Seasonal spikes… a tricky time for a business indeed.
Whether it’s the holiday rush, back-to-school season, or an unexpected viral trend, these surges put enormous pressure on your supply chain.
The brands that thrive aren’t necessarily the ones with the biggest warehouses—they’re the ones that can predict demand accurately and scale fulfillment efficiently. That’s where partnering with a 3PL (Third-Party Logistics provider) becomes a game-changer.
1. Using historical data to forecast demand
Your past sales data is one of the most powerful forecasting tools you have. A good 3PL can integrate with your sales platforms (Shopify, Amazon, ERP systems) to analyze historical order volumes, SKU velocity, and shipping destinations.
Key forecasting strategies your 3PL can support:
- 📊 Trend analysis: Identifying recurring seasonal peaks across product lines.
- 🧭 Regional forecasting: Adjusting inventory placement based on where demand tends to spike.
- ⏱ Lead time mapping: Factoring in supplier and transit delays to avoid stockouts.
NOTE: A lifestyle brand that experiences a 3x order spike every November can work with their 3PL to pre-position inventory in strategically located warehouses in September.
2. Flexible storage and fulfillment capacity
Seasonal peaks often bring temporary volume that doesn’t justify permanent warehouse expansion. A 3PL gives you access to elastic storage space and a scalable workforce, letting you ramp up during high season and scale down after.
Benefits include:
- No long-term lease commitments.
- Access to additional packing lines and fulfillment teams.
- Optimized picking/packing workflows during high order volumes.
NOTE: Confirm your 3PL has a clear seasonal capacity planning process—including cut-off dates for storage expansion and labor scheduling.
3. Demand-driven inventory positioning
Speed matters during seasonal peaks. 3PLs often operate multi-node fulfillment networks, which allow brands to place inventory closer to key markets.
By analyzing projected order volume and shipping destinations, your 3PL can help you:
- Reduce last-mile delivery times.
- Lower shipping costs by optimizing zone coverage.
- Minimize risk of delays due to weather or carrier congestion.
NOTE: If your 3PL identifies that 40% of your holiday orders originate from the Northeast, they might shift more inventory to a Pennsylvania facility in Q3.
4. Collaborative planning for carrier and cutoff management
Seasonal surges can overwhelm carriers, leading to delays and missed delivery promises. 3PLs often have preferred carrier relationships and priority access to shipping capacity during peak periods.
Collaborative planning includes:
- Locking in seasonal carrier capacity early.
- Setting realistic delivery cut-off dates for customers.
- Monitoring real-time performance and rerouting if needed.
NOTE: Share your marketing calendar with your 3PL early so they can align staffing and carrier negotiations accordingly.
5. Real-time visibility and agility
Even the best forecasts can’t predict everything. 3PLs equipped with advanced WMS (Warehouse Management Systems) and real-time dashboards give brands full visibility into order status, inventory levels, and shipping performance during seasonal peaks.
This visibility allows for:
- Rapid response to unexpected demand spikes.
- Dynamic inventory transfers between fulfillment centers.
- Customer service teams staying informed and proactive.
Seasonal success starts early
Seasonal surges present huge opportunities to turn holiday chaos into competitive advantages. Brands that plan ahead with their 3PL, share insights early, and build agility into their supply chain will set themselves up for peak season domination.
