Peak season is the most demanding period for any fulfillment and parcel network. Last year’s peak holiday shopping season saw a 4% surge in order volume compared to 2023. And while the recent end of de minimis, ongoing trade wars, and rising costs of living have weakened consumer confidence and made shoppers more cautious in their holiday spending, the National Retail Federation (NRF) still predicts that retail sales in November and December 2025 will grow between 3.7% and 4.2%, translating to a total spending of over $1.01 trillion.
This projected growth means carriers are expected to handle more than 2.3 billion packages this holiday season. We’ve already seen evidence of the impact these high surges in volume have on delivery networks. In December 2024, FedEx’s on-time rate dropped to 91.8% from 98.3% the year before, UPS fell to 96.5% from 98.7%, and USPS fell to 90.4% from 96.5% These significant drops in percentage points for delivery performance translate to delays, missed delivery promises, replacement orders, and refunds. According to our recent Mystery Shopping report, 85% of shoppers say they would never shop with a brand again after a poor delivery experience. This can mean tens of thousands of dollars in lost lifetime value from a single peak-season failure, not to mention the downstream impact on reviews, acquisition costs, and brand reputation.
But here at Stord, we’ve consistently delivered 99.9% on-time delivery performance even during peak. And this achievement isn’t a matter of luck; it’s the result of preparation, clarity, and responsiveness. Over the years, we’ve found that the most resilient and high-performing peak operations rest on a strong foundation built around people, processes, and planning discipline.
Here are the principles that consistently drive strong performance across high-volume networks:
1. Focus on People First
Peak is powered by the individuals on the floor. When teams feel supported and engaged, performance follows.
That support starts with creating energy, whether through incentives, raffles, or contests that make the season feel motivating rather than overwhelming. It also means making long shifts more manageable with meals and small, thoughtful touches that remind team members they’re valued. Clear, structured onboarding also helps new team members ramp quickly and confidently, while a consistently clean and safe environment reinforces that their well-being comes first.
Recognition matters too. Calling out strong performance regularly and publicly builds momentum, pride, and a sense of shared purpose during the busiest weeks of the year. And just as important is encouraging rest. Fatigue leads to poor decisions, so breaks need to be treated not as downtime but as essential to keeping quality high. Even the basics, restrooms and break spaces that are clean, stocked, and easy to access, have a meaningful impact on morale.
Finally, reducing friction at the start and end of each shift helps set the tone for the entire day. Evaluating parking flow, entry paths, and site access can ease stress before work even begins.
A people-focused operation is a resilient operation.
2. Set Up Outbound to Flow
Outbound readiness determines how smoothly peak volume moves through the network.. That begins with resetting and cleaning outbound bins well ahead of demand so teams aren’t scrambling when volume hits. Getting ahead on replenishment ensures that pickers aren’t forced into stop-and-start rhythms that drain speed and create unnecessary bottlenecks. Consolidating high-velocity SKUs where it reduces walk time helps keep the floor efficient during the busiest stretches, while aligning workstations and pick paths specifically for peak conditions gives teams the structure they need to move quickly and accurately.
In peak season, every second counts. Preparation on the front end reduces errors and increases speed on the back end.
3. Engage All Partners Early
Carriers, fulfillment teams, and external service providers are extensions of your brand’s operation. Strong peak performance depends on aligning with every partner in the chain. That alignment starts with sharing volume expectations and pickup cadence early, giving partners the clarity they need to staff and plan appropriately. It also means establishing clear escalation paths and communication protocols so that issues can be resolved quickly rather than ricocheting through the network. Ensuring partners understand the daily operating plan helps them anticipate pressure points instead of reacting to them, and including them in pre-peak briefings when appropriate builds a shared understanding of goals, constraints, and success metrics.
4. Communicate and Stay Transparent
Clear communication is one of the strongest levers in peak execution, especially when the pace accelerates and teams are expected to make fast, accurate decisions. During peak, uncertainty can create hesitation, and hesitation slows the entire network. But when teams understand not just what’s happening, but why, they move with confidence and purpose. That’s why effective communication has to be intentional, frequent, and rooted in transparency.
Teams perform better when they understand:
What volume is coming — clear forecasts help team members anticipate the day’s workload rather than being surprised by sudden surges.
Why swings occur — explaining the drivers behind spikes or lulls gives context that reduces confusion and frustration.
What the business outlook is — even a brief view into broader business performance helps teams see how their work contributes to the company’s goals.
Where risks exist — calling out bottlenecks, labor gaps, inbound delays, or system vulnerabilities prepares teams mentally and allows them to prioritize intelligently.
How leadership is preparing — when employees see the plans, contingencies, and support being put in place, it reinforces that they’re not facing peak alone.
Transparency builds trust, and trust accelerates decision-making during high-pressure moments.
5. Expect Variation and Plan Around It
Forecasts are essential, but they are rarely perfect during peak periods. It’s important to expect daily variation and update plans frequently as new data emerges. Labor, replenishment, and outbound plans should be adjusted using the most current forecast while progress is tracked throughout the day so teams can act quickly when performance falls behind plan. As volume rises, increasing the frequency of check-and-adjust cycles becomes critical, since higher volume demands tighter control loops.
Ultimately, the best operations are not the ones with perfect forecasts, but the ones that adapt quickly when those forecasts change.
6. Plan for Contingencies
It is not uncommon for something to inevitably go wrong during peak. But the true differentiator is not whether issues occur but how quickly teams can recover. To enable rapid recovery, it’s essential to identify single points of failure in advance and create backup plans for labor, equipment, carriers, and system dependencies. Leaders should be empowered to make swift decisions. Short, focused daily standups should be used to surface issues early.
Preparedness builds confidence, and that confidence enables fast, effective recovery.
7. Capture Lessons Learned
Peak is a cycle. The observations and opportunities from this season become the preparation pillars for the next.
Documenting issues and successes in real time allows teams to capture root causes while details are still fresh. Recurring gaps should be converted into training, standards, or process changes, and a simple peak playbook should be built and refined each year. Input from all teams involved ensures a comprehensive view of what worked and what needs improvement.
A disciplined lessons-learned process strengthens your brand’s fulfillment network year after year.
Scaling Through The Peak
Peak exposes gaps, highlights strengths, and creates momentum for improvement that lasts far beyond the season. When teams understand the plan and see leadership invested in their success, brands can turn volatility into confidence and complexity into capability.
When organizations embrace peak as a continuous loop – plan, execute, learn, improve – they transform a period of intense pressure into a strategic accelerator. Forecasting becomes sharper. Recovery becomes faster. Collaboration becomes stronger. And the entire network becomes more capable with every season.
In the end, peak is not just a challenge to withstand; it is an opportunity to scale. Brands that build a strong foundation around their people, their practice, and purpose will become better equipped for the growth ahead.
