Bulk shipping days — when a small business ships significantly more orders than usual — expose every weakness in the normal shipping process. Supplies that are adequate for daily volume run out. Processes that work for 20 orders break down at 100. The solution is preparation: a bulk shipping checklist that ensures everything is in place before the first order is packed. Here's your complete checklist.
48 Hours Before: Supply Audit and Order
Two days before a bulk shipping day, audit every supply against projected volume. Calculate how many boxes, tape rolls, labels, and void fill units you'll need for the projected order count. Add a 20% buffer. Order anything that's short immediately — 48 hours is enough time for most supply deliveries, but not enough time for emergency orders that arrive late. The 24-roll 3-inch premium packing tape and 32-pack assorted shipping boxes in bulk quantities ensure you won't run out mid-shift.
24 Hours Before: Station Setup
The day before, set up the packing station for bulk volume: pre-assemble boxes by size and stage them within arm's reach, load all tape dispensers and stage backup rolls, verify the label printer has adequate label stock, and position carrier-sort bins at the end of the packing table. A station that's set up the day before is a station that's ready when the first order is packed — not one that's being set up while orders are waiting.
Morning Of: Final Verification
Before the first order is packed, verify: all supplies are in place and at projected quantities, all equipment is operational (tape dispensers loaded, label printer tested, carrier bins labeled and empty), all team members know their roles for the day, and carrier pickup times are confirmed. The morning verification takes 10 minutes and catches any gaps that the 24-hour setup missed.
During: Monitor Supply Levels
Assign one person to monitor supply levels throughout the bulk shipping day. Check every supply bin against its threshold mark every two hours. Restock from bulk supply before any bin runs out — a supply shortage mid-shift stops the entire operation. The labeled clear bins with threshold marks make monitoring fast — a visual check of every bin takes less than a minute.
After: Restock and Reset
After the bulk shipping day, restock all supplies to their normal levels and reset the station to its standard configuration. Note any supplies that ran low despite the pre-order — adjust your bulk shipping supply calculations for next time. A post-bulk-shipping reset ensures the next regular shipping day starts from a known, stocked state.