Fulfillment< @ >HQ Group
Q1 early stocking starts with Chinese New Year planning.
If you sell through Shopify or run China-based fulfillment, this holiday affects everything.
Inventory.
Processing speed.
Shipping timelines.
I've seen too many sellers lose Q1 momentum simply because they planned too late.
Let's fix that.
Chinese New Year isn't just a few days off.
It's 2–4 weeks of supply chain slowdown.
Factories stop production.
Warehouses operate with skeleton crews.
Carriers raise prices and limit capacity.
If you wait until the last minute:
• best-selling SKUs go out of stock
• orders pile up
• refunds increase
• customer tickets explode
Early stocking is how smart brands stay ahead.
Here's the simple framework I recommend to every seller:
Start with your data.
Pull the last 30–60 days of sales.
Then prioritize:
top 20% SKUs that generate 80% of revenue
Those get stocked first.
Not test products.
Not seasonal experiments.
Your proven winners.
Don't guess.
Use this basic formula:
average daily orders × holiday lead time + buffer stock
Your buffer should cover:
• carrier delays
• QC rechecks
• replacement shipments
Usually 20–30% extra is safe.
If you use a China fulfillment center, send inventory in early.
Why this matters:
• faster order processing
• cheaper shipping rates
• fewer missed dispatch windows
Waiting until the holiday week almost always costs more.
Inventory without shipping capacity still creates delays.
Before Chinese New Year:
Confirm your fulfillment cut-off dates
Reserve shipping space early
Switch hot SKUs to faster lines
This alone can reduce delivery delays by days.
I once worked with a brand that booked shipping one week earlier than competitors.
Same products.
Same ads.
They delivered 4 days faster — and won repeat customers.
Small move. Big result.
Most refunds during CNY come from surprise delays.
Not slow shipping.
Surprise.
Update your: product pages• checkout notices• email flows
Tell customers about holiday timelines upfront.
Transparency protects margins.
Avoid these:
• stocking everything instead of winners
• forgetting packaging materials
• ignoring QC timelines
• relying on economy shipping
• waiting for factories to “confirm later”
Early planning beats perfect planning.
Ideally 3–4 weeks before factory shutdowns.
Earlier if you sell high-volume SKUs.
Not always.
But scale down risky products and focus on stocked items only.
Yes — if inventory is already positioned in warehouses.
Otherwise, expect delays.
Usually 20–30% above forecasted demand.
Higher if your product has quality variability.
Q1 early stocking isn't optional.
It's how serious sellers protect revenue during Chinese New Year.
Plan inventory.
Secure shipping.
Communicate clearly.
That's it.
If you need help forecasting demand or setting up pre-CNY fulfillment,
book a free strategy call and let's stabilize your Q1 together.
Q1 Early Stocking: How to Plan Inventory for Chinese New Year
📩 Email: zoye@fulfillment-cn.com
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