Top Takeaways From the 2024 Holiday Season

he holiday season is one of the busiest and most critical times of the year for businesses. It brings not only increased sales and customer interactions but also unique challenges and opportunities that shape the way companies operate. The holiday season offers valuable insights on customer behavior, operational challenges, and emerging trends that can shape strategies in the future.

With the 2024 holiday season behind us, here’s a look at the top takeaways that businesses can leverage to improve their operations, marketing, and customer experience in the coming years.

Many shoppers started their holiday purchases earlier than usual this past holiday season, spurred by early promotions as well as Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Retailers including Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Best Buy launched sales events in October to win customers’ early holiday dollars. Supply chain disruptions in previous years made customers wary of delays, prompting them to plan ahead.

Companies that start holiday campaigns earlier and offer pre-season deals can capitalize on customer demand and capture early shoppers. This approach also helps mitigate last-minute logistical challenges. Planning ahead and creating a detailed roadmap covering supply chain readiness, delivery capabilities, promotional campaigns, and workforce needs allows businesses to identify and address potential bottlenecks proactively and ensure that inventory and logistics are ready to handle early demand surges.

The shift to online holiday shopping shows no signs of slowing down. This holiday season saw another record-breaking surge in eCommerce sales. Consumers are increasingly choosing online shopping for its convenience, wide product selection, fast delivery, and often, better deals. Online consumer spending on Cyber Monday reached $13.3 billion, rising 7.3% from $12.4 billion last year, according to an Adobe Analytics report. U.S. consumers spent $241.4 billion online from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31, 2024 up 8.7% year-over-year from $222 billion and setting a new record for eCommerce, according to Adobe Analytics. 

A strong online presence is critical for increasing holiday sales. Businesses need to refine their online shopping experience to ensure it’s as seamless as possible. Streamlining navigation, offering personalized recommendations, and providing an easy checkout process will help businesses stand out in the crowded online market. The 2024 holiday season was the most mobile of all time, with smartphones driving 54.5% of all online purchases, underlining the need for mobile-optimized websites and apps. Additionally, businesses should consider expanding or upgrading their fulfillment services to meet customer demand.

Consumers increasingly expect fast and reliable delivery, especially during the holiday shopping season. Fifty-four percent of U.S. consumers are unlikely to shop at a retailer who missed their delivery date. Nearly half of U.S. shoppers will pay higher prices to guarantee on-time delivery, according to the 2024 Peak Season Consumer Survey from Project44. With tight delivery windows and high expectations, retailers that could deliver quickly and reliably gained a significant edge over competitors.

Investing in last-mile delivery innovations, such as local fulfillment centers, delivery partnerships, and logistics technologies can help retailers meet and exceed customer expectations and ensure timely delivery. Consider partnering with last-mile delivery service providers and exploring innovative delivery options, such as drones, local courier services, or lockers. Implementing advanced route optimization tools and real-time tracking can improve delivery speed, visibility, and efficiency. Transparency in delivery tracking also enhances the customer experience, boosting trust and customer satisfaction.

The surge in online shopping has naturally led to an increase in returns. Customers favor businesses with hassle-free return policies. Eighty-three percent of shoppers say they check a retailer’s return policy when doing their holiday shopping, according to a recent survey from post-purchase platform Narvar and refund processor Reshop. Streamlining the returns process can make it convenient for customers while minimizing operational costs. Offer clear instructions and implement automated return platforms to simplify and expedite returns processing.

Eighty-two percent of consumers said that having multiple return options makes them more likely to make an online purchase during the holidays. Over three-quarters of consumers said it is valuable to have the ability to choose between receiving a refund, store credit, or an exchange when returning a product this holiday season. While 60% of consumers said that having return drop-off options would increase their likelihood of buying from the same retailer again during the holiday season. 

The 2024 holiday season highlighted key trends that businesses must embrace to remain competitive and customer-friendly. The lessons learned now will be the foundation for future growth, ensuring companies meet and exceed customer needs during the busiest time of the year. By reflecting on these takeaways, retailers and logistics providers can refine their strategies, meet customer expectations more effectively, and set their companies up for an even more successful holiday season in 2025. 

For more information about how our delivery management solution can help you manage your delivery operations more efficiently, please contact info@bringoz.com.