Increased Chance of a White Christmas Could Cause Havoc with Deliveries Says Shi ply We all enjoy snow

over Christmas but it can be a real problem for delivery servi ces. Shiply Managing Director Robert Matthams discusses the increased chance of snow this holiday season and its potential ramifications for customers and couri ers alike. London, UK, November 24, 2011 -- Many people covet a white Christmas, the snow p rovides an authentic holiday feeling for families, which may be very well for sp ending time indoors on Christmas Day but when it comes to Christmas deliveries t he powder can cause a multitude of delays for courier services (http://www.shipl y.com/) potentially depriving customers of their eagerly expected gifts. This year has seen some of the most volatile weather in recent memory; extreme w eather struck many parts of the world, whilst more positively the UK saw tempera tures soar to a record high of 29.9C in October. The IPCC (Intergovernmental Pan el on Climate Change) published a report on 17 November detailing the increasing impact climate change is inflicting on weather systems; the panel called for pr ompt action by government and industry to allay the increasing impact on the env ironment. It might be thought that the increasing temperatures would decrease the likeliho od of Christmas snowfall, however according to Ladbrokes the odds have changed, with a white Christmas more likely than previously predicted. The warm autumn ma y well be replaced with a polar air moving in to replace the mild conditions fro m the start of December the broker s in-house weather experts told ClickGreen, a pre diction echoed by Positive Weather Solutions. Christmas snow betting is somewhat of a popular novelty, but harsh weather aroun d the holidays could be disastrous for delivery companies and man and van operat ors (http://www.shiply.com/man-and-van/).Severe weather has seen the disruption of delivery services in the past especially in the North, even going so far as t o force companies including Tesco and Boots to halt online orders. This year as with years previous, online shopping is set to grow,reaching around 21.3bn by the end of 2011. The increased demand, coupled with wintry weather syst ems could cause serious issues for Christmas deliveries. Robert Matthams, Managing Director of Shiply, the online transport marketplace w ith more than 40,000 transport and removal companies (http://www.shiply.com/home -removal-firms/) as members, had this to say on the potential impact of changeab le weather on deliveries, and precautions both transport providers and customers should take.

It s clear that we ve had a lot of fair weather this year, which might lead people t ss the chance of snow over Christmas, but some factors are pointing to the fact that it may be more likely than it seems; and we ve all seen the impact unpreparedne ss can have on transport in the past. Customers can be very demanding of couriers over the holiday period, I would adv ise them to make sure that they have all their online shopping done, or at least planned well in advance to avoid any disappointment, and be sure to arrange thi ngs such as an eBay delivery service in good time should they need to, especiall y for large item delivery. I would urge transport providers to start taking precautions for harsher weather , such as switching over to winter tyres and making sure they have de-icer and e ven appropriate attire for icy conditions prepared.

Press Contact: Daryll Middleton Shiply Limited Floor 3, 207 Regent Street London, W1B 3HH +44 (0)207 193 3970 press@shiply.com http://www.shiply.com