Two things happen at once in festival weeks, and they pull in opposite directions.
Demand rises. People are buying gifts, clothes, sweets, decorations.
Courier capacity falls. Staff are travelling, hubs are congested, and the backlog from one slow day compounds into the next.
What that means in practice
A parcel that normally takes three days takes seven. A remote PIN code that normally takes seven takes a fortnight. Tracking goes quiet for longer than usual, and the quiet is not a sign of a lost parcel.
What to do before
Stop promising dates you cannot keep. If you normally say "within a week", say so no longer, or widen it.
Set your dispatch deadline honestly, including for the days you will not be working. Setting up delivery.
Cap what you sell if you make to order. Daily capacity exists so that a good Saturday does not become an impossible fortnight.
What to do during
Say it out loud in the show. "This will go out Tuesday and the courier is slow this week" costs you nothing and prevents every message that would otherwise follow.
Dispatch earlier in the day. Pickups get missed when hubs are full.
What to do after
Look at what actually sold. Festival weeks tell you more about your stock than ordinary weeks do.
Questions people ask
Should I stop selling during festivals?
No — it is when people buy. Stop promising speed, not stop selling.
What if a buyer complains about a delay?
Tell them what you know. A buyer told honestly waits; a buyer told nothing raises it.
Does the protection window change?
No. Seven days from delivery, whenever delivery happens. Buyer protection.
Is collection worth offering then?
More than usual. A local buyer collecting skips the whole problem.
More: shipping across India.