Practical Steps for Peak-Season Success 

Stress-Test Readiness: Is Your Data Golden Quarter Ready?

Every year, organisations circle the Golden Quarter as a key growth opportunity. But the intensity of peak season can quickly highlight any weak spots. Success depends on more than stock and promotions; it relies on accurate data and resilient systems that can keep up with demand.   

A recent GBG Loqate survey showed that 45% of retail respondents believe data inaccuracies threaten their cross-border operations, underscoring the critical importance of reliable data during this period of demand.

Key Steps to Prepare 

1. Keep customer data clean – You’re no doubt already validating addresses at the front-end, but inaccurate emails or phone numbers can still mean missed promotions, failed deliveries, and lost loyalty.
2. Stress-test systems – o   Test websites, apps, checkout flows, and payment gateways before traffic surges hit so you can catch bottlenecks early. Even a one-second delay can reduce conversions by up to 7% (Cloudflare).
3. Communicate clearly – From marketing emails to delivery updates, ensure messages land in the right inboxes, building trust and loyalty.
4. Verify digital wallet data – With digital wallets now accounting for nearly half of UK online payments (Worldpay Global Payments Report 2024), customers can bypass traditional checkout fields and address validation. Make sure post-payment verification processes capture and confirm key details so data quality isn’t lost at the final step. 
   

Proactive Data Prep 

1. Merge duplicate profiles to avoid spam communications.
2. Capture missing data with GBG Loqate’s type-ahead forms.
3. Use address validation to prevent costly delivery failures – and consider enhancing your data quality with GBG Loqate’s maintenance and cleansing tools.

Behind every successful Golden Quarter campaign is data you can depend on. You’re already capturing it with GBG Loqate but now’s the time to take it further.

Our data maintenance and cleansing tools help ensure your contact data stays accurate, complete, and compliant – even during the busiest trading periods.

From removing duplicates and goneaways to validating addresses and emails, maintaining data quality can make the difference between a Golden Quarter campaign that delivers festive cheer and one that gets lost in the rush.

Is your data Black Friday ready?

Find out with a free Data Health Check. We’ll assess the accuracy of your data, highlight any gaps, and show you how to optimise it.

Am I Too Late to Prepare for the Golden Quarter? 

We know the Golden Quarter can feel overwhelming, especially with code freeze starting for some in early November and the pressure of peak season building.  

The good news? It’s not too late to get started. Many of our services can be switched on quickly, with minimal disruption, so you can start seeing value right away. 

If you’re too busy, too stressed, or concerned about making changes now, don’t worry. Once the storm of peak season has cleared, we’re still here to help. Our data quality services are designed to support you year-round, ensuring your address, phone, and email data stays accurate, enriched, and ready for every opportunity. 

It all starts with a free Data Health Check. Whether you want to act now or book a review for after the holiday season, we’ll work around your schedule to help you unlock the full value of your data.

Book your free Data Health Check today – or schedule one for after the peak season.

Checking the List Twice: Why Email and Phone Validation Matter 

Your seasonal campaigns can only succeed if they reach the right audience. But contact data doesn’t stay perfect forever. Even the best data degrades, with emails decaying by around 22.5% each year (HubSpot), and invalid phone numbers quietly draining your marketing spend.

With GBG Loqate, you can enrich your accurate address data with email and phone validation to ensure every message and update lands where it should.

By keeping your contact data accurate and up to date, you’re not just fixing errors – you’re protecting your reputation, improving performance, and making every message count.

Why validate emails? 

1. Protect your sender reputation by avoiding bounce-backs and spam filters.
2. Improve campaign performance by targeting only deliverable addresses.
3. Catch typos at entry - human error is responsible for up to 58% of data inaccuracies (Data Science Central), so fix mistakes before they cost you conversions. 

Why validate phone numbers?  

1. Strengthen account security with two-factor authentication (2FA).
2. Unlock SMS marketing, a channel with 98% open rates and instant engagement.
3. Save money by filtering out invalid or mistyped numbers early. 

With GBG Loqate’s easy-to-deploy APIs, you can validate emails and phone numbers in real time or in bulk, ensuring your data stays accurate and reliable – even during your busiest campaign seasons and beyond.

Want to see how it works?  

Watch our short video to discover how GBG Loqate’s email and phone validation tools keep your campaigns on track: 

Spreading Holiday Cheer: 5 Tips for On-Time Deliveries 

Nothing erodes trust faster than a failed delivery. GBG Loqate customers already capture verified address data to ensure gifts arrive on time – but in the Golden Quarter, accuracy and reliability are even more critical.

5 practical tips:

1. Format addresses correctly – Automated reformatting ensures courier systems accept your data.
2. Use UDPRNs – Unique Delivery Point Reference Numbers guarantee accurate delivery to the right property.
3. Enable one-tap address finding – Geolocation tools reduce friction on mobile checkouts. 
4. Add Eircode for Irish customers – Unique identifiers cut failed deliveries in Ireland’s tricky address landscape.
5. Capture accurate addresses in real time – Type-ahead capture reduces errors, increases conversions, and improves data quality. 

Bridging Online and Offline: Why Store Finder Matters 

Even in the digital age, many customers still want to visit physical locations whether that’s to shop, collect, return, donate, or meet face-to-face.  

If you’re already using GBG Loqate Capture, adding Store Finder helps you connect online discovery with in-store experience – making every customer journey seamless.

What Store Finder offers: 

• Accurate global geocoding – Rooftop-level in 60+ countries.
• Distance & travel times – Real-world routing by car, bike, or foot.
• Customisable mapping – Branded pins, maps, and layouts.
• Flexible data management – Manual or automated location uploads with unlimited entries. 

Why it matters in peak season:  

1. Drive footfall and sales by connecting online interest with in-store visits.
2. Enable Click & Collect, reducing delivery strain.
3. Promote seasonal offers and temporary stock at local level.
4. Improve local SEO so customers find you first.
5. Support simpler returns, encouraging exchanges over refunds. 

Step Into the Golden Quarter With Confidence  

GBG Loqate customers already know the value of accurate data – but there’s always more it can do for you.

By strengthening your existing solutions with email and phone validation, maintaining your data health, and bridging online and offline experiences, you can reduce risk and unlock new growth during peak season.

GBG Loqate’s data validation and location intelligence tools are designed to help you thrive. With easy-to-deploy APIs, real-time accuracy, and trusted results, we help you turn seasonal challenges into opportunities.
Claim your free Data Health Check today and prepare your business for the Golden Quarter and beyond.