Black Friday Is Coming: Don't Let Packaging Become Your Peak-Season Problem

Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas can turn a normal week into one of the busiest periods of the year. If you're expecting more orders, now is the time to make sure you've got the boxes to pack them.

Black Friday falls on 27 November 2026, followed by Cyber Monday on 30 November.

But for many businesses, peak trading doesn't start on Black Friday anymore.

Promotions increasingly begin earlier in November – or even October – before rolling into Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the Christmas shopping period.

More visitors.

More orders.

More products to pick.

More parcels to pack.

More pressure to get everything out of the door on time.

When you're preparing for peak trading, it's natural to concentrate on the exciting parts.

What are we going to sell?

What offers are we going to run?

How much stock do we need?

But there's another question that's just as important:

Have you got enough boxes to send it all?

Packaging probably isn't your priority during Black Friday – and that's exactly the point

When orders start coming in quickly, the last thing you want to be thinking about is cardboard boxes.

Your attention needs to be on processing orders, helping customers and getting parcels dispatched.

You don't want someone at the packing bench saying:

"We're nearly out of boxes."

That's why we'd recommend thinking about your packaging before peak trading begins.

Ordering your custom-sized boxes in advance means you can get one more job ticked off the list.

The boxes are there.

They're the right size.

Your packing team knows how to use them.

All that's left to do is pack the orders.

Why pre-order your custom boxes?

The biggest benefit is simple.

One less thing to worry about.

If you've forecast an increase in sales for Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas, you can do the same with your packaging.

Look at what you used last year.

Consider how your sales have changed.

Look at the promotions you're planning.

Think about which products are likely to sell particularly well.

Then make sure you've got the packaging to support those orders.

You don't necessarily need to predict your requirements perfectly.

The important thing is to avoid reaching your busiest week with only a few days' packaging left on the shelf.

Peak trading puts your packing process under pressure

A packing process that works perfectly well on a normal Tuesday can feel very different when order volumes suddenly increase.

Imagine you normally dispatch 50 orders a day.

Then a promotion performs particularly well and you're suddenly trying to pack 100.

Every little inefficiency becomes more noticeable.

If each parcel takes an extra minute to pack, that's another 100 minutes across 100 orders.

If you're searching for boxes, cutting oversized boxes down, adding excessive void fill or trying to make products fit unsuitable packaging, you're losing valuable time.

That's why peak preparation isn't only about having enough packaging.

It's about having the right packaging.

Right-sized boxes can make packing quicker

Custom-sized cardboard boxes can help simplify the packing process.

Rather than taking a product, putting it into the nearest stock box and then filling all the empty space around it, you can start with a box designed around the dimensions you actually require.

That can mean:

• Less unnecessary empty space
• Less void fill
• Less time spent packing
• Less tape
• Less movement inside the box
• A more consistent packing process

Your team knows which box goes with which product.

They know how the product fits.

They know how much protection it needs.

Build. Protect. Pack. Seal. Label.

When you're processing a lot of orders, simplicity matters.

Don't run out of packaging before you run out of products

You've spent months getting ready for Black Friday.

You've ordered additional stock.

You've planned your offers.

You've prepared your website.

You've written the emails.

You've scheduled your advertising.

Then the orders start arriving...

…and you run out of boxes.

It's an easily avoidable problem.

Packaging is effectively another part of your stock.

If you're forecasting how many products you expect to sell, include the packaging required to send them in that forecast.

If you're hoping to sell 500 additional products during peak trading, ask yourself:

Do we have enough packaging for 500 additional orders?

And don't forget the everyday orders that will still be arriving alongside your promotional sales.

Think about which boxes you'll actually need

Don't just look at your total number of boxes.

Look at the individual sizes you use.

You might have 1,000 boxes in stock, but that doesn't help much if you've run out of the particular size required for your bestselling product.

Identify your fastest-moving packaging.

Which boxes do you use every day?

Which products are going into your Black Friday promotion?

Are you launching any Christmas bundles or gift sets that require different packaging?

Which products sold particularly well last November and December?

These are the boxes worth prioritising.

Consider your Christmas bundles now

Black Friday isn't the only reason to review your box sizes.

Christmas often changes what customers buy.

You might offer:

• Gift sets
• Product bundles
• Multipacks
• Christmas editions
• Promotional combinations

Two products that are normally sold separately might suddenly be sold together.

Will they fit into one of your existing boxes?

If not, now is the time to find out.

Rather than discovering the problem when you've got 50 bundle orders waiting to be packed, you can create and test a custom-sized box beforehand.

Less void fill can mean less time at the packing bench

Void fill has an important job.

Fragile products need appropriate protection and some items require cushioning to keep them secure during transportation.

But there's a difference between protecting a product and filling an oversized box.

During peak trading, that distinction becomes particularly important.

If every order requires someone to add handful after handful of packing material simply because the box is too big, you're using additional material and additional time on every parcel.

A box closer to the dimensions you actually require reduces that unnecessary space from the beginning.

Add protection where it's genuinely needed.

Don't spend your busiest weeks filling fresh air.

Right-sizing can help reduce breakages too

Peak trading is stressful enough without damaged orders coming back.

Products that have excessive room to move inside a parcel may be more vulnerable to knocks during transportation.

Appropriate void fill can help prevent that movement.

So can starting with a box that's closer to the size of the product.

Right-sized doesn't mean tight-sized.

Fragile products should still have sufficient room for whatever cushioning and protective packaging they require.

The objective is to create enough space for appropriate protection – without creating large areas of unnecessary empty space.

Pre-ordering doesn't mean filling your warehouse with huge boxes

Storage space matters during peak trading too.

You're probably already carrying additional product stock, so the last thing you need is packaging taking up more room than necessary.

Custom-sized boxes can help here as well.

Boxes that use less cardboard generally require smaller flat-packed blanks.

So rather than storing oversized boxes that are significantly larger than the products you're sending, you can stock packaging closer to the dimensions you actually need.

More space for stock. Less space wasted storing unnecessary cardboard.

What if you don't know exactly how many boxes you'll need?

Forecasting isn't an exact science.

You might have your best Black Friday ever.

A particular promotion might perform much better than expected.

Or demand could be lower than you've forecast.

The objective isn't to predict every order perfectly.

It's to make an informed decision based on what you know.

Look at:

• Last year's sales
• Current sales volumes
• Planned promotions
• Expected growth
• Your bestselling products
• Existing packaging stock
• How quickly you normally use each box size

Then give yourself an appropriate buffer.

It's much easier to make these decisions now than when the orders are already arriving.

Don't forget tape and protective packaging

Boxes aren't the only thing you can run out of.

Check the rest of your packing station too.

Do you have enough:

• Packaging tape?
• Paper tape?
• Protective wrapping?
• Void fill?
• Labels?
• Printer supplies?

A box without tape isn't particularly useful.

Neither is a fragile product without the protection it requires.

Think about the complete parcel, not just the cardboard box.

Could you reduce plastic at the same time?

Reviewing your packaging before peak season is also an opportunity to look at the materials you're currently using.

If you're using plastic bubble wrap, could a paper-based protective material such as HexcelWrap® be appropriate for some products?

If you're sealing cardboard boxes with conventional plastic parcel tape, could you switch to paper packaging tape?

Combine these with a right-sized corrugated cardboard box and you can create a predominantly paper and cardboard-based packaging solution.

Peak planning doesn't have to mean simply ordering more of what you've always used.

It can also be an opportunity to improve your packaging.

What if stock boxes are cheaper?

They often are.

Stock cardboard boxes are manufactured in huge quantities, which can make them extremely cost-effective.

If you already have a stock box that fits your product well and works efficiently through your packing process, there's no reason to change it simply because Black Friday is approaching.

But if you're using an oversized stock box because it's the closest size you can find, look at the bigger picture.

How much void fill does it require?

How long does the parcel take to pack?

How much storage space does the packaging occupy?

How well protected is the product?

The cheapest empty box isn't necessarily the most efficient finished parcel.

Custom-sized boxes from just 25 boxes

You don't need to be expecting thousands of Black Friday orders to prepare your packaging in advance.

ASC Direct manufactures custom-sized cardboard boxes from quantities as low as 25 boxes.

That makes made-to-measure packaging accessible to small ecommerce businesses as well as larger retailers preparing for peak trading.

Using our online Box Builder, you can enter your required internal dimensions, choose your box style and cardboard grade, select your quantity and get an instant price online.

You can also add custom printing if you want your packaging to work a little harder for your brand during the Christmas shopping period.

Black Friday is 27 November. Your preparation starts before then.

The best time to think about packaging isn't when your packing benches are full and orders are waiting to go out.

It's now.

Before Black Friday.

Before Cyber Monday.

Before the Christmas rush.

Check your packaging stock.

Identify your fastest-moving sizes.

Think about your promotional products and Christmas bundles.

Review how efficiently you're currently packing them.

Then make sure the boxes you need are ready and waiting.

Because when peak trading arrives, you should be concentrating on making the most of the sales opportunity – not worrying about whether you've got enough cardboard boxes.

PRE-ORDER YOUR CUSTOM-SIZED BOXES →

 

James Palfrey-Smith is the General Manager at ASC Direct with extensive experience in both operations and sales. James is passionate about solving packaging problems, delivering fast customer support, and building lasting relationships. Outside of work, he enjoys outdoor activities like hiking and skiing. A fan of real ale and business podcasts, he continuously seeks personal and professional growth. 

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