Post-BFCM Hangover
Your Betwixmas Homework
The chaos of Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) is behind us, but for many, the fallout isn’t. There are some of you reading this who are probably still trying to get Black Friday orders out the door—staring at endless backlogs, apologising to customers, and juggling manual fixes that should’ve been automated.
Late nights, last-minute workarounds, and sheer panic became your norm. If your systems didn’t talk to each other, the cracks likely showed—and waiting until spring to address these issues is a recipe for repeating this nightmare next year.
January is your golden window to act. We get it—you deserve a break. Nobody works harder than operators over peak season. But while you’re catching your breath, take a moment to think about what you can do over Betwixmas to save your sanity next year. Let’s look at what went wrong for so many brands and how you can turn this year’s chaos into next year’s success.
If, like most brands, you've got a big-tech-cut-off in September, then you’ve essentially got 9 months to diagnose, plan, build, test and launch new solutions.
What Went Wrong? (And Why You Can’t Ignore It)
ERP Throughput Issues
Peak sales often reveal bottlenecks in your ERP—whether it’s struggling to handle the sheer volume of orders or failing to sync data fast enough for your warehouse and front-end systems to keep up. These throughput issues can lead to delays, frustrated customers, and a stressed-out team scrambling to clean up the mess.
Stock Levels Not Talking to Front-End Systems
How often did you oversell or disappoint customers with “out of stock” emails this BFCM? Disconnected stock systems wreak havoc on customer experience and leave your team scrambling. If your inventory management isn’t seamless, your sales strategy suffers.
Returns Strategies Falling Short
Returns are a hidden killer for post-BFCM profitability. Without a clear, efficient returns strategy, you’re burning time, money, and goodwill. If your return process didn’t scale this season, it’s a glaring sign that you’ve outgrown your current setup. For some brands, returns hit quicker after peak for others, they won’t feel this pain until January!
The Bigger Picture: Integration Failures Across Your Tech Stack
If your tech stack isn’t fully integrated—if systems like your ERP, warehouse, and front-end tools aren’t communicating—you’re not just risking operational headaches; you’re losing potential revenue. Every disconnect costs you time, customer satisfaction, and sales opportunities.
If you do have an automated tech stack that works day to day, you’ll quickly find out over peak if it’s scalable!
Your Trade Meetings Didn’t Set You Up For Success
Maybe, looking back, the weekly trade meetings were a jumble of messy data and people pointing fingers at each other. Instead there should have been a more cohesive meeting structure that helps identify issues and problems down the line rather than looking backwards.
Betwixmas Homework
January and February might feel like a lull, but they’re the perfect time to fix what went wrong. Don’t let your post-BFCM frustrations fade—use this quiet period to set your business up for long-term success. So here’s a challenge for you:
Set the Meeting:
Start by scheduling a meeting with key stakeholders for January 6th. This creates a clear deadline to work towards and ensures alignment from the start.
Share this post with your boss or team as a conversation starter.
Reflect on the Pain Points:
Take time to think about where things broke down, but don’t do it in isolation. Speak to warehouse operations, the returns team, merchandising, and customer service—everyone who felt the pain firsthand.
Document the Problems:
Create a detailed list of what went wrong, supported by examples from BFCM.
Highlight specific failures, like inventory mismatches or delays caused by slow system updates.
A document log of the problems can be a great test-case for future solutions.
Prioritise Fixes:
Identify quick wins that can be tackled immediately (e.g., syncing stock levels more effectively) versus longer-term projects (e.g., upgrading integrations).
Automate:
Wherever possible, look for ways to remove manual interventions. Where was human error a major contributing factor this BFCM? Automation is your best ally in avoiding a repeat of this year’s struggles.
How to Drive Change Without Getting Overwhelmed
Fixing these issues doesn’t have to mean a complete overhaul. Focus on:
Improving Throughput:
Address ERP bottlenecks by optimising workflows or considering upgrades.
Connecting Stock Levels to Your Front End:
Implement better integrations to avoid overselling or mismanaging inventory.
Building a Scalable Returns Strategy:
Invest in automation and clear processes to handle returns more efficiently.
Remember, these fixes are an investment in future-proofing your business. By tackling them now, you’ll avoid another BFCM car crash next year.
Don’t Let the Post-BFCM Blues Linger
This Betwixmas, take control. Use January to fix what went wrong, while the pain is still fresh. By acting now, you’ll ensure your systems are ready for peak sales—and that you’re spending next BFCM focusing on growth, not patching problems.
Share this post with your boss, schedule that January 6th meeting, and start 2025 on a stronger foundation.