BFCM Preparation Series #3

Operations and Logistics Prep for BFCM.

Author

Jackson Blackledge
September 18, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

BFCM Preparation Series #3.

This is Part 3 of our BCFM series.

If you missed the last one, click here to catch up.

Today, we’ll cover something a little bit different:

Operations and Logistics Prep for BFCM.

This can can make or break your whole BFCM campaign.

Especially when the day comes and the chaos begins.

As orders spike, things can spiral out of control fast.

Without a solid plan, all your advertising efforts can fall apart.

But don’t worry. We’ve got you covered.

Now this isn’t our area of expertise.

So we turned to Lyn, an expert in this field.

She’s been helping 7-8 figure eCommerce brands scale their ops and logistics.

Including MiHigh - a brand that exited for 8 figures.

Lyn shared with us some pro tips to get your operations dialed in and boost your profit margins this BFCM.

Here’s what she had to say:

1. Set Clear Revenue Goals

The first step? Set your goal

If you don’t know what you’re aiming for, you’re not gonna get there.

Set a revenue goal and work backward from there.

That’ll tell you how much inventory you’ll need.

2. Get Your Marketing Team in the Loop

Your inventory needs to align with your sales strategies.

Are you offering holiday bundles?

Are they pushing certain products?

Are you running a gift-with-purchase campaign?

Make sure you’ve got everything in stock.

Don’t forget the packaging if you’re doing something special.

Alignment is key here.

3. Negotiate with Suppliers

BFCM means bulk orders.

Use that to your advantage.

Use the bigger order volumes to negotiate the costs with suppliers.

Your profit margins will thank you.

4. Clear Out Slow-Moving Stock

BFCM is your chance to get rid of slow-moving products.

Discount them during the sale to make room in your warehouse.

It’ll also free up cash for more profitable products.

5. Coordinate with Freight Partners

Don’t forget to give your freight forwarder a heads-up.

Tell them what you’re shipping and how you’re shipping it.

Securing freight space early to avoid last-minute stress.

Trust me, no one wants to deal with that chaos.

6. Communicate with Your 3PL and Warehouse Teams

Let your third-party logistics provider (3PL) or warehouse team know what’s coming.

Tell them how much inventory you’re sending and how much you expect to sell.

That way, they can plan for extra space and hire more staff if needed

7. Have Contingency Plans

Things can go wrong during BFCM.

Let’s say your best-selling product runs out mid-sale…

What’s your plan B?

Turn off ads?

Let people pre-order?

Pivot to promoting another product?

Be ready.

Make sure your customer service team knows what to do.

Update your website and ads fast if stock changes.

- - -

BFCM is coming fast.

Get your inventory ready, talk to your partners, and plan for the unexpected.

When your operations run smoothly, the selling part becomes a lot easier.

That’s it for this one.

Check out Lyn’s content on her socials here:

See you in the next one.

Jackson,

Founder and CEO of Echelonn.

P.S.

We go a lot more in-depth in the BFCM 2024 Playlist exclusive on Ad World Prime:

Where we partner with 8 other eCommerce experts - CRO, Meta Ads, Tiktok, Email Marketing, etc.

The goal?

Help you maximize your sales during this lucrative period.

We’ll go over a 10-week game plan that generated over $100M in revenue for our clients in Q4 last year.

You'll walk away with clarity and confidence on how to navigate during this profitable yet competitive time.

Click the link below for more details:

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