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The holiday shipping deadlines you need to know about in 2023
By Francisco Bernard
The holiday shipping deadlines you need to know about in 2023
THEY WERE EVENTUALLY ABLE TO GUIDE IT OUT OF THAT BUILDING. WELL, AS YOGI BERRA ONCE FAMOUSLY QUIPPED, IT’S GETTING LATE, EARLY. THAT CERTAINLY APPLIES TO HOLIDAY SHIPPING. WITH CHRISTMAS FALLING ON A MONDAY THIS YEAR. LAST MINUTE DELIVERY OF GIFTS IS GOING TO COST EVEN MORE THAN THOSE IMPORTANT HOLIDAY DEADLINES BEGIN JUST OVER A WEEK FROM NOW. AFTER A FEW YEARS OF THE SHIPPING NETWORK BEING STRAINED BY THE PANDEMIC AND THEN SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES FINALLY, THIS HOLIDAY SEASON IS LOOKING A LOT MORE LIKE THE OLD NORMAL. BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOU WANT TO DRAG YOUR FEET AND GETTING THOSE PACKAGES SHIPPED OUT. I THINK WE’RE THROUGH THE PANDEMIC STRUGGLES, BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN THAT WE DON’T HAVE NEW STRUGGLES. CHRIS AYER IS A VICE PRESIDENT AT SHIP STATION, A COMPANY THAT HELPS E-COMMERCE MERCHANTS SHIP THEIR GOODS AND SAYS THE UNPREDICTABLE NATURE OF A LAST MINUTE HOLIDAY SHIPPING SURGE, ALONG WITH WINTER WEATHER, ARE REASONS ENOUGH TO SEND THOSE GIFTS EARLY, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE NEITHER FEDEX OR UPS GUARAN T THE TIMING OF THEIR GROUND SERVICE, WHICH IS THEIR CHEAPEST OPTION. WHEN WOULD YOU SHIP IT OUT? IF IT WAS YOU, I’D SHIP IT OUT TODAY IF YOU COULD. THE KEY WEEK THIS YEAR BEGINS DECEMBER 10TH, JUST OVER A WEEK AWAY. IT HOLDS SEVERAL BIG SHIPPING DEADLINES. FEDEX GROUND ECONOMY CUTOFF IS WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13TH. AS FOR REGULAR GROUND SERVICE, BOTH FEDEX AND UPS SAY ANYTHING TRAVELING CROSS COUNTRY FROM NEW ENGLAND SHOULD BE SHIPPED OUT THURSDAY TO DECEMBER 14TH OR AT THE LATEST. FRIDAY. THE 15TH TO ARRIVE BEFORE CHRISTMAS. THE POSTAL SERVICE SAYS IT’S BEST TO SHIP PACKAGES OR MAIL CARDS BY SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16TH. AND DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE END OF THE DAY. MOST OF US ARE GOING TO PROBABLY TENDER THAT PACKAGE IN THE EVENINGS, 6 OR 7:00, AFTER WE GET OFF OF WORK. AND THE REALITY IS YOU MAY HAVE EVEN MISSED THE CUT OFF FOR FOR PICKUP FOR THAT DAY ITSELF. IF YOU MISS THOSE DEADLINES, EXPECT TO PAY A LOT MORE FOR AIR SERVICE. SO IT’S NOT JUST THE PRICE OF THE PACKAGE THAT CAN BE SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER, BUT ALSO FEES LIKE YOUR FUEL SURCHARGES OR PEAK SEASON SURCHARGES THAT CAN BE SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER AS WELL. BACK TO OUR CALENDAR. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14TH IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND FOR ANOTHER REASON. IT’S WHAT’S KNOWN AS FREE SHIPPING DAY THIS YEAR. GENERALLY, THE LAST CHANCE TO ORDER SOMETHING ONLINE AND GET IT BY CHRISTMAS EVE WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY FOR EXPEDITED DELIVERY. AND ONE IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT MAILING HOLIDAY CARDS DON’T USE THE BLUE OUTDOOR MAILBOXES. AS YOU MIGHT REMEMBER, THE STORY OF JILLIAN SHEA, WHOSE WEDDING INVITES WENT MISSING THIS YEAR. THIEVES GO AFTER MAIL THAT LOOKS LIKE GREETING CARDS BECAUSE THEY THINK THERE MIGHT BE CASH OR CHECKS INSIDE ED. ALL RIGHT. ERIKA IS CHUCKLING AT ME BECAUSE SHE KNOWS I ALWAYS SAY YOU FEEL STRONGLY, DON’T USE THE BLUE MAILBOXES FOR ANY MAIL ANYTIME. INSTEAD, ED TAKE YOUR CARDS INSIDE THE POST OFFICE AND HAND THEM ACROSS THE COUNTER. THE MAILBOXES JUST ARE NOT SAFE TO USE. IF YOU MISSED ANY OF THESE DEADLINES BY THE WAY, I’LL PUT THE FULL LIST ON OUR WEBSITE, WCVB.COM. AND IF YOU’VE GOT A CONSUMER STORY FOR ME, SEND ME AN EMAIL AT BEN AT WCVB DOT COM. I GET PLENTY OF EMAIL ABOUT THE BLUE MAILBOXES, SO I DON’T KNOW THAT
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The holiday shipping deadlines you need to know about in 2023
By Francisco Bernard
Nobody wants to face the harsh reality of a holiday gift not arriving on time to be placed under the tree this year. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the holiday shipping and mailing deadlines you need to know about, from services like the United States Postal Service to major retailers like Amazon. This guide will help you know when exactly you need to either ship or buy gifts in order for them to arrive on time for Christmas. What is the cutoff date for Christmas delivery?The answer to this question depends on the shipping service that you are using. USPS states on its website that Dec. 16 is the last day to ship with their ground shipping and “First-Class Mail” service to “allow for timely delivery of cards, letters and packages by Dec. 25.” Monday, Dec. 18 - Last day to send via "Priority Mail" serviceWednesday, Dec. 20 - Last day to send via "Priority Mail Express" service International shipping varies. Check USPS’ website for more information.UPS holiday schedule recommendation goes off of delivery on Dec. 23 as there will be no pickup or delivery service on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. If you want to use UPS Ground service to ship your package, you need to check UPS’ website as they don’t have a definitive date for that service. However, UPS revealed these deadlines below for other services. Tuesday, Dec. 19: 3 Day Select package deadlineWednesday, Dec. 20: 2nd Day Air package deadlineThursday, Dec. 21: Next Day Air package deadlineInternational shipping varies. Check UPS’ website for more information.FedEx shipping deadlines for holiday packages in 2023 include the following:FedEx Ground Economy: Wednesday, Dec. 13 deadlineFedEx Ground: Friday, Dec. 15 deadline (this is for five-day shipping)FedEx Home Delivery: Friday, Dec. 15 deadline (this is for five-day shipping)FedEx Freight Economy: Tuesday, Dec. 12 deadlineFedEx Freight Priority: Friday, Dec. 15 deadline (this is for five-day shipping)International shipping varies. Check FedEx’s website for more information.Holiday shopping deadlines from retailersAmazon — What is the last day you can order from Amazon for Christmas? We don’t have official times for 2023 as of right now, but history has shown that Dec. 22 was the final day to shop if you’re a Prime member or buy an item that has two-day shipping associated with it. If you’re pressed for time, Amazon does offer the ability to purchase gift cards on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Barnes & Noble — You should order by Dec. 16 at noon ET for free standard shipping on orders of $40 or more. You can also order by Dec. 18 at 11:59 p.m. ET using express shipping. For last-minute shoppers, store pickup on Dec. 24 by noon local time is also available. Etsy — There’s no set final date for when you should buy something on Etsy for the holidays. That’s because shipping is determined by the individual seller you’re purchasing from. You can find out more information here. Kohl’s — For guaranteed delivery by Christmas Eve, Kohl’s recommends using their two-day or next-day shipping options, as they can’t guarantee a deadline for standard delivery. The last day to place an order at Kohl’s for two-day shipping is Dec. 19 at 2 p.m. ET. The last day to place an order for one-day delivery is Dec. 20 at 2 p.m. ET. You can view more information here. Target — No official deadlines have been released by Target. Since they typically offer three-to-five business day standard shipping, you might want to make sure your item can arrive by Dec. 22 since that’s the last business day before Christmas. They do offer same-day delivery through Shipt if you’re shopping from a Target near you, but Target is typically closed on Christmas Day. Walmart — History has shown that next-da delivery was available on select items over $35, along with two-day shipping, especially if you’re a Walmart+ member. But the retailer hasn’t revealed official deadlines for 2023 as of this writing.1-800-Flowers — Want delivery by Christmas Day? The online shop does same-day Christmas delivery, but only if you order by the listed time in your recipient’s time zone. Monday to Friday SaturdaySundayResidential2:30 p.m.1:00 p.m.11:30 a.m.Business2:00 p.m.1:00 p.m.11:30 a.m.Fruit Bouquets & Shari's Berries1:00 p.m.12:00 p.m.11:30 a.m.So what’s the last day I can mail a package for Christmas?Looking at the deadlines above, Dec. 21 and Dec. 22 are really the stone-cold final days, but that means you will be paying more in shipping services, so it’s best to give yourself plenty of time. If you have a gift ready to ship, do it now, don’t wait. One hack to know about: Free shipping day. That's the day when. generally speaking, you can order something online without expedited delivery in time for Christmas. For 2023, Dec. 14 is "Free Shipping Day."

Nobody wants to face the harsh reality of a holiday gift not arriving on time to be placed under the tree this year. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the holiday shipping and mailing deadlines you need to know about, from services like the United States Postal Service to major retailers like Amazon.

This guide will help you know when exactly you need to either ship or buy gifts in order for them to arrive on time for Christmas.

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What is the cutoff date for Christmas delivery?

The answer to this question depends on the shipping service that you are using.

USPS states on its website that Dec. 16 is the last day to ship with their ground shipping and “First-Class Mail” service to “allow for timely delivery of cards, letters and packages by Dec. 25.”

UPS holiday schedule recommendation goes off of delivery on Dec. 23 as there will be no pickup or delivery service on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. If you want to use UPS Ground service to ship your package, you need to check UPS’ website as they don’t have a definitive date for that service. However, UPS revealed these deadlines below for other services.

  • Tuesday, Dec. 19: 3 Day Select package deadline
  • Wednesday, Dec. 20: 2nd Day Air package deadline
  • Thursday, Dec. 21: Next Day Air package deadline
  • International shipping varies. Check UPS’ website for more information.

FedEx shipping deadlines for holiday packages in 2023 include the following:

  • FedEx Ground Economy: Wednesday, Dec. 13 deadline
  • FedEx Ground: Friday, Dec. 15 deadline (this is for five-day shipping)
  • FedEx Home Delivery: Friday, Dec. 15 deadline (this is for five-day shipping)
  • FedEx Freight Economy: Tuesday, Dec. 12 deadline
  • FedEx Freight Priority: Friday, Dec. 15 deadline (this is for five-day shipping)
  • International shipping varies. Check FedEx’s website for more information.

Holiday shopping deadlines from retailers

Amazon — What is the last day you can order from Amazon for Christmas? We don’t have official times for 2023 as of right now, but history has shown that Dec. 22 was the final day to shop if you’re a Prime member or buy an item that has two-day shipping associated with it. If you’re pressed for time, Amazon does offer the ability to purchase gift cards on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Barnes & Noble — You should order by Dec. 16 at noon ET for free standard shipping on orders of $40 or more. You can also order by Dec. 18 at 11:59 p.m. ET using express shipping. For last-minute shoppers, store pickup on Dec. 24 by noon local time is also available.

Etsy — There’s no set final date for when you should buy something on Etsy for the holidays. That’s because shipping is determined by the individual seller you’re purchasing from. You can find out more information here.

Kohl’s — For guaranteed delivery by Christmas Eve, Kohl’s recommends using their two-day or next-day shipping options, as they can’t guarantee a deadline for standard delivery. The last day to place an order at Kohl’s for two-day shipping is Dec. 19 at 2 p.m. ET. The last day to place an order for one-day delivery is Dec. 20 at 2 p.m. ET. You can view more information here.

Target — No official deadlines have been released by Target. Since they typically offer three-to-five business day standard shipping, you might want to make sure your item can arrive by Dec. 22 since that’s the last business day before Christmas. They do offer same-day delivery through Shipt if you’re shopping from a Target near you, but Target is typically closed on Christmas Day.

Walmart — History has shown that next-da delivery was available on select items over $35, along with two-day shipping, especially if you’re a Walmart+ member. But the retailer hasn’t revealed official deadlines for 2023 as of this writing.

1-800-Flowers — Want delivery by Christmas Day? The online shop does same-day Christmas delivery, but only if you order by the listed time in your recipient’s time zone.

Monday to Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Residential

2:30 p.m.

1:00 p.m.

11:30 a.m.

Business

2:00 p.m.

1:00 p.m.

11:30 a.m.

Fruit Bouquets & Shari's Berries

1:00 p.m.

12:00 p.m.

11:30 a.m.



So what’s the last day I can mail a package for Christmas?

Looking at the deadlines above, Dec. 21 and Dec. 22 are really the stone-cold final days, but that means you will be paying more in shipping services, so it’s best to give yourself plenty of time. If you have a gift ready to ship, do it now, don’t wait.

One hack to know about: Free shipping day. That's the day when. generally speaking, you can order something online without expedited delivery in time for Christmas. For 2023, Dec. 14 is "Free Shipping Day."

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