Every year, 11.11 sales and Black Friday become a real test for distributors. This is not just a surge in demand - it is an opportunity to significantly increase turnover and strengthen your position in the market. In order to take maximum advantage of this period, it is important to carefully prepare and optimize your processes.
How sales affect profits:
- Increase in sales: Large distributors record a sharp increase in sales during these days. Depending on the region and business sector, sales volume can increase 2-3 times compared to normal periods.
- Expansion of the customer base: These sales days attract new customers, which helps to increase long-term profits. Many customers can be retained after the sales by offering them favorable terms and additional discounts.
- Reduction of warehouse stock: Sales allow you to get rid of goods that have been in the warehouse for a long time, which helps to free up space for new collections and reduce storage costs.
Black Friday and 11.11 provide a significant increase in profits for large distributors around the world, often increasing revenues by tens of percent. These sales days are key events in the retail calendar, and companies that prepare for them wisely reap huge benefits. Here are some key steps to help distributors cope with the influx of orders and reap maximum benefits.
1. Demand forecasting and inventory optimization
The first step to success is proper demand forecasting. Using data on previous sales, distributors can estimate which products will be most in demand during this period. This is especially true for products that traditionally become bestsellers during sales. Be sure to analyze:
Solution from Smartup: analytical data will help you properly plan your purchase and storage, and will also “tell” you about customer preferences over past periods.
2. Automation of management processes
To effectively manage orders and balances during sales, it is important for distributors to automate key business processes.
Smartup solution: the system allows you to manage orders in real time, track inventory and integrate all data with the company's ERP systems. This helps:
3. Flexibility in logistics
One of the key factors for success during sales is the speed and accuracy of delivery. Plan logistics processes in advance. Consider cooperation with several logistics partners to avoid delays and force majeure. Organize additional routes for fast delivery and expand the staff for periods of high load.
It is also worth considering the creation of temporary warehouses or cross-docking centers in regions with high demand. This will reduce delivery times and avoid overloading the main warehouse.
4. Promotions and special offers
In addition to standard discounts, consider launching special promotions for regular customers. This could be bonus points, free shipping or gifts for purchases over a certain amount. You can also stand out with exclusive offers that will only be available during sales.
Pre-sale preparation of customers plays a huge role - launch an advertising campaign in advance to create excitement and increase interest in your products.
Solution from Smartup: the system will easily set up the necessary promotion in terms of product, brand or quantity. This will help to easily avoid costs or shortages of goods, and will also increase the interest of the outlet itself in working with you.
Virtual warehouses in Smartup: create the required number of virtual warehouses and transfer promotional products there. This will allow you to accurately allocate the required number of products for promotions and effectively manage the balances. No more confusion.
5. Team training and control
The distributor's team must be fully prepared for the increase in work volumes. Conduct training for employees, especially those working in the logistics and order processing departments. It is important that they can quickly respond to changes and effectively solve emerging problems. Smartup solution: the Visit Steps functionality for sales representatives will help you effectively manage your team at all stages: from preparing for a visit to placing an order. Thanks to the wide functionality of the questionnaires, you can analyze consumer demand and their preferences.
6. Working with marked goods
Products with digital markings often fall under promotional goods - this can be water and drinks, household appliances (large and small), etc. Errors when working with marked products can lead to downtime during shipment and become the reason for imposing fines for violating the rules for working with markings.
Smartup solution: If you sell marked goods, the built-in functionality for accounting for markings will help generate an electronic invoice at the time of shipment and will save you from manually adjusting the electronic invoice in the event of an order change at the time of shipment at the point of sale.
Smartup is integrated with the NIS Asl Belgisi and Soliq.uz , thanks to which reports are sent automatically. Also in Smartup you can control and keep records of shipments from the warehouse, records of the remaining goods on board the vehicle, as well as records of returns from the vehicle to the warehouse (return of goods that were not shipped to the point of sale) and much more.
The first step to success is proper demand forecasting. Using data on previous sales, distributors can estimate which products will be most in demand during this period. This is especially true for products that traditionally become bestsellers during sales. Be sure to analyze:
- What products were in demand last year?
- What product categories are especially popular in your niche?
- What can you offer customers as a supplement or alternative?
Solution from Smartup: analytical data will help you properly plan your purchase and storage, and will also “tell” you about customer preferences over past periods.
2. Automation of management processes
To effectively manage orders and balances during sales, it is important for distributors to automate key business processes.
Smartup solution: the system allows you to manage orders in real time, track inventory and integrate all data with the company's ERP systems. This helps:
- Minimize errors in order processing.
- Replenish warehouse stocks in a timely manner.
- Speed up order processing and delivery.
3. Flexibility in logistics
One of the key factors for success during sales is the speed and accuracy of delivery. Plan logistics processes in advance. Consider cooperation with several logistics partners to avoid delays and force majeure. Organize additional routes for fast delivery and expand the staff for periods of high load.
It is also worth considering the creation of temporary warehouses or cross-docking centers in regions with high demand. This will reduce delivery times and avoid overloading the main warehouse.
4. Promotions and special offers
In addition to standard discounts, consider launching special promotions for regular customers. This could be bonus points, free shipping or gifts for purchases over a certain amount. You can also stand out with exclusive offers that will only be available during sales.
Pre-sale preparation of customers plays a huge role - launch an advertising campaign in advance to create excitement and increase interest in your products.
Solution from Smartup: the system will easily set up the necessary promotion in terms of product, brand or quantity. This will help to easily avoid costs or shortages of goods, and will also increase the interest of the outlet itself in working with you.
Virtual warehouses in Smartup: create the required number of virtual warehouses and transfer promotional products there. This will allow you to accurately allocate the required number of products for promotions and effectively manage the balances. No more confusion.
5. Team training and control
The distributor's team must be fully prepared for the increase in work volumes. Conduct training for employees, especially those working in the logistics and order processing departments. It is important that they can quickly respond to changes and effectively solve emerging problems. Smartup solution: the Visit Steps functionality for sales representatives will help you effectively manage your team at all stages: from preparing for a visit to placing an order. Thanks to the wide functionality of the questionnaires, you can analyze consumer demand and their preferences.
6. Working with marked goods
Products with digital markings often fall under promotional goods - this can be water and drinks, household appliances (large and small), etc. Errors when working with marked products can lead to downtime during shipment and become the reason for imposing fines for violating the rules for working with markings.
Smartup solution: If you sell marked goods, the built-in functionality for accounting for markings will help generate an electronic invoice at the time of shipment and will save you from manually adjusting the electronic invoice in the event of an order change at the time of shipment at the point of sale.
Smartup is integrated with the NIS Asl Belgisi and Soliq.uz , thanks to which reports are sent automatically. Also in Smartup you can control and keep records of shipments from the warehouse, records of the remaining goods on board the vehicle, as well as records of returns from the vehicle to the warehouse (return of goods that were not shipped to the point of sale) and much more.
7. Quality control of service
Even during mass sales, the client expects a high level of service. Try to maintain the quality of service at the usual level, despite the increased workload. Display of goods on the shelf, as well as their constant presence, is the key to increasing your profits. Monitor the availability of popular items and do not allow the shelves to be emptied! Checking the compliance of the display can also be configured in Smartup as one of the steps of the visit - without the help of programmers.
8. Evaluation of results and conclusions for the future
After the end of the sales, be sure to analyze the results: what worked and what can be improved. This will help not only to effectively prepare for the next sales season, but also to optimize business processes in everyday work.
Solution from Smartup: all reports on promotions and demand at retail outlets will be stored in the system. This will help prepare for the next holiday - New Year! Which means the work has just begun!
Even during mass sales, the client expects a high level of service. Try to maintain the quality of service at the usual level, despite the increased workload. Display of goods on the shelf, as well as their constant presence, is the key to increasing your profits. Monitor the availability of popular items and do not allow the shelves to be emptied! Checking the compliance of the display can also be configured in Smartup as one of the steps of the visit - without the help of programmers.
8. Evaluation of results and conclusions for the future
After the end of the sales, be sure to analyze the results: what worked and what can be improved. This will help not only to effectively prepare for the next sales season, but also to optimize business processes in everyday work.
Solution from Smartup: all reports on promotions and demand at retail outlets will be stored in the system. This will help prepare for the next holiday - New Year! Which means the work has just begun!
Black Friday in numbers
In 2023, total global online sales on Black Friday exceeded $9.8 billion, up 7% from 2022.
In the US, for example, large retailers such as Amazon and Walmart have seen sales growth of 8-10% compared to previous periods. These sales can increase the profits of large distributors by 20-30% due to mass demand and large-scale discounts.
The average increase in profits due to Black Friday and 11.11 can reach 20-50% depending on the size of the company, the range of products and the activity in preparing for the sales.
Smartup will help you effectively prepare for the most anticipated sales of the year and get the most profit from them!
Automation of business processes plays a key role in preparing for mass sales, significantly increasing the efficiency of operations and increasing the company's profits.
In 2023, total global online sales on Black Friday exceeded $9.8 billion, up 7% from 2022.
In the US, for example, large retailers such as Amazon and Walmart have seen sales growth of 8-10% compared to previous periods. These sales can increase the profits of large distributors by 20-30% due to mass demand and large-scale discounts.
The average increase in profits due to Black Friday and 11.11 can reach 20-50% depending on the size of the company, the range of products and the activity in preparing for the sales.
Smartup will help you effectively prepare for the most anticipated sales of the year and get the most profit from them!
Automation of business processes plays a key role in preparing for mass sales, significantly increasing the efficiency of operations and increasing the company's profits.
