How to Effectively Prepare Cross-Border E-commerce for Holiday Shipping Peaks?

When does e-commerce win, and when does it lose? The truth about holiday peaks in cross-border sales

The holiday season in international trade, spanning from Black Friday to the end of the year, generates a spike in sales volumes. Market data indicates the immense potential of this period – in the 2024 season, between November 1 and December 31, the total value of global online sales reached $241 billion. For European Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), foreign expansion is becoming a strategic necessity that allows for revenue diversification.

The optimism in the industry is justified by hard data. According to a 2025 FedEx study, as many as 81% of internationally trading SMEs in Europe forecast that their sales in the upcoming holiday season will exceed their 2024 results. Importantly, these companies predict that an average of 37% of their holiday revenues will come from foreign markets, including those outside of Europe.

This clearly indicates that cross-border e-commerce represents a real pillar of financial stability. However, with such high stakes, the margin for operational error is minimal. Precise logistical planning and strategic process preparation therefore become key success factors.

How do European markets buy? Find out what you need to know

Treating the European Union markets as a single economic area is a mistake that can cost you conversions. An effective cross-border strategy requires deep segmentation and an understanding of local consumer specifics. The choice of target countries should be based on an analysis of purchasing potential as well as logistical and payment preferences. For example, when analyzing the Irish e-commerce market or Western markets, completely different conditions must be considered than in the CEE region.

Germany – a huge but demanding market In Germany, one of the largest e-commerce markets, consumers show financial conservatism. Flexible payment methods such as “buy now, pay later” and traditional bank transfers are highly preferred.

France – ecology and localism drive conversions In France, on the other hand, the ecological aspect of deliveries and localism are significant deciding factors, forcing sellers to clearly communicate a sustainable approach.

Spain – mobile shopping and high price sensitivity Spain is a market dominated by mobile shopping and high price sensitivity, where building trust through cooperation with recognizable local carriers is key.

Central and Eastern Europe – the kingdom of COD and parcel lockers Meanwhile, in Central and Eastern European countries like the Czech Republic and Romania, a preference for cash on delivery (COD) still dominates, alongside a growing interest in deliveries to pick-up/drop-off points (PUDO) and parcel lockers.

What must an offer include to make customers click ‘buy now’?

Optimizing an offer for foreign markets goes beyond the linguistic translation of descriptions. Full cultural localization is required, taking into account country-specific occasions and holiday terminology. Precisely selected keywords in local languages are essential to ensure the offer’s visibility in search engines.

Pricing strategy during peak periods must consider the Total Cost of Ownership from the end customer’s perspective. The margin structure should be analyzed to assess the possibility of absorbing part of the logistics costs or strategically setting a free delivery threshold. The final price must be competitive in the local market while remaining safe for the company’s profitability, taking into account international transport costs and differences in tax rates.

Fast delivery = fast sales. How to refine logistics so customers keep coming back?

Supply chain efficiency is a critical element of customer satisfaction in the cross-border model. Traditional courier models, which involve multi-stage parcel sorting across different countries, are often fraught with the risk of delays and high costs. The answer to these challenges lies in modern logistics models, such as Direct Injection, offered by Alsendo International.

This model relies on consolidating parcels in the country of origin (Poland) and transporting them directly to the destination country, bypassing unnecessary transshipment points. A key aspect of this solution is cooperation with “Local Heroes” – local courier companies that handle last-mile delivery. This allows for reduced transport times, lower operational costs, and increased delivery effectiveness thanks to the local carrier’s knowledge of the region’s specifics.

How do shipping and packaging determine your sales?

The choice of delivery methods should be diversified depending on the target market. Providing parcel locker delivery options in the Czech Republic or Romania, while ensuring home courier delivery in Germany, is a standard expected by consumers. Using platforms that integrate multiple carriers allows you to manage this diversity from a single system, significantly streamlining operational processes.

Transparency regarding costs and delivery times builds credibility. Customers expect precise information about their order status. Modern logistics systems enable real-time parcel tracking, regardless of the number of borders the package crosses. It is also worth ensuring the quality and aesthetics of the packaging, which not only protects the goods but also serves an image-building function during the holiday season.

Effective cross-border communication: how to adapt the message to market culture?

Promotional activities must be closely correlated with logistics performance. Marketing communication should reflect realistic delivery times to individual countries to avoid the risk of failing to fulfill the promise of pre-holiday delivery. Using local carrier brands in advertising messages (e.g., mentioning delivery by a trusted local company) can significantly increase conversion rates by reducing foreign customers’ transport-related concerns.

Personalizing communication, carried out through email marketing or social media, should be tailored to the local holiday calendar. Automating these processes allows for the effective management of campaigns across multiple markets simultaneously, ensuring consistent messaging and timely information.

How to maintain quality and responsiveness in customer service?

The increase in order volume naturally leads to an increased workload for the customer service department. In international sales, the returns process is a key challenge. A complicated procedure for sending back goods is one of the main purchasing barriers. The implementation of technological solutions enables the automation and simplification of the international returns process, which directly translates into consumer trust.

Another crucial operational aspect is handling cash on delivery (COD) payments in local currencies. Understanding how local payments and predictable delivery increase sales is essential, as currency differences and settlements are a major barrier for many companies. Advanced shipping platforms allow end customers to pay in their local currency (e.g., Romanian leu), while the seller receives funds in their base currency. This solution unlocks access to a broad group of customers in Central and Eastern Europe who do not use electronic payments.

Here you will discover why sales grow… or fall

Managing shipping peaks requires continuous monitoring of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Real-time data analysis allows for a quick reaction if logistical bottlenecks are identified with specific carriers.

After the season ends, it is essential to conduct a detailed post-mortem analysis. Sales profitability across individual markets, logistics costs, and return and complaint rates must be verified. The conclusions drawn from this analysis are crucial for optimizing processes before the next season and for long-term expansion strategy planning.

Key steps to success in cross-border e-commerce

Forecasts for 2026 point to the dynamic growth of cross-border trade and rising demand for European SME products. To learn how to start selling abroad and effectively capitalize on this trend, businesses must operate based on a well-thought-out strategy: selecting markets based on data, adapting payment and delivery methods to local standards, and automating logistics processes.

For the SME sector, the key to competitiveness is leveraging advanced technological solutions that eliminate barriers to entry into foreign markets. Alsendo International is an example of comprehensive support, offering access to a network of local suppliers in the EU, multi-currency COD handling, and the integration of all shipping processes into a single dashboard. This model allows for the optimization of delivery costs and times, which during the holiday season is a prerequisite for achieving sales success and building a lasting competitive advantage.

Sources:

• https://business.adobe.com/uk/blog/2024-holiday-season-set-new-records-for-ecommerce
• https://newsroom.fedex.com/newsroom/europe-english/europes-internationally-trading-smes-expect-sales-to-rise-this-holiday-season

Adam Zając
Cross-border Director

W Alsendo odpowiada za rozwój usług międzynarodowych, budowanie partnerstw oraz zarządzanie sprzedażą. Działa w branży e-commerce i KEP od 2014 roku, specjalizując się w logistyce miejskiej (dostawy tego samego dnia) oraz transporcie krajowym i międzynarodowym. Kluczowe doświadczenie w zakresie cross-border e-commerce zdobył w firmie Packeta, gdzie współpracował zarówno z małymi sklepami internetowymi rozpoczynającymi ekspansję zagraniczną, jak i z największymi polskimi oraz niemieckimi markami e-commerce. Dzięki temu przekonał się, jak istotne jest odpowiednie przygotowanie i strategia rozwoju już na etapie planowania, aby uniknąć kosztownych błędów.