The holidays are approaching and while it’s a period of joy and fun for many, it also brings the usual seasonal shipping and logistics challenges to ecommerce merchants. Online shopping is generally on the uptake, packages are mailed to loved ones, and customers are often anxiously stalking the date of their long-awaited package’s arrival. These weeks leading up to the holidays can be stressful, so it is important to stay informed and strategize.
In the hopes of easing holiday stress, we’ve created a list of holiday shipping deadlines to help all of our merchants and their customers to stay in the know. Included are deadlines from major couriers in the United States, Canada, and the UK. It is crucial to communicate these deadlines to have a successful and stress-free holiday season.
However, the opportunities to engage your customers and make those all important holiday sales doesn’t end when those deadlines pass. Then comes your chance to push more on digital gift products, and help your customers stay on top of gift buying even when they can’t get a physical product. So, we’ve also included some tips for how you can make the most of the holidays even when those last packages leave your warehouse.
Deadlines:
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list and only dates that are yet to pass are included. It is also important to check with your local courier if there is uncertainty surrounding shipping.
United States Parcel Service (UPS):
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U.S. Domestic |
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UPS Ground Shipping |
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UPS 3 Day Select |
Dec. 20 |
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UPS 2nd Day Air Services |
Dec. 21 |
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UPS Next Day Air Services |
Dec. 22 |
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U.S. to Canada |
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UPS Standard Services |
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UPS Worldwide Expedited |
Dec. 19 |
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UPS Worldwide Express Services |
Dec. 22 |
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U.S. to Mexico |
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UPS Standard Services |
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UPS Worldwide Expedited |
Dec. 19 |
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UPS Worldwide Express Services |
Dec. 21 |
United States Postal Service (USPS):
2022 Holiday Shipping Dates for Contiguous U.S. (Lower 48 States) |
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USPS Retail Ground Services |
Dec. 17 |
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First-Class Mail Service |
Dec. 17 |
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Priority Mail Service |
Dec. 19 |
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Priority Mail Express Service |
Dec. 23 |
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2022 Holiday Shipping Dates for Alaska & Hawaii |
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First-Class Mail Service |
Priority Mail Service |
Priority Mail Express Service |
USPS Retail Ground Service |
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Alaska |
Dec. 17 |
Dec. 17 |
Dec. 21 |
Dec. 2 |
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Hawaii |
Dec. 17 |
Dec. 17 |
Dec. 21 |
N/A |
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2022 Holiday Shipping Dates for International Mail |
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Destination |
First-Class Package International Service |
Priority Mail International Service |
Priority Mail Express International Service |
Global Express Guaranteed Service |
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Africa |
Nov. 29 |
Nov. 29 |
Dec. 6 |
Dec. 20 |
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Asia/Pacific Rim |
Dec. 6 |
Dec. 6 |
Dec. 13 |
Dec. 20 |
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Australia/New Zealand |
Dec. 6 |
Dec. 6 |
Dec. 13 |
Dec. 20 |
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Canada |
Dec. 6 |
Dec. 6 |
Dec. 13 |
Dec. 22 |
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Caribbean |
Dec. 6 |
Dec. 6 |
Dec. 13 |
Dec. 21 |
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Central & South America |
Nov. 29 |
Nov. 29 |
Dec. 6 |
Dec. 20 |
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Europe |
Dec. 6 |
Dec. 6 |
Dec. 13 |
Dec. 21 |
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Mexico |
Dec. 6 |
Dec. 6 |
Dec. 13 |
Dec. 22 |
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Middle East |
Dec. 6 |
Dec. 6 |
Dec. 13 |
Dec. 20 |
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2022 Holiday Shipping Deadlines for Military Mail |
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Addressed To |
USPS Retail Ground Service |
First-Class Mail Service |
Priority Mail Service |
Priority Mail Express Military Service (PMEMS) |
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Nov. 5 |
Dec. 9 |
Dec. 9 |
Dec. 16 |
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Nov. 5 |
Dec. 9 |
Dec. 9 |
N/A |
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Nov. 5 |
Dec. 9 |
Dec. 9 |
Dec. 16 |
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Nov. 5 |
Dec. 9 |
Dec. 9 |
Dec. 16 |
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Nov. 5 |
Dec. 9 |
Dec. 9 |
Dec. 16 |
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Federal Express Corporation (FedEx):
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United States to United States: |
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Fedex Express |
Dec. 20 - 23 (Same Day) |
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FedEx Ground |
Dec. 8 (Ground Economy) or Dec. 14 |
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FedEx Freight |
Dec. 8 (Freight Economy) or Dec. 14 |
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International: |
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U.S. to Canada |
Dec. 15 - 23 (Next Flight) |
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U.S. to Canada Ground |
Dec. 12 - 14 |
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U.S. to Mexico |
Dec 20 - 23 (Next Flight) |
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U.S. to Puerto Rico |
Dec. 20 - 23 (Next Flight) |
Royal Mail (UK):
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Royal Mail Bulk Mail Economy |
Dec. 16 |
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2nd Class Mail |
Dec. 19 |
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1st Class Mail |
Dec. 21 |
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Special Delivery Guaranteed |
Dec. 22 |
Deutsche Post:
Due to the ongoing coronavirus situation and other events that are impacting transportation, the deadlines for Deutsche Post vary. Please see here for more information and frequently asked questions.
Canada Post:
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Priority |
Xpresspost |
Expedited Rate or Flat rate box |
Regular Parcel |
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Local Zone |
Dec. 22 |
Dec. 22 |
Dec. 21 |
Dec. 20 |
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Regional Zone |
Dec. 21 |
Dec. 21 |
Dec. 19-21 |
Dec. 16-20 |
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National Zone |
Dec. 21 |
Dec. 21 |
Dec. 13-20 |
Dec. 9-19 |
What to do before shipping deadlines pass
In the time leading up to these dates, there are many things merchants can do to make their customers aware of the approaching deadlines. Regular communication is essential, as it will help to avoid any disappointed customers and therefore reduce pressure on your customer support team from dealing with said customers.
Give customers a heads up on deadlines by adding them to any email campaigns sent in the run-up to the holidays. This can be as simple as a link to your FAQ which details these deadlines, or you can segment your audience based on region to give them the exact deadline that applies to them. This will help to reduce abandoned carts, as well as the number of enquiries to your team about whether or not an order will arrive on time.
Next, add deadlines to any automated customer support tools you may offer. For example if you have an on-site chat bot, add information about deadlines and shipping to their first response, or as an option for the customer to select. If you have an automated response to email or contact form enquiries, make sure the information about deadlines is included within that response.
Finally, clearly display deadlines on your site in a way that customers will immediately notice as they navigate through your site. This can be done using a site banner, or as even on the cart page and during the checkout process. That way, a customer won’t have to go through finding a product, deciding to buy it, and then finding out it won’t even arrive on time.
One thing you can and should do in the days before shipping deadlines is communicate the gift options you have available that are not subject to those deadlines. Oftentimes when these deadlines pass, customers turn to gift cards. So, promoting these sooner rather than later increases awareness ahead of time. Along with gift cards, gift subscriptions can also be a welcome solution to customers looking for an interesting gift that doesn’t require shipping.
What to do after shipping deadlines pass
After shipping deadlines have passed, communication with your customers is still the top priority. Start with letting any potential customers coming to your site know that deadlines have passed by updating your site banner. Here you can also provide a link to your gift cards, so customers have a quick and easy way to purchase them. On your homepage, you can also link to digital gift products, highlighting in text and images that these are gifts customers can buy right up until the day they’re due.
As for email, you can start targeting any abandoned carts from the days around your deadlines as well as any customers who have browsed your gift products. This can be as simple as reminding them of your digital gift products, with links to gift guides as something to pass on to their recipient. This should include not just your gift cards, but also gift subscriptions if you offer them as these can also be delivered at any time.
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The holidays bring with them as many challenges as they do joy for merchants and customers. Knowing shipping deadlines and planning for the days leading up to them and the days after them are crucial to cultivating a smooth holiday experience.