Key Holiday Shipping Deadlines for On-Time Gifts: Christmas packages should move without any issues this year after years of difficulties with the supply chain due to the pandemic.
VP and CEO of AIT Worldwide Logistics Vaughn Moore says, “You’ll have a better experience than in previous years.”
There are no longer backlogs at U.S. ports or a lack of workers, which caused supplies to be late in the past. Even though problems can happen, customers can be sure that the shipping times they are given now are correct.
Still, you should place store orders and mail packages before the carriers’ due dates to make sure they get there in time for the holidays. Don’t be sad on Christmas morning; know your shipping choices and when things need to be sent.
Due dates for shipping with major carriers
People who need to mail Christmas packages can pick from a number of shipping companies. Most of the time, you can choose between regular and fast delivery services.
Todd Pigeon, vice president of sales at PayCargo, a logistics payment platform, says there should be enough space in the air to send all the holiday packages that need to be sent. He points out that shipping companies have their own fleets of planes and may also hire business carriers to carry packages.
The US Postal Service
Even though there are other shipping companies, the USPS is still a popular choice for delivering packages.
In a press release, Postmaster General and USPS CEO Louis DeJoy said, “Thanks to the Delivering for America plan, we will be the most affordable way to ship and mail holiday cheer this year.”
The Delivering for America plan is a 10-year plan that is meant to help the organization stay financially stable and give people reliable service.
Based on the service used, the USPS suggests mailing by the following times to make sure packages get there before December 25:
Better Ground Service from USPS:
- Dec. 16 to ship in five days.
- Dec. 18 to ship in four days.
- Dec. 19 to ship in three days.
- Dec. 20 to get shipping in two days.
- Mail Service for First Class
- Dec. 16 to ship in five days.
- Dec. 18 to ship in four days.
- Dec. 19 to ship in three days.
- Dec. 20 to get shipping in two days.
- Service for Priority Mail:
- Dec. 20 to ship in three days.
- Dec. 21 to get shipping in two days.
- Service for Priority Mail Express:
- Dec. 20 to get shipping in two days.
- Dec. 21 to ship the same day.
Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express packages can be sent as late as December 20 if they are going from a state that is adjacent to Alaska. USPS Ground Advantage Service mail should be sent by December 16. Before December 16, you should use USPS Ground Advantage Service to send packages to Hawaii. By December 18, you should use Priority Mail, and by December 20, you should use Priority Mail Express.
A fee is charged for Priority Mail Express, which gives people more time to get things in the mail. Ground Advantage Service from the USPS can cost as little as $4.75, but Priority Mail Express costs at least $28.75.
FedEx Inc.
When it comes to shipping, FedEx has more than a dozen choices. These range from ground delivery, which can take up to seven days to arrive within the US, to same-day service, which is available in all 50 states.
Following are the holiday shipping due dates for some FedEx services.
FedEx Ground Economy: December 13
Ground FedEx:
- Dec. 15 to ship in five days.
- Dec. 18 to ship in four days.
- Dec. 19 to ship in three days.
- Dec. 20 to get shipping in two days.
- Dec. 21 to ship the same day.
- December 19 is FedEx Express Saver Day.
- FedEx 2Day: December 20.
- FedEx Next Day: December 22.
You’ll have to pay extra to get help faster. FedEx Ground costs $13.54 to send a 1-lb. package from New York City to Los Angeles right now. However, FedEx First Overnight service will cost you $154.15 if you need that package by 9:30 a.m. tomorrow. FedEx Standard Overnight costs $104.19 if the package can wait 12 hours.
United Parcel Service
Another well-known shipping company is UPS, which is known for its boxy brown cars. The company won’t be delivering on Christmas Day, so make sure you meet these dates to make sure your gifts get to you by December 23.
- UPS Ground: It depends on where you are.
- December 19 for UPS 3 Day Select.
- UPS Next Day Air: December 20.
- December 21 for UPS Next Day Air.
The cost of shipping depends on the size of the package, where it’s going, and the service you choose. In the 48 states that are connected, UPS Ground service costs as little as $11.76 for a small package and as much as $65 for UPS Next Day Air Early.
Rates for sending a small package to Alaska and Hawaii start at $51.70 for Ground service or $55.70 for 2nd Day Air for locations in metro areas. Rates go up to $66.50 and $83.05 for addresses in remote areas.
DHL
DHL Express can send packages within the United States, but they are best at making door-to-door international deliveries to and from the U.S. The company’s quick express service can send packages to 220 countries and territories. Depending on the location, packages will arrive between 24 and 72 hours after being sent.
Due dates for shipping for big stores
Some customers care more about getting their gifts in time for the holidays than about sending them. This year, stores shouldn’t have any trouble keeping the delivery times they promised for things that are in stock.
Walmart
When you buy something online at Walmart and spend at least $35, shipping is free. Shipping costs $6.99 for orders that are less than that amount. Shipping may be done by UPS or FedEx, depending on the item and where you live. Many items can be shipped in two days.
You can also choose Express Delivery, which lets you get things from a nearby store in as little as an hour. You may not be able to get this service everywhere, and it costs $10 plus $9.95 for delivery. People who are users of Walmart+ may not have to pay some shipping and delivery fees.
There are a lot of things on Walmart.com that come from other sellers. Delivery times may be different depending on whether the items are shipped by Walmart or the other seller.
Target.com
This year, people who buy gifts for the holidays on Target.com should expect their packages to arrive in three to five days. Some items can also be shipped in two days, and if you order something ahead of time, you can choose express delivery for delivery within one working day.
Customers who pay with a Target RedCard or make a buy of at least $35 get free shipping.
The Home Depot
Customers who spend at least $45 can get free regular shipping from The Home Depot. The company’s website says that customers should leave three to five business days for parcel ground delivery on top of the time it takes to process their order. Also, you can send 158,000 things to Alaska and Hawaii for free.
A lot of items can be shipped in just two days. Customers should check their account to see the progress of their order and when it should be delivered. You can also get free curbside or in-store pickup at The Home Depot, but you won’t be able to pick up things on Christmas Day.
Amazon
Amazon seems to be in the best position to make sure packages get delivered on time during the holidays because it has its own fleet of planes and delivery cars. The company offers the following ways to send in the 48 contiguous states:
Usually takes four to five working days.
- Shipping in two days.
- Shipping in one day.
- Shipping the same day.
One-day and same-day shipping may not be available everywhere. One- and two-day shipping times are based on work days, not calendar days. Standard shipping takes three to seven days to get to Alaska and Hawaii. Expedited shipping takes two to five days, and priority shipping only takes one to four days.
A lot of the things that Amazon sells come from outside sellers, and the shipping times for those items may be different. For example, a product might say that it will be delivered in two days, but it might not ship right away. Before you complete your buy, make sure you read the delivery times carefully on the checkout page.
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Shops at Macy’s
Macy’s is giving away free shipping on all orders of $25 or more in the entire U.S. from November 16 to December 21. Platinum and Gold members of Macy’s Star Rewards get free shipping all year, no matter how much they spend.
Sending things by regular mail can take three to six days, but sending things by fast mail can get them to you the next day. When you spend at least $25, express shipping costs $15. For sales less than $25, it costs $25.95.
eBay and Etsy
People and companies like to use Etsy and eBay to sell one-of-a-kind or handcrafted items. There is no standard shipping time because each seller has their own way of packing and mailing orders. However, Etsy does describe prompt shipping as an item being mailed within 30 days of being bought.
If you buy holiday gifts on these sites, make sure you check the seller’s listing for processing and sending times to make sure the package gets to you on time. Keep in mind that some things sold by sellers in other countries may take a long time to arrive, even if they are shipped right away.
Of course, bad weather, natural disasters, or other events could slow deliveries from any store. Before you get too used to the idea of shopping and sending at the last minute this year, keep in mind that earlier is usually better.
