Black Friday 2025: Your Fulfilment Preparation Checklist
1 November 2025
TFC UK Team
Black Friday 2025: Are You Ready?
Black Friday and Cyber Monday remain the biggest sales events of the UK ecommerce calendar. In 2024, UK consumers spent over £13 billion online during the Black Friday week. For 2025, preparation should start in September.
The Preparation Checklist
Stock and Inventory (September)
- Review last year's Black Friday sales data by SKU
- Confirm supplier orders for peak stock
- Set reorder points based on projected demand
- Arrange additional warehouse space if needed
- Plan promotional bundles and ensure all components are ordered
Warehouse and Fulfilment (October)
- Confirm your fulfilment provider's peak capacity and staffing plans
- Agree extended operating hours if needed
- Test systems under simulated peak load
- Pre-position fast-moving stock near packing stations
- Stock up on packaging materials (boxes, mailers, tape, void fill)
- Brief warehouse team on any special promotions or bundles
Carrier and Shipping (October)
- Confirm carrier capacity commitments for November
- Review and agree peak surcharges
- Set up backup carrier accounts
- Confirm Christmas delivery cut-off dates by carrier
- Update website shipping promises with realistic timeframes
Website and Sales Channels (October–November)
- Update delivery timeframes on product pages and checkout
- Set up promotional landing pages
- Test checkout under high traffic
- Ensure stock sync is working across all channels
- Prepare customer service team for increased enquiries
Week of Black Friday
- Monitor stock levels hourly for top-selling items
- Watch carrier collection confirmations
- Track dispatch rates against targets
- Respond quickly to any fulfilment exceptions
- Communicate proactively with customers about delivery
Key Metrics to Track
| Metric | Target |
|---|---|
| Same-day dispatch rate | >95% for orders before cut-off |
| Pick accuracy | >99.5% |
| Carrier collection on time | 100% |
| Stock availability | >98% of promoted lines |
| Customer service response time | <2 hours |
Common Black Friday Failures
- Running out of stock on promoted items
- Carrier capacity exceeded — parcels not collected
- Website crashes from traffic spikes
- Warehouse bottleneck — can't pack fast enough
- Overselling due to stock sync delays across channels
Post-Black Friday
Don't forget what comes after:
- December: Sustained high volumes until Christmas cut-offs
- January: Returns surge — have returns processing capacity ready
- Debrief: Review performance data and document lessons for next year
At The Fulfilment Centre, we start peak planning with clients in September. Our UK depots have the capacity, carrier relationships, and systems to handle your busiest period.
Preparing for Black Friday 2025? Contact us now to lock in fulfilment capacity for the peak season.
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