Online sales in Poland are on the rise, which means the peak season for logistics is approaching. According to data from the Central Statistical Office, in August 2026, the value of online sales was 17.5% higher than a year earlier. At the same time, e-commerce’s share of retail sales rose from 8.1% to 9.0%.
This is an important signal for companies involved in warehousing, distribution, and online order fulfillment. With Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the pre-holiday shopping rush approaching, it is essential to prepare operational processes for a potentially higher volume of business.
However, peak season in logistics does not begin when the number of orders surges. For well-managed warehouses, it begins much earlier—at the stage of resource planning, work organization, and ensuring operational continuity.
E-commerce in Poland in 2026. What Do the Latest GUS Data Show?
August data from the Central Statistical Office (GUS) indicate a marked increase in the importance of online retail in Polish retail sales.
The most important indicators are:
| Index | August 2026 | August 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Online Sales Value | +17.5% year-over-year | Reference point |
| E-commerce's Share of Retail Sales | 9,0% | 8,1% |
| Change in the Share of Online Sales | +0.9 percentage points | — |
Source: Central Statistical Office, Retail Sales in August 2026
The 17.5% year-over-year increase in online sales is particularly interesting in light of the upcoming shopping season.
However, it is important to remember that an increase in sales value is not the same as an increase in the number of orders or shipments. Sales value is also influenced by product prices and the structure of purchases.
From the perspective of logistics companies, however, these figures remain an important market indicator. They show that the online channel is growing in importance, and companies serving the e-commerce sector should assess the operational capacity of their warehouses well in advance.
Why is the growth of e-commerce important for logistics?
Behind every online order lies an entire operational process.
The goods must be received into the warehouse, properly stored, picked, packed, labeled, and prepared for shipment.
As the number of orders increases, the workload at each stage of fulfillment also increases.
Importantly, this growth is not always evenly distributed.
During periods of intensive promotional campaigns, companies may experience sudden spikes in the number of orders, which can significantly alter the demand for operational resources within a matter of days.
That is precisely why efficient e-commerce warehouse operations require not only adequate space and infrastructure, but above all, well-organized processes and the availability of staff.
Peak Season 2026 – The Biggest Test for Warehouse Operations Is Still Ahead of Us
The last quarter of the year is traditionally one of the busiest periods for companies operating in e-commerce, logistics, and distribution.
Three events in particular are contributing to the increased workload on warehouses:
Black Friday – November 27, 2026
A period of intensive promotions, which for many companies begins well before Friday itself. Increasingly, it spans the entire week or even longer sales campaigns.
Cyber Monday – November 30, 2026
Another shopping surge, particularly significant for online stores. For warehouses, this could mean maintaining a high level of operations immediately following Black Friday.
The pre-Christmas season – December 2026
The period for fulfilling holiday orders, increased pressure to ensure on-time deliveries, and the need to maintain operational continuity right up until the last few days before the holidays.
In practice, these three events result in a prolonged period of increased strain.
For businesses, this means they must manage not only a larger volume of orders but also greater variability in those orders.
The biggest challenge of peak season isn't always the volume of work itself. Often, it's the unpredictability of when and where the heaviest workload will occur.
More orders do not always mean proportionally more employees
As online sales grow, the question of increasing warehouse staff naturally arises.
However, proportionally increasing the number of employees across all positions is not always the best solution.
Much depends on how processes are organized, the level of automation, the type of product range, and the characteristics of the orders.
For example, a warehouse that handles large wholesale orders may have completely different operational needs than a facility that processes thousands of small retail orders.
In the first case, operations related to internal transportation and the handling of palletized units may be more important.
In the second stage, order fulfillment, packaging, labeling, and preparing shipments for dispatch often become critical.
Therefore, preparing the warehouse for peak season should begin with an analysis of the actual workloads of individual processes.
Which areas of the warehouse are most prone to overloading?
During periods of increased sales, the following require special attention:
1. Receiving Goods
Increased shipments before the sales season may cause backlogs as early as the unloading and warehouse receipt stages.
Delays in this area affect the availability of goods needed to fulfill orders.
2. Order Fulfillment
Picking is one of the processes whose workload can increase particularly rapidly as the number of orders rises.
Insufficient staffing or inefficient work organization can lead to a backlog.
3. Packaging and Labeling
Even an order that has been efficiently processed will not be shipped on time if there is no way to prepare it properly.
This is a common example of a process that, when handled in larger volumes, becomes a bottleneck for the entire operation.
4. Quality Control
Increasing the pace of work should not mean compromising on quality standards.
Picking errors, incorrect labeling, or damaged products can lead to customer complaints and additional costs.
5. Preparing Shipments
The final stage of order fulfillment requires proper coordination between warehouse operations and the carriers' pickup schedules.
Even minor delays can cause a backlog of shipments and hinder the fulfillment of subsequent orders.
All of these processes are interconnected.
A warehouse's efficiency during peak season therefore depends not on the productivity of a single workstation, but on the smooth flow of the entire process.
How to Prepare Your Warehouse for Peak Season?
Five Areas Worth Analyzing
Data on e-commerce growth should prompt companies not only to forecast sales but also to review their own operational capabilities.
1. Load Forecasting Based on Historical Data
The first step should be to analyze previous seasons.
It's worth examining how the number of orders has changed, which days generated the highest volume, and at which stages of fulfillment delays occurred.
It is also important to take into account planned marketing and promotional activities.
This allows the company to better anticipate staffing needs and allocate resources accordingly.
2. Identifying Bottlenecks
Not every process requires the same level of additional staff.
If order fulfillment is running smoothly but the packing department can't keep up with preparing shipments, hiring additional pickers won't solve the problem.
It may even increase the number of orders awaiting the next stage.
That is why it is crucial to identify the areas that are actually limiting the warehouse's throughput.
3. Ensuring a flexible workforce
The demand for workers during peak season can vary from week to week, or even from day to day.
Under these conditions, companies need to be able to adjust their resources to match the actual workload.
One solution is to use external operational support.
Depending on the nature of the needs, it may take the form of temporary work or process outsourcing.
However, these are two distinct models of cooperation, differing in terms of how work is organized and the scope of responsibilities.
4. Preparing employees for an increase in volume
Simply hiring more people does not necessarily mean an increase in productivity.
New employees need proper onboarding and must be familiar with procedures, safety rules, and quality standards.
The later this process begins, the greater the risk that the additional staff will not achieve the expected level of effectiveness at the most critical moment.
Therefore, human resources planning should be done in advance of the sales peak.
5. Real-time performance monitoring
During peak season, operational metrics take on particular importance.
It's worth monitoring, among other things:
- the number of completed orders per hour,
- the productivity of each shift,
- the number of orders awaiting fulfillment,
- timely preparation of shipments,
- picking error rate,
- utilization of available workforce resources.
Ongoing analysis of this data allows us to respond more quickly to overloads and adjust work organization accordingly.
Process Outsourcing in Logistics as a Way to Increase Operational Flexibility
The growing scale of e-commerce means that companies must pay increasing attention to the flexibility of their operations.
Not every company wants to or is able to maintain a staffing level throughout the year that matches the demand during the busiest weeks.
At the same time, an insufficient number of employees during peak periods can lead to delays, a decline in service quality, and lost sales opportunities.
It is precisely in situations like these that process outsourcing in logistics becomes important.
Unlike a model that involves providing additional staff, process outsourcing focuses on carrying out a specific set of operations.
A company may delegate responsibility for a specific warehouse process—such as order picking, packing, sorting, or handling a specific order stream—to an external contractor.
However, effective process outsourcing requires proper organization of the collaboration.
The contractor should independently manage the assigned process, organize the work of its team, and be responsible for delivering the agreed-upon scope of services.
It is not enough simply to call a contract “outsourcing.”
What are the benefits for the company?
Well-planned process outsourcing can help with:
Increasing warehouse capacity —by outsourcing specific operations to an external partner.
Adjusting the scale of operations to seasonal fluctuations —without the need to permanently expand internal organizational structures.
Improved process management —through a clear definition of responsibilities and service performance metrics.
Relieving the burden on internal teams —which can then focus on key operational and managerial tasks.
Increasing the predictability of the collaboration —by defining the scope of the service, the expected results, and the billing terms.
It is worth remembering, however, that outsourcing is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Its effectiveness depends on properly defining the process, operational preparation, and the actual division of responsibilities between the parties.
NJ Logistic Service
– support for warehouse operations during periods of increased workload
At NJ Logistic Service, we work with companies for which the efficiency of their warehouse processes has a direct impact on the timely fulfillment of orders and the continuity of their operations.
We support companies in the logistics, warehousing, and manufacturing sectors, tailoring the scope of our collaboration to their actual operational needs.
Our services include, among other things, the organization and execution of selected warehouse processes, including order fulfillment, packing, sorting, and other operations related to the handling of goods.
We serve businesses in Wrocław, Legnica, Wałbrzych, Bolesławiec, and other locations in Lower Silesia.
We understand that response time is critical during peak season.
Therefore, depending on the location, the scope of the assignment, and the availability of resources, we are able to assemble a warehouse team in about 14 days, and operators with the appropriate UDT certifications in as little as about 7 days.
Our goal is not only to support the company with additional resources, but above all to ensure the smooth execution of the processes entrusted to us.
Peak Season 2026. The biggest risk may be reacting too late
A 17.5% year-over-year increase in online sales does not mean that every warehouse in Poland will see the same increase in the number of orders.
However, it shows the direction in which the market is moving.
E-commerce is becoming increasingly important in the retail sector, and logistics companies must prepare to handle increasingly demanding processes.
Three factors will be particularly important in the coming weeks: operational capacity, workforce availability, and the ability to respond quickly to changes in order volume.
Companies that analyze their capabilities early enough and safeguard their key processes can reduce the risk of downtime and delays in order fulfillment.
Those who wait until the first backlogs appear before beginning their preparations will have to work under much greater time pressure.
Peak season in logistics isn't just a test of warehouse efficiency. Above all, it's a test of the quality of planning and organization of the entire process.
Is your warehouse ready for the 2026 peak season?
If you anticipate an increase in order volume, need support for specific warehouse processes, or are looking for a way to increase operational flexibility, please contact the NJ Logistic Service team.
Together, we will analyze your company's needs and explore ways to collaborate.
Don't wait until the growing number of orders starts causing delays. Prepare your processes for peak season well in advance.
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Data source:
Central Statistical Office – Retail Sales in August 2026
Central Statistical Office – Publications on Trade and Retail Sales