The peak season checklist for Australian exporters

Peak season is the most crucial time of year for Australian exporters, with sales surging across Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas, Boxing Day , and beyond. From e-commerce to agriculture and wine, businesses must prepare for rising demand, complex logistics, and evolving customer expectations. 

So, what is peak season and what does it mean? It refers to the busiest and most profitable periods of the year for exporters when e-commerce holiday sales, retail events, and cultural celebrations create spikes in global demand.

Peak sales periods are no longer confined to Christmas. In 2025, Australian exporters must prepare for multiple global shopping surges — from Black Friday and Cyber Monday to Lunar New Year and Ramadan/Eid gifting. These peaks present lucrative opportunities for businesses across e-commerce, agriculture, wine, and manufacturing, but they also heighten challenges like inventory planning, international compliance, and logistics bottlenecks.

Figures from Australian Bureau of Statistics highlighted the scale of demand: Australian retail spending rose 0.8% during Black Friday 2024¹, the strongest monthly increase since January that year. At the same time, demand for premium produce surged, with cherries, lobsters, and wine exports to China reaching record highs over Lunar New Year celebrations². Meanwhile, recent data from Mordor Intelligence shows Australia’s e-commerce market is set to hit US$43.61 billion in 2025, and more than double by 2030, growing at a 21.87% CAGR³ — underscoring why peak season preparation is more critical than ever.

Against this backdrop, customer expectations are also evolving. Buyers now demand faster delivery⁴, more transparency, and sustainable options — making it vital for exporters to plan early and align with the right logistics partner. This checklist unpacks the key steps Australian exporters can take to ensure their 2025 peak season is both profitable and seamless.

How should exporters prepare their inventory for peak season?

Inventory planning is often the first pressure point when demand surges. Whether you’re running an online store or shipping bulk produce overseas, success during peak season depends on how well you anticipate demand and position your stock.

Preparing inventory for e-commerce businesses

For e-commerce exporters, the window between a customer clicking “buy now” and expecting delivery is shrinking rapidly. To keep up, businesses must:

• Leverage AI-driven demand forecasting: Analysing historical sales data, seasonal shopping patterns, and even external factors like promotions or weather helps predict demand with precision. This ensures you hold the right mix of products without overstocking.
• Diversify supplier networks: Relying on a single supplier can be risky during high-demand periods. Partnering with multiple vendors, ideally spread across regions, helps safeguard against stockouts if one source faces delays.
• Plan fulfilment and warehousing: Consider pre-positioning popular items in international hubs closer to customers, reducing delivery times during busy sales spikes. This is particularly valuable for fast-moving categories like electronics or fashion.
• Stay agile: Monitor inventory in real-time throughout peak season. If one product line sells out, adjust promotions to push alternative products, keeping sales momentum high without frustrating customers.

Preparing inventory for traditional exporters

For traditional exporters — such as farmers, winemakers, and manufacturers — inventory preparation means aligning production and shipping cycles with international demand peaks.

• Synchronise production with overseas calendars: Agricultural exporters must match harvest and packing schedules with holidays abroad. For example, cherry growers can time exports to land in China just before Lunar New Year, when demand for premium fruit spikes.
• Protect quality with logistics planning: Winemakers exporting to Europe or Asia need to factor in transit time, temperature-controlled shipping, and customs clearance. Early booking with logistics partners ensures your shipments don’t get caught in seasonal bottlenecks.
• Forecast beyond local markets: Manufacturers and producers should use export data to identify which global markets are seeing the steepest holiday demand and allocate inventory accordingly.
• Build buffers into supply chains: Delays are common during peak periods. By preparing additional volumes or flexible shipping schedules, exporters can cushion against unexpected disruptions without disappointing overseas buyers.

How can you optimise your customer experience and sales channels?

A successful peak season isn’t only about having stock on hand — it’s also about making it easy and enjoyable for customers to buy from you. From smooth digital platforms to effective storytelling, the way you manage your sales channels and customer experience can set you apart in a crowded market.

For e-commerce exporters

• Optimise website performance: Ensure your website loads quickly, is mobile-first, and can handle surges in traffic. Shoppers will abandon slow or clunky sites during busy sales periods.
• Create gift guides and bundles: Help customers decide faster by grouping products into holiday categories (e.g., “gifts under $50” or “gifts for wine lovers”).
• Run omnichannel campaigns: Consistent promotions across email, social media, and marketplaces keep your brand visible during high competition.

For traditional exporters

• Leverage digital platforms and distributors: Even manufacturers, winemakers, and farmers can expand reach through online channels or regional distributors to capture peak season demand overseas.
• Highlight sustainable practices: Modern consumers are drawn to brands that demonstrate eco-consciousness, such as using recyclable packaging or carbon-reduced shipping options. Communicating this story enhances credibility and loyalty.

What are the best logistics strategies for peak season?

Inventory and sales prep won’t matter if shipments don’t reach customers on time. Logistics is the backbone of peak season success, and the margin for error is razor-thin when demand is at its highest.

Universal strategies

• Prioritise speed and reliability: Late deliveries can damage your reputation more than losing a sale. Partnering with a provider that guarantees fast, predictable transit times is essential.
• Book shipments early: High volumes during peak season can cause bottlenecks. Securing your logistics slots ahead of time helps avoid delays.
• Plan around holiday schedules: A common question during the peak shipping season is whether couriers like DHL deliver on public holidays such as Christmas Day. While most international logistics providers operate a global network with extensive coverage, delivery availability ultimately depends on the destination country’s local rules. The safest approach is to plan shipments around official cut-off dates and holiday schedules to ensure goods arrive on time.

For e-commerce exporters

• Offer flexible delivery options: Shoppers value convenience. DHL Express’ On-Demand Delivery service allows customers to choose when and where their parcel arrives, reducing missed deliveries and boosting satisfaction.
• Enable real-time tracking: Visibility reassures customers and reduces inbound “where is my order?” inquiries during the busiest weeks.

For traditional exporters

• Use specialised handling for sensitive goods: Perishables like cherries or lobsters, and temperature-sensitive wine, require cold chain logistics or insulated solutions to ensure quality.
• Factor in customs compliance: During peak season, clearance delays can cascade into lost sales. Working with an experienced logistics partner ensures smoother documentation and faster border crossings.

How should businesses manage packaging, unboxing, and returns?

Peak season shipping volumes put immense stress on packaging and reverse logistics. The way you handle packaging, unboxing, and returns can either delight customers or create costly setbacks.

For e-commerce exporters

• Sustainable packaging: More shoppers expect eco-conscious practices during peak retail season. Switching to recyclable or biodegradable materials reduces waste and strengthens your brand image.
• Branded unboxing experiences: A thoughtfully-designed package can turn a delivery into a marketing moment. Personalised inserts, festive wrapping, or eco-friendly fillers make unboxing shareable and memorable.
• Clear returns policies: With e-commerce holiday sales surging, returns are inevitable. Transparent, customer-friendly return policies build trust and encourage repeat purchases. Streamlining returns through prepaid labels or parcel lockers also reduces operational friction.

For traditional exporters

• Protecting product integrity: Exporters of seafood, wine, and agricultural products face strict quality demands in overseas shipping from Australia. Insulated packaging helps maintain freshness, while shock-absorbing inserts protect fragile glass bottles from damage.
• Compliance and labeling: Properly labeling perishable or regulated items ensures they clear customs smoothly, minimising delays in peak shipping season.

Why sustainability matters more than ever this peak season

Sustainability has become a defining factor in consumer choice and global trade compliance. For Australian exporters, this represents both a challenge and a powerful advantage.

• Exporters’ edge: Australia’s reputation for “clean and green” production is a valuable differentiator in international markets. By pairing this image with carbon-reduced logistics, exporters can enhance their appeal during peak season sales.
• Eco-conscious customers: Demand for sustainable logistics is rising. Highlighting eco-packaging, carbon-neutral practices, or transparent supply chains in your marketing resonates strongly with global buyers.
• DHL’s GoGreen Plus service: Through Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), DHL GoGreen Plus enables exporters to cut carbon emissions on international shipping while maintaining reliability. This allows businesses to meet sustainability targets and strengthen their story with environmentally conscious consumers.

Your next steps for peak season 2025

The peak shipping season is fast approaching, and preparation is everything. Here’s a clear checklist to guide your business toward success:

• Forecast demand and plan stock levels: Use AI-driven tools and historical data to predict demand spikes and secure reliable suppliers.
• Prepare your website or distribution channels: Ensure your e-commerce site or distributor networks can handle higher traffic and order volumes.
• Confirm your logistics partner and delivery options: Partner with a provider offering express, flexible, and reliable international shipping.
• Optimise packaging and set up a clear returns policy: Sustainable, protective packaging and a simple returns process enhance customer trust.
• Highlight sustainable practices in your brand story: Showcase eco-friendly initiatives and choose carbon-reduced international shipping solutions.

With DHL Express, you gain access to:

• A global network that ensures fast, reliable overseas shipping from Australia
• E-commerce logistics expertise to help your brand thrive during peak retail season
• Sustainable solutions like GoGreen Plus, powered by SAF to reduce carbon emissions

Open a DHL Express business account today and make your 2025 peak season the most seamless and profitable one yet.