How to Build a Resilient Black Friday Delivery Strategy with Managed Multi-Carrier Services

Black Friday is no longer a single day of frantic shopping; it has evolved into a global phenomenon that stretches across weeks, putting immense pressure on eCommerce businesses and their supply chains. In the UK alone, online retail spending on Black Friday 2024 reached an estimated £1.12 billion, marking a 7.2% increase year-over-year. The stakes for retailers have never been higher. A seamless delivery experience is not just a competitive advantage; it is a fundamental requirement for customer satisfaction and retention.

For retailers, the Peak season presents a dual challenge: maximising sales while ensuring a flawless delivery experience. The sheer volume of orders can overwhelm even the most meticulously planned logistics operations. Building a resilient delivery strategy is paramount. One that can navigate the complexities of Peak with agility, control and a pro-active approach. Here’s how to do it with managed multi-carrier services.

Step 1: Understand Why Single-Carrier Models Fail During Peak

Before building your strategy, you need to understand what you’re protecting against. Relying on a single carrier during the Black Friday Peak is a high-risk approach. As one industry expert puts it, it is a “recipe for disaster”¹. The surge in demand during this period means that even the largest carriers can become overwhelmed, leading to delays, lost parcels and frustrated customers.

The statistics speak for themselves: the Technology and Durables sector saw sales volume up 7.7% year-over-year during Black Friday 2024, demonstrating that consumers are holding out for Peak discounts on big-ticket items. When a single carrier reaches its capacity, retailers face unexpected surcharges that eat into profit margins, or worse, the inability to ship orders on time. This can devastate the reputation of a business, especially when you consider that delivery issues are a leading cause of basket abandonment.

Delivery failure alone is costing UK retailers over £38 billion a year, with basket abandonment up 12.2% in 2025. The report reveals that 47% of consumers abandon purchases due to high delivery costs or limited options. A poor delivery experience during Peak can mean new customers make only one purchase and never return for a repeat purchase.

Single-Carrier RiskImpact on Your Black Friday
Carrier overload during PeakDelays and missed delivery promises
Limited capacityRefused shipments when you need capacity most
Single point of failureEntire operation vulnerable to one carrier's issues
Peak season surchargesUnexpected costs that erode margins
Poor customer experienceLost customers and damaged brand reputation

Step 2: Diversify Your Carrier Base

The foundation of a resilient Black Friday delivery strategy is carrier diversification. By working with multiple carriers, you spread your risk and gain access to a wider range of delivery options and services. This flexibility is crucial during the unpredictable spikes of Peak.

Start by building a mix of national, regional and local carriers. While national carriers offer broad coverage, regional and local carriers can often provide more flexibility and a more personalised service, especially for last-mile delivery. This is particularly beneficial if you want to offer premium delivery options, such as same-day or next-day delivery, which are increasingly in demand.

Importantly, diversification also gives you negotiating power. Smaller carriers are often more willing to negotiate rates and service levels, giving you more leverage during Peak season when capacity is at a premium. If one carrier is experiencing delays or has reached capacity, a multi-carrier strategy allows you to seamlessly switch to another, ensuring orders continue to be despatched on time.

Warehouse worker with clipboard

Step 3: Implement a Managed Multi-Carrier Service

While a multi-carrier strategy offers significant benefits, managing multiple carriers can be complex and time-consuming. This is where a managed multi-carrier service becomes essential. It provides the flexibility and resilience of a multi-carrier network, combined with the simplicity and control of a single platform.

Key features to look for in a managed multi-carrier service include:

  • Carrier Partnership: A strategic partner with the access and leverage to manage risk and optimise parcels across multiple carriers.
  • Centralised Control: A single dashboard that provides visibility across all carriers, allowing you to monitor performance, track shipments and make informed decisions in real time.
  • Automated Processes: From label generation to tracking updates, automation saves valuable time and reduces the risk of manual errors during high-volume periods.
  • Real-time Visibility: It allows your logistics team to identify and address potential bottlenecks before they become major issues, which is a game-changer during Black Friday.
  • Carrier Performance Data: Access to detailed analytics on carrier performance helps you optimise your carrier mix, identify the best options for different shipment types and negotiate better rates.
  • Flexible Routing: The ability to automatically route orders to the most appropriate carrier based on factors like destination, service level and cost ensures optimal efficiency.

Step 4: Optimise Delivery Options at Checkout

One of the most effective ways to reduce basket abandonment during Peak is to offer customers genuine choice at checkout. We found that 47% of consumers abandon purchases due to high delivery costs or limited options. By providing a range of eCommerce delivery solutions from economy to express, Click and Collect to sustainable shipping, you can meet different customer needs and price sensitivities.

A managed multi-carrier platform makes it easy to present multiple delivery options at checkout, with real-time pricing and delivery estimates. This transparency helps customers make informed decisions and reduces the likelihood of abandonment due to unexpected costs or unsuitable delivery timeframes.

Step 5: Enhance the Customer Experience with Pro-active Communication

A resilient delivery strategy is not just about getting parcels delivered; it is about keeping your customers informed and engaged throughout the journey. Our Basket Abandonment Report shows that nearly half of UK consumers abandon their baskets due to delivery concerns, making transparent communication more critical than ever.

With a managed multi-carrier service, you can provide branded tracking pages and pro-active notifications that keep customers updated on their order status. This reduces the number of “Where is my order?” (WISMO) enquiries to your customer service team and builds trust and loyalty. During Peak, when customer service teams are already stretched thin, this can make a significant difference.

Consider implementing automated notifications via email, SMS or even WhatsApp to keep customers informed at every stage — from order confirmation to despatch, in-transit updates and final delivery. This level of transparency turns the delivery experience from a potential point of anxiety into a positive brand touchpoint.

Step 6: Plan for Returns as Part of Your Strategy

Returns are an inevitable part of eCommerce, and a resilient Black Friday strategy must include a seamless returns process. A poor returns experience can undermine all the effort you put into the initial delivery and contribute to the growing basket abandonment crisis.

A managed multi-carrier service can streamline your returns process by providing customers with easy-to-use returns portals, automated approval processes and flexible return options. This turns a potentially negative experience into a positive one and encourages repeat business.

Step 7: Test and Optimise Before Peak Hits

Building a resilient strategy is not something you can leave until the last minute. Start planning and testing your multi-carrier approach well in advance. Use historical data to predict demand patterns and identify which carriers perform best for different types of shipments and destinations.

Run test orders through our managed multi-carrier platform to ensure all integrations are working smoothly. Check that your tracking notifications are being sent correctly and that your returns process is functioning as expected. The earlier you identify and resolve any issues, the more confident you can be when the Black Friday rush begins.

Building a resilient Black Friday delivery strategy with a managed multi-carrier service is not just about surviving Peak; it is about thriving during the busiest shopping period of the year.

By diversifying your carrier base, implementing a managed service and focusing on the customer experience, you can turn your delivery operation into a strategic asset that drives growth and gives you a competitive edge.

Why GFS Is Your Trusted Partner for Black Friday and Peak Season Success

Building a resilient Black Friday delivery strategy requires more than just access to multiple carriers. It demands a partner with the expertise, technology and commitment to support you when it matters most.

GFS brings deep knowledge from helping eCommerce businesses navigate countless Peak seasons, combined with our Enterprise Carrier Management technology that puts you in control with real-time visibility across 1,000+ carriers in 200+ countries.

What truly sets GFS apart is our pro-active approach and trusted customer service. We do not just react to problems; we help you anticipate and overcome them before they impact your customers. Our team is here when you need us, whether you need support optimising your carrier mix, resolving an urgent issue or planning for next year.

To put it simply, GFS empowers you to reach the next stage of your growth by combining everything you need to build a truly resilient Black Friday strategy.

Ready to See Delivery Differently? Contact GFS today to discover how our managed multi-carrier services can transform your Peak season performance.

References
1. Infinity Global Xpress, “Peak Season Survival: Securing Capacity in a Tight Market,” 29 August 2024.