How to avoid logistical bottlenecks in the most critical areas in summer
When we think about the big logistical challenges of the year, we tend to look at the Black Friday or the Christmas campaign. However, the summer, without being a peak season has become one of the most complex periods for eCommerce. The increase in tourism, staff turnover, local public holidays and the concentration of demand in certain coastal provinces put maximum stress on operations.
While many people enjoy their holidays, logistics teams face incidents, delays and reduced resource availability. The delivery experience is put to the test and customer loyalty can suffer without a robust seasonal logistics plan. That's why, Anticipating logistical collapse is key to maintaining service levels during the summer months..
In this article we explain what you need to consider if you sell in critical areas, how to prepare yourself to avoid unforeseen events and what measures Celeritas has put in place with its Summer 2025 campaign to ensure business continuity.
Summer and eCommerce logistics: a complex combination
Although summer does not figure among the peak seasons The classic trading is almost as tense as it is on Black Friday. Spain received 93.8 million tourists in 2024, 10 % more than the previous year, and the summer recruitment in the transport and logistics sector will reach 300,300 new registrations in 2025. This cocktail - record tourism, high temperatures and staff turnover - increases the likelihood of bottlenecks in coastal provinces such as the Balearic Islands, Malaga and Cadiz.
Rotating staff and stressed provinces
In July and August, the hospitality industry absorbs much of the available labour, leaving operators competing for scarce resources. If a last mile loses 20 % of its workforce, the time required for the preparation and line haul are resented within hours.
Impact of HD (Home Delivery)
Home delivery suffers most when:
- The postman comes across holiday housing estates with low accessibility.
- The "last mile" exceeds 35 °C, causing retries due to absence or time restrictions.
- Traffic cuts occur due to local events (patron saint festivals, fairs, etc.).
Without a flexible logistics network, the risk of parcel backlogs grows exponentially.
Is your eCommerce ready to operate in hotspots?
To find out, try to answer these questions:
- Visibility of criticality - do you know which postcodes show saturation or high retry rates?
- Plan B if Home Delivery fails - can you refer to pick-up points frictionless for the customer?
- Uniform experience - Do you maintain the same SLA (Service Level Agreement) with alternative methods (locker, partner shop)?
- Returns management - Do you have a clear and fast flow? Check out our processes for returns to inspire you.
Good practices for surviving logistical collapsess summer
Plan shipments in advance
Create cut-offs and label the goods by priority. Having an extra 48 hours of margin can absorb occasional delays due to local incidents.
Offers collection points and flexible network
The pick-up points reduce delivery failures in coastal provinces by 25 %, according to our internal data. Learn more about our network of PUDOs.
Monitor holidays and closures
August brings together more than 30 local holidays. Having a dynamic calendar in your WMS (Warehouse Management System) allows you to avoid erroneous dispatches due to holidays that have not been taken into account.
H3: Choose a partner with real-time traceability
Visibility avoids queries to the customer service team and allows load diversion before collapse.
At Celeritas we are already implementing these four pillars with customers operating in areas of high seasonal demand.
Celeritas' response: summer campaign 2025
| Measure | Benefit for your eCommerce |
|---|---|
| Daily capacity limit | It avoids oversaturating hubs and keeps the delivery promise. |
| Reinforcement and extension of the PUDO network | +400 new points in critical coastal areas. |
| Contingency plans with automatic diversion | If the HD becomes stagnant, we move on to collection without customer intervention. |
| Preventive communication | Congestion alerts and automatic replanning in your control panel. |
| Early management of local public holidays | Alternative routes already pre-loaded in the TMS. |
Summer does matter: sales, Prime Day and loyalty
The summer generates more business than it seems. The Prime Day July 2024 moved 14 200 M$ in global salesfashion, electronics and household goods are all booming shipments in the heat of the day.
Maintaining a good level of service during these months not only reduces incidents, but also reinforces customer confidence before the last quarter of the year.
Conclusion: no improvisation in summer
E-commerce that plans ahead, diversifies delivery methods and relies on partners with a network and foresight turn summer into a competitive advantage. Celeritas has been activating capacity, expanding its PUDO network and fine-tuning contingency plans for months.
Ready to armour your summer operation? Contact with us and find out how our Summer 2025 campaign can keep your shipments moving.