Last year, 58% of supply chains missed delivery timing or order accuracy during peak (Deposco). That means more than half of brands disappointed customers in the one quarter they could least afford it.
Peak season doesn’t create problems with your 3PL, it reveals them
When SLAs Slip, Customers Walk Away
Your customer doesn’t care that your 3PL is overwhelmed. They don’t care about staffing shortages or system failures. They just know the package they ordered for Christmas morning didn’t arrive, or that tracking stalled, or that returns took too long.
And they won’t forget it. SLA errors in November and December don’t just hurt operations, they erode trust, loyalty, and lifetime value.
The Expectation vs. Reality Gap
Here’s the kicker: 70% of executives entered peak season confident in their fulfillment systems, but only 42% delivered when it mattered. That 28-point gap is where sales slip away, negative reviews pile up, and customers choose competitors who can deliver on time.
Confidence doesn’t keep orders moving. Execution, systems, and the right 3PL partner do.
Don’t Waste This Stress Test
If your 3PL is already cracking under the pressures of missed SLAs, late shipments, inventory blind spots, things won’t magically improve in December. But the worst move is to wait until January, when options are limited and costs climb.
Instead, use this peak season as a live audit:
- Track SLA performance in real time.
- Note breakdowns in communication.
- Capture bottlenecks that slow fulfillment.
This data is your roadmap for change, and the best way to ensure you’re not in the same spot next year.
How We Help
While your team stays laser-focused on hitting Q4 goals, we’ll work in the background to evaluate, vet, and secure 3PL partners that can scale with your growth and deliver the SLA reliability your brand promises.
Peak season is the ultimate stress test. Don’t just survive it, use it to build the fulfillment strategy that wins customers back next year.
Ready to turn this season’s pressure into next season’s advantage? Let’s talk.
