The most active period for e-commerce is considered to be from November to January – a season marked by major discount days such as Cyber Monday and Black Friday, as well as one of the most anticipated holidays of the year, Christmas. All these events significantly increase online store traffic and parcel volumes, making efficient customer service more important than ever to maintain trust and satisfaction.
A public opinion survey conducted by SmartPosti in October reveals that most people who plan to buy Christmas gifts begin their search as early as November. According to the results, 33% of Latvians, 31% of Estonians, and 37% of Lithuanians purchase their gifts one to two months before Christmas. About a quarter of respondents in Latvia and Lithuania start shopping two to four weeks before the holidays, while in Estonia this applies to every fifth respondent.
The survey also shows that buying Christmas gifts online has become a common habit. 24% of Latvians, 21% of Estonians, and 31% of Lithuanians now prefer to shop online rather than in physical stores. During the holiday season, shoppers’ decisions are most influenced by three factors – price, delivery speed, and convenient parcel locker locations.
The lowest price is the main consideration for 48% of Latvians, 51% of Estonians, and 55% of Lithuanians. 26% of Latvians and around 28% of Lithuanians and Estonians say that fast delivery is the key to a good online shopping experience. Meanwhile, 33% of Latvians, 34% of Estonians, and 37% of Lithuanians choose to order gifts online because of the convenience of parcel lockers – confirming how important their accessibility has become for online buyers.
“Parcel volumes at SmartPosti double every November and December compared to other months, making it the busiest time of the year for us,” said Guntis Mičuļs, SmartPosti Head of Operations in the Baltics. “To make sure Christmas gifts arrive on time, we encourage customers to place their orders early and avoid last-minute shopping.”
SmartPosti is thoroughly preparing for the holiday season to ensure fast and reliable deliveries even during peak periods. “We’ve expanded our parcel locker network by 20% and increased our courier team by another 20%. We’ve also made several workflow improvements to speed up both courier operations and parcel sorting,” added Guntis Mičuļs. “We’re ready for seasonal parcel volume fluctuations.”
The company also encourages customers to pick up their parcels as soon as possible during the holiday period, helping to free up space for new deliveries so everyone can receive their gifts on time.
The SmartPosti survey was conducted in October 2025, involving 736 respondents in Latvia, 751 in Estonia, and 739 in Lithuania, aged 18 to 59.