• Be Ready for the Driver: Carriers usually collect in the afternoon. Stores with regular volume will most likely be assigned a scheduled collection window, usually 2 hours. Stores with ad hoc volume can expect collection within 1–3 days. Freight must be staged and ready before a driver arrives, not after. For more information about managing pickups, see the understanding pickups article.How can I protect my deliveries against loss and damage?

How can I protect my deliveries against loss and damage?

Turn on transit protection so you're not out of pocket if an order arrives damaged or goes missing in transit. Protection can be applied at the item level rather than just the order, which is worth a look if you ship high-value or fragile SKUs. For more information about transit protection, see the about transit protection article.

How do I automate shipping decisions for complex orders? 

Set automatic business rules that allocate orders based on everything from weight, dimensions, and parcel count, to speciality delivery services and locations. For more information about automation, see the smart shipping rules article.

What happens if a carrier has an outage during peak?

With national carriers managing record delivery volumes, system slowdowns or temporary outages can occur without warning. To protect your business this peak season, turn on fallback quoting and automated rate card updates for Australia Post and StarTrack. Then check which carriers are available to you as backup options.

Your backup options are broader than the carriers you hold contracts with. Shippit's partnered rates let you book across our carrier network without opening your own account or negotiating terms, so adding capacity is a settings change rather than a commercial process that takes weeks. 

Reducing “Where is my order?” (WISMO) queries 

How do I give customers accurate delivery estimates?

Shippit's estimated delivery dates show a single date when confidence is high, and a range when it isn't, so customers know what to expect at checkout and on the tracking page. Accurate EDDs support high cart conversion and help cut down WISMO enquiries before they start. For more information, see the understanding estimated delivery dates article.

How do I prove an order was delivered?

Where available Shippit surfaces proof of delivery photos on our tracking page and notifications. Your staff can also access and download proof of delivery photos from the Shippit dashboard to resolve WISMO and delivery disputes faster. To see which carriers support proof of delivery, see the proof of delivery section in the Developer Guide. You can also review the guidance we provide for package receivers.

How does tracking work for orders with multiple parcels?

Smart split order tracking: Fulfilling orders from multiple locations? Give customers a clear view of orders with more than one delivery, and proactive updates for every shipment. For more information about deliveries with multiple parcels, see the orders with multiple shipments article.

Review your branded tracking experience

Check that your tracking pages, notifications, and branding are up to date before volumes climb, and that updates are reaching customers on the channels they actually use, whether that's email, SMS, or Apple Wallet. If you're on Klaviyo, our integration brings Shippit tracking events into the flows you already send, so delivery updates land in your own templates and brand voice alongside the rest of your customer communications. See the delivery notifications article, the Apple Wallet order tracking article, and the Klaviyo article.

Dispatch and fulfilment during peak 

Be across deadlines, and get ready for the influx of orders to start:

What are the shipping cut-off dates for peak season? 

We use a combination of historical Shippit transit time data, and carriers' indicative dates for cut off to provide you with a single set of deadlines to use for shipping across town, across the country, or across the world. Keep an eye out on the Shippit Help Centre for 2026 Christmas cut-off times.

How should I pack and fulfil orders?

Follow the packing, manifesting, and pickup guidance in the ‘How should I pack parcels to avoid delays?’ section above.

How do I avoid customs delays on international orders?

For international shipments, make sure you have the correct labelling and required documentation on the order before you ship. This helps to avoid delays with customs clearance. For more information about international shipping, see the international shipping collection.

Monitoring and adjusting during peak 

Keep up to date on what's happening for a stress-free peak:

How do I know if a carrier is having issues? 

Stay ahead of what's happening with your carriers, by watching our carrier updates collection, and the Shippit status page.

How can I keep track of my warehouse performance during peak? 

Keep a close eye on how your warehouse is performing, so that you can spot inefficiencies early and ensure your carrier mix is optimised. You can do this with the data provided in your Shippit dashboard. For more information about what data is available, see the Shippit insights collection.

Can I modify deliveries? 

For last-minute changes - for example, if a customer wants to switch from click & collect to home delivery, or upgrade to a faster service after the fact - you can update the order directly, rather than cancelling and rebooking. For more information, see the Modify orders article.

We're here if you need us! If things start going sideways, we have your back. Get in touch with us whenever you need it. For all the different ways you can get help from the shipping experts, see the get help collection.