How to manage summer returns without compromising your logistics operation

During the summer, many businesses slow down; but not so for eCommerce. In the middle of the sales season, with promotional campaigns and more active customers than ever from all over the country, the reverse logistics becomes a real challenge.

Fewer available staff, more operational frictions and increasingly demanding consumers force online shops to adapt their processes without compromising efficiency. In this context, managing summer returns does not mean doing more, but doing it better.

In this article, we share practical recommendations for adapting your after-sales operations and explain how from Celeritas we help our customers maintain consumer confidence even at the most demanding times of the year.

What changes in consumer behaviour in summer?

The customer in July and August does not act in the same way as in the other months of the year. The holiday context alters routines and generates new frictions that have a direct impact on after-sales.

1. Reduced availability and increased mobility

With more free time and frequent travel, consumers are less available at home. This affects both the delivery and collection of returns: there are more absences, fewer time windows and less stable addresses (second home, hotel, etc.).

2. Impatience with deadlines and sensitivity to incidents

In the midst of sales or promotions such as Prime Day, expectations for speed are very high. Added to this is a lower tolerance for errors: a missed collection or an unanswered return can have a greater emotional impact on a customer who is on holiday.

We recommend that you read our article on theogistics in summer sales

Realistic expectations vs. operational capacity

One of the biggest sources of dissatisfaction in returns is the gap between what the shop promises and what it can actually deliver.

1. Are you promising more than you can deliver?

Many eCommerce companies try to maintain the same service levels during the summer as at other times of the year, without taking into account the fact that they are working with fewer staff, more saturation and higher error rates. This can lead to frustration, loss of confidence and even impact on public ratings or reviews.

2. Anticipation as a key tool

It is not about lowering the bar, but about anticipating risks and adjusting the value proposition. Adapting deadlines, automating responses or providing alternative channels can make a difference. Planning based on actual capacity avoids mistakes, improves efficiency and protects customer relationships.

Key adjustments to ensure that devolution does not break the experience

You don't need to overstretch your operations to handle summer returns. A few simple changes have a big impact.

1. Strengthen pick-up points versus Home Delivery

Reducing reliance on home delivery is key in coastal or highly mobile areas. Collection points offer flexibility and reliabilityThe new system reduces unsuccessful attempts and improves the customer's experience.

Find out how our return network with locations all over the country.

2. Automate communications and extend return deadlines

Automatic return status messages, reminders and confirmations help reduce customer anxiety. In addition, automatic return status messages, reminders and confirmations help reduce customer anxiety, temporarily extending return deadlines conveys understanding and reduces operational pressure.

A policy that is adapted to the seasonal context and well communicated can generate more loyalty than one that is strictly fast.

3. Reinforce proactive messages

Don't wait for the customer to become impatient. Inform them in advance about the status of their return, possible delays or new options. Showing that you are prepared for the summer builds confidence and reduces the volume of customer service.

At Celeritas we work together with our customers to adapt their return flows during the summer and protect their operational efficiency without compromising the customer experience.

Maintaining customer confidence

In reverse logistics, speed is an asset, but it is not always the most important factor. Clarity, traceability and simple solutions are equally or more important..

The customer wants to know where their return is, how long it will take and what options they have if something doesn't go as planned. If you cover these three variables, even a slightly longer timeframe is acceptable.

What is essential is to maintain trust and keep the brand experience aligned with the real expectations of the moment.

Conclusion: efficiency is not improvised, it is adapted.

Summer is not the time to promise more, but to adapt processes with operational intelligence. The brands that manage their returns best at this time of year are not the fastest, but the clearest, most forward-thinking and adapted to the context.

At CeleritasWe help our partners fine-tune their reverse logistics so they can continue to deliver a great customer experience without compromising operational efficiency.

Do you want to prepare your returns process for the summer?

At Celeritas we help you to adapt your returns operations with flexibility, traceability and a network of points that responds where others do not.

Learn more about our return solutions