Businesses ready for peak-season online sales growth

Businesses are preparing to leverage the power of e-commerce this holiday season, with most saying they expect an increase in online shopping traffic as 2019 comes to a close, according a DHL survey released Tuesday.

DHL polled its customers and a range of other U.S. e-commerce businesses for its 2019 Holiday Shipping Survey. Results from more than 4,000 responses revealed that shippers are concerned about global economic issues and trade concerns, but that most anticipate an increase in e-commerce traffic this holiday season. Key findings include: 

• More than 70% of respondents said they expect an increase in e-commerce sales this holiday season.
• Seventy-two percent of respondents said they expect global issues such as tariffs, the USMCA, and Brexit to affect their sales this holiday season. Almost a quarter of them said they expect these issues to have a "significant impact" on their business.
• Uncertainty over USMCA developments is causing U.S. businesses to look to additional international markets this holiday season. Nearly a third said they expect most of their sales to come from Europe during peak season, 27% said Asia Pacific, 25% said Mexico/Canada, and 18% said Central and South America.
• Almost half of respondents (49%) said fast international delivery will be crucial to a successful holiday season this year.