Why wait until December 26? Throw the doors open on Christmas for returns and sales - or so it appears that's the message to retailers, particularly from millennials.

Millennials may be digital natives, but for all their supposed reliance on mobile devices, this group is more likely to shop on Thanksgiving Day and do so in stores, according to a new survey by location-based mobile platform Retale.

A shortage of transportation equipment and possible labor disruptions at the Los Angeles/Long Beach port complex, the nation's busiest, is delaying shipping containers for up to three weeks, threatening timely delivery to retailers for the holiday season.

Retailers concerned by the lack of a West Coast longshoremen's contract will continue to bring merchandise into the country at above-average levels this month, but volume will drop from the record set in August, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

First and foremost, a dedicated holiday supply chain strategy needs to be in place at least six months before the holidays, says Doug Pasquale, senior vice president of supply chain solutions for Ingram Micro Mobility. It's always a good idea to begin planning immediately following the previous year's season and engage manufacturers and logistics partners as soon as possible.