How do we manage the Christmas/New Year peaks on the logistics side?

What really happens between your purchase of a disposable vape and delivery, and why it stays smooth even when Europe is saturated 🚚📦

Every year, between mid-November and early January, logistics in Europe enters a turbulence zone. This is not an “impression”: it’s a mechanical reality. Volumes explode, sorting centers run at full capacity, couriers have endless routes, parcel pickup points fill faster, and delivery times become more variable. During this period, even a simple purchase, a disposable vape, a small “quick” cart can encounter obstacles if the flow is saturated.

The goal of this article is simple: to explain how holiday / New Year peaks are actually managed from a logistics perspective 🎄🎆, without vague promises, without empty marketing phrases. Just the concrete operation: preparation, organization, shipping, exception handling, tracking 🔍, pickup points, and especially the mistakes that cause returns (and how to avoid them).

This article is written for all our delivery countries: Belgium (BE), Netherlands (NL), Germany (DE), France (FR), Luxembourg (LU), Italy (IT), Spain (ES), Portugal (PT), Sweden (SV), Denmark (DK). The logistical principles remain the same everywhere: same networks, same hubs, and often the same causes of bottlenecks.

 

1) Why Christmas / New Year is a special period (and not just “more orders”) 🧩🎄

Most people think the holiday problem is only “there are more parcels.” That’s true, but incomplete. What makes the period difficult is the domino effect:

• more online purchases → more orders to prepare

• more orders → more parcels to sort

• more parcels to sort → longer queues in hubs (sorting centers)

• more deliveries → more absences, more parcel shop drop-offs

• saturated parcel shops → more parcels not picked up on time

• parcels not picked up → more returns to sender

• more returns → even more volume in the reverse direction

Added to this are “invisible” factors: public holidays 📅, weekends, changed collection times, weather 🌧️❄️, and sometimes local saturation (some hubs become bottlenecks). Result: delivery of a disposable vape can remain perfectly normal… or take 24–72h longer depending on the week, country, and carrier.

The question is therefore not “can the peak be avoided?” (no). The question is: how do we keep a stable flow despite the peak.

 

 

2) Starting point: a mature logistics prepares before December 🧠

Effective logistics does not react at the last minute. If you wait until December to organize, you suffer the peak instead of managing it. Preparation starts in advance on 3 pillars:

2.1 Forecasting volumes and high-turnover items 📊

On a disposable vape site, some items become obvious during the holidays: best-sellers, new releases, “long-lasting” formats, highly requested flavors. Anticipating is not “guessing the future,” it’s analyzing what sells fast, what repeats each year, and what might cause blocked orders.

2.2 Securing packaging supplies 📦

During peaks, it’s not only product stock that matters. You also need: boxes, protective material, labels, tape, filling material, and an efficient packing organization. Many “silly” delays come from a lack of supplies or a saturated packing station.

2.3 Processing capacity and internal organization ⚙️

The peak is managed not by “working harder” but by “working smarter”: additional packing stations, adapted preparation methods, flow prioritization, and controlled shipping pace. This is where logistics becomes “mature.”

 

 

3) How to prepare during the peak: several waves per day (not a single “mountain” in the evening)

When volumes rise, the worst thing is to let everything pile up. The most reliable method is wave preparation (batch processing): successive batches are processed throughout the day to maintain a constant flow.

What does a preparation day during the holidays look like? 🚧

• Wave 1: orders ready and complete → picking → control → packing → labeling

• Wave 2: same steps for a new batch

• Wave 3: same, etc.

Preparing “several times” during the day avoids:

• end-of-day bottleneck,

• fatigue that increases errors,

• accumulating delays,

• parcels missing the collection.

It is also a method that improves quality: more structured checks, repetitive gestures (therefore faster), and less dispersion.

 

 

4) Shipping every day (and sometimes Saturday): why it changes everything 🚀 📆

In normal times, shipping Monday to Friday is already solid. During the holidays, daily shipping becomes a major lever: it prevents accumulation and reduces the time between purchase and carrier pickup.

Our approach is simple: we ship every day, and depending on periods and capacity, sometimes even on Saturday. This is important because a lot of volume is generated on weekends (Friday night, Saturday, Sunday purchases). Being able to absorb part of the flow before Monday prevents a “logistics wall.”

Let’s be clear: shipping fast does not eliminate hub saturation. But it reduces the “waiting before departure” part and decreases the likelihood that a parcel is delayed simply because it missed a pickup.

 

 

5) Cut-off (deadline): the small detail that saves 1 day ⏰

During the holidays, deadlines become stricter. Why? Because there are more orders to process before carrier collection. An order placed after a certain time may move to the next wave, thus the next shipment.

It’s not an arbitrary choice: it’s the mechanics of a flow that must remain stable. During a peak, respecting deadlines allows:

• not compromising quality,

• avoiding cascading delays,

• sending the maximum number of parcels in real slots.

 

 

6) “Blocked” tracking: why “label created” does not mean “parcel stationary” 🏷️

This is a point that causes a lot of stress in December: tracking shows “information received / label created,” then nothing for 24–48h.

What it often means:

• the tracking number exists,

• the label is ready,

• the parcel is packed or in process,

• the “visible” scan will arrive at the hub, sometimes in batches.

Tracking is not a GPS. It depends on scans. During the holidays, scans can be:

• grouped (a batch scanned at once),

• delayed (hub scans later),

• displayed in bursts (multiple steps appear at once).

So yes: tracking may seem calm, then suddenly jump to “arrived at center” → “out for delivery.”

 

 

7) What really slows down in December: hubs (sorting centers) 🏭 🚛

Hubs are mandatory transit points. When Europe orders massively, these centers operate at saturation. It’s not a judgment, it’s physical capacity:

• more trucks,

• more pallets,

• more sorting,

• longer queues,

• more departures to organize.

This is also why parcels can “move” at different speeds depending on:

• destination,

• departure slot,

• transit hub,

• local load.

It’s not that your disposable vape is “less important.” It’s a network optimizing not to collapse.

 

 

8) Last mile: the #1 source of returns 🚪

During holidays, the last mile becomes the most fragile area. The courier has more stops, less time, and more unforeseen events. Classic consequences:

• failed attempt (nobody home)

• drop-off at parcel shop without client seeing immediately

• rescheduling

• parcel shop deadline exceeded

• return to sender

And here’s the truth we see most: many “lost parcels” are not lost. They are deposited (shop/depot), info not seen in time (email, spam, typo), then the parcel goes back on route.

 

 

9) Parcel shop: often offered after shipping (tracking and apps) 📍 📱

In many cases, you cannot set a parcel shop at purchase. Carriers offer this option after shipping via:

• tracking link received by email,

• and/or carrier mobile app.

During Christmas/New Year, using these options is one of the best ways to avoid returns. If you know you will be absent, acting as soon as the option appears allows:

• avoiding failed attempt,

• securing delivery,

• picking up when convenient (within shop hours).

 

 

10) The two mistakes that explode during holidays: address and email ⚠️ 🏠

When the network is saturated, small mistakes become huge.

10.1 Incomplete address
The classic: street without number, wrong postal code, missing building info. Normally, some deliveries still pass. During holidays, the system is stricter: exceptions cost more, so more often put on hold, redirected, or returned.

10.2 Incorrect email
This is the most underestimated point: 99% of info passes via email. If the email is wrong, you lose:

• shipping,

• tracking,

• notifications,

• parcel shop options,

• sometimes codes.

The most common mistakes are simple but fatal: gmail → gmial, hotmail → hotimail, etc. During holidays, missing a notification can be enough to miss a shop pickup → return.

 

11) Handling exceptions: the real invisible work of fast logistics 🧠 ⚡

In logistics, the “normal” flow is relatively simple. What slows everything are exceptions:

• order modified after payment,

• missing product,

• payment under review,

• inconsistent address,

• damaged parcel,

• urgent customer request.

During Christmas/New Year, exceptions mechanically increase. Mature logistics must:

• detect quickly,

• isolate from flow,

• handle by priority,

• prevent special cases from blocking the rest.

Often where the customer experience is decided: speed is not just “ship fast,” it’s also “resolve fast.”

 

12) Returns: known issue, handled very quickly 🔁

During holidays, returns rise across Europe, mainly due to:

• parcels deposited in shops but not picked up,

• incomplete addresses,

• repeated absences,

• exceeded shop deadlines.

No secret: returns are part of the system. The difference is processing speed. Structured logistics does not let:

• reception,

• control,

• restocking if possible,

• reshipping or quick solution,
  linger.

In short: returns are not “dramatic” if handled fast. Frustration arises when it drags.

 

 

13) What you can do to save time (without miracles) 🚚📦

Concrete actions that really reduce holiday delays:

• Check email letter by letter before paying (avoids 80% of blind situations)

• Enter complete address (street + number + correct postal code)

• Add building info if needed (mailbox, floor, intercom)

• Active phone in correct country format

• Upon shipping: open tracking and monitor options (shop/redirection)

• If deposited in shop: pick up quickly (don’t wait until last day)

These actions do not change hub capacity, but prevent your parcel from becoming an exception at the worst time of year.

 

 

Conclusion: real speed = organization + cadence + support 🚀

Managing Christmas / New Year is not about making promises. It’s about keeping a stable flow when the European network is overloaded: prepare in waves multiple times per day, ship daily (sometimes Saturday), handle exceptions quickly, and stay reactive on customer cases (tracking, shop, returns, corrections).

For the customer, the key remains the same everywhere: correct email, complete address, and quick action via tracking/app when an option is available.

At Vapes001,, our logistics is mature: we prepare several times a day, ship every day (and depending on periods, even Saturday), and our customers already know: preparation, shipping, delivery, and support are handled at a speed rarely matched in our sector. We don’t hide holiday reality: hubs may slow down, but everything that depends on us is done fast, clean, and without wasting time. Result: for your purchase of a disposable vape and delivery in Europe (BE, NL, DE, FR, LU, IT, ES, PT, SV, DK), you benefit from an efficient flow, clear tracking, and reactive support when a situation needs to be resolved.