London, 16 October 2025 – Europe is gearing up for another record-breaking peak season. According to Sendcloud Shipping Intelligence data, parcel volumes are set to surge by up to 72% across the continent during Black Friday week, before reaching their highest point on Cyber Monday.
This year’s Cyber Monday is once again predicted to be the busiest day for parcel deliveries, with volumes expected to skyrocket by 200% compared to an average day. Because Cyber Monday falls in December again this year, the month is set to be the busiest for online retailers, continuing a pattern seen over the past two years.
When delivery networks strain, flexibility steps in
But with record parcel volumes come inevitable delays. Across Europe, the share of parcels delivered within one day is forecasted to drop to 43%. Average lead times are also projected to increase to 2.5 days during December, as couriers and warehouses operate at full capacity.
Even the most efficient delivery networks feel the strain, turning “next day” into “later this week” for millions of shoppers. The surge serves as a reminder that during peak season, keeping delivery promises becomes one of the biggest challenges for online retailers.
“During peak season, even the best delivery networks hit their limits,” said Rob van den Heuvel, CEO and Co-founder of Sendcloud. “That’s why flexibility matters more than ever. As a shopper, choose lockers or pick-up points to avoid missed deliveries, and as a retailer, make sure you can switch couriers fast when things get stuck.”
Shoppers show patience, but missed deliveries drive them away
Despite mounting delivery pressure, the Sendcloud Peak Season Index 2025, based on a survey of 2,000 online consumers in France and the Netherlands, reveals that online consumers are surprisingly patient. 81% said they would rather wait longer than pay more for next-day shipping. In a season defined by urgency, that’s a remarkable shift toward realism and responsibility.
But patience has its limits. Two in three shoppers (67%) say they will switch to another retailer after a late or failed delivery. In other words, delivery reliability has moved from a nice-to-have to a dealbreaker.
There is, however, a way to keep that trust intact. 72% of consumers say they’re more forgiving of delays when retailers communicate proactively, and 66% expect honesty about delivery times, even during the busiest weeks of the year.
“Consumers understand the pressure of peak season,” adds van den Heuvel. “What they don’t get is silence. Nobody wants to sit at home for a parcel that never arrives. We recommend retailers to keep customers informed every step of the way, even when things don’t go as planned.”
As parcel networks approach their limits, the retailers who stay proactive will be the ones who keep their promises. Tools like Shipping Intelligence help retailers identify where delays are building up and how each courier is performing, so they can step in early and keep customers informed instead of leaving them waiting in the dark.
About Sendcloud
Sendcloud is Europe’s leading shipping platform that empowers e-commerce merchants to scale their shipping operations effortlessly and deliver a customer-first experience.
Through its connected suite of tools, Sendcloud centralises and automates the entire shipping process, from label creation to branded tracking, support automation, and returns. This enables retailers, marketplaces, and fulfilment companies to stay ahead of consumer demands.
Founded in 2012, Sendcloud was born from a genuine need to create a level playing field for all e-commerce merchants. Backed by Softbank and trusted by 27,000+ companies across Europe, Sendcloud has the vision to solve shipping globally.
