Confirm your volume forecast with your 3PL by October 1. Share expected unit counts per week, peak week projections, and any new SKUs that will be introduced during Q4.
Review prep specs for every active SKU. Errors discovered during peak are more expensive to fix and harder to recover from than the same errors at normal volume.
Confirm carrier pickup schedules and cutoff times for your target ship dates. Holiday carrier schedules often have earlier cutoffs than standard weeks — missing a cutoff during peak can cost days.
Have overflow inventory staged before it is needed. If your primary 3PL hits capacity mid-peak, you need a plan that does not involve scrambling for warehouse space during the busiest week of the year.