How we achieved record-breaking Black Friday success

This Black Friday/Cyber Monday season was more than just business as usual - it was a greatest hits tour for fulfilmentcrowd. Just imagine something similar to Taylor Swift’s latest world tour and you’ll be close enough. From smashing records to orchestrating smooth operations in the face of surging demand, we delivered an encore-worthy performance that retailers and customers will be humming about for months. Our competitors must be ‘trebling’ with fear.

So, turn up the volume as we take you on a backstage tour of this year’s Black Friday, where every order was a chart-topper, and every parcel hit the high notes.

Slow intro, fast finish

If peak season were a song, the build-up to Black Friday would be a moody, slow-tempo intro. Retailers released early offers, hoping to crank up the tempo, but consumers played the waiting game. A global trend saw them holding off, saving Christmas shopping splurges for payday.

Then the big weekend hit - and the beat dropped. Orders poured in, and fulfilmentcrowd hit the charts with record-breaking numbers. It wasn’t just one hit wonder after another; it was a 48% year-on-year increase in volume for the Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend, with a 99.3% SLA achieved - now that’s some seriously quick picking and packing! 

Not to be outdone, Cyber Monday said, “Hold my beer” and smashed its own records too. Between the two, our warehouses hummed with the sound of barcode scanners, conveyor belts, and that one Christmas playlist that we can’t seem to turn off. Too much too tune? Hold on to your ear drums, we’ve only just got going.

Pressure? Haven’t heard of her  

Handling volume spikes like these isn’t just about pushing through orders. It’s about delivering them with precision, speed, and a smile, ensuring your customers don’t receive a short, sharp rock to the system. We pride ourselves on proven scalability, adapting to the unpredictable demands of peak season without breaking a sweat - or an SLA. (Did we mention we hit a 99.3% SLA?)  

Our team, systems, and network flexed seamlessly to meet customer demand, ensuring every parcel found its way to its rightful owner. We worked closely with clients in the lead-up to peak season, leveraging our detailed forecasting and foresight reporting tools to ensure they were ready for whatever came next. And we didn’t just match expectations; we exceeded them. Choir beware: we know what we’re doing.  

A peak season to remember  

The week leading up to Black Friday saw steady growth, but it was like the calm before the storm. As the orders flooded in, we handled it like the seasoned pros we are:  

• Black Friday 2024: Volumes smashed all previous records for us 
• Cyber Monday 2024: Followed in the same note
• The weekend overall? Monumental.  

With a 48% increase year-on-year, the entire period outshone anything we’d seen before. Not to sound like a broken record, but WOW.
 

Tech x talent = Unstoppable fulfilment  

Our smart software ensured efficiency at every stage, from stock management to last-mile delivery. Meanwhile, our teams brought the energy and expertise that make fulfilmentcrowd more than just a name. Whether it was managing inbound stock or dispatching orders faster than Santa’s elves (they WISH they were us), our team rose to the occasion.  

And let’s not forget the invaluable support of our global network of partners - an ecosystem designed to handle even the busiest shopping seasons without skipping a beat. We’re all in tune with each other. Harmonious, one might say. 

What this means for retailers  

For our customers, these results mean one thing: confidence, baby! Peak season is a stress-test for any business, and we’ve proven (again) that we can handle it all.  

• Scalability? Check.  
• Reliability? Check.  
• Happy customers? You betcha.  

Same thing next year?

As the dust settles on Black Friday and your final delivery dates creep around, we’re not slowing down. Our commitment to exceptional service, innovation, and scalability means we’re ready for whatever challenges the next peak season throws at us.  

If you’re a retailer looking for a fulfilment provider that can deliver under pressure, handle spikes with grace, and exceed expectations year after year, we’d love to hear from you (as we’re sure you’d love to hear from us).  

Want to learn more about how we smashed records this Black Friday? Check out our case studies and see how we can help your business scale with confidence. Or get in touch and let’s start planning for your next big peak season.  

Because when it comes to Black Friday performance, ain’t no party like a fulfilmentcrowd party. Mic drop.