Small business & global shipping advice from DHL Express

December is every retailer’s time to shine. Sales surge, shelves empty, and for a few brief weeks, it feels like everyone wants what you have. But after the holidays, many businesses face a harsh reality: January arrives, and suddenly the best-sellers are nowhere to be found.

While the holiday rush continues to see increased spending, your customers are looking for gifts, essentials, and supplies, most are buying online. They’ve found what they want, moved it to the cart, and head to checkout. Then reality hits: a shipping fee, say ₦5,000 more than expected, pops up without warning. Instead of finalizing their purchase, they close the tab, sometimes for good.

Every festive season brings a surge in returns. Last year, 65% of shoppers sent something back or exchanged a holiday purchase. That’s not a problem, it’s just the new normal for modern retail.

December transforms Nigeria into a whirlwind of activity unlike any other time of year. Streets overflow with shoppers, traffic grinds to a crawl, and wallets open as people indulge in celebrations they've anticipated all year.