Topline
As holiday shoppers have been advised to start buying gifts early to combat shipping delays and the supply chain crisis, major U.S. shipping services like the United States Postal Service (USPS), FedEx and the United Parcel Service (UPS) announced their holiday shipping deadlines — here’s when you need to get your gifts out.
U.S. Postal Service customers wait in line to mail Christmas presents at a U.S. Post Office December … [+]
Key Facts
To arrive by December 25, the United States Postal Service said packages need to be shipped by Dec. 15 for ground service, Dec. 17 for first-class mail service, Dec. 18 for priority mail service and Dec. 23 for priority mail express service, for the contiguous 48 states — the same as last year, despite expected shipping delays.
Fedex set a deadline of Dec. 9 for domestic ground economy shipping and Dec. 15 for domestic ground shipping, and packages can be shipped through different express services between Dec. 21 and 24 to arrive on Dec. 25.
For delivery by Dec. 24, packages can be shipped through UPS through select express services between Dec. 21 and Dec. 23, and though there is no specific deadline, ground arrival dates can be determined through the company’s shipping calculator.
Big Number
$207 billion. That’s how much money is expected to be spent on online holiday shopping between November and December, the largest-ever amount and a 10% increase from last year, according to the Adobe Holiday Spending Forecast.
What To Watch For
Shipping delays. Supply chain issues, new USPS protocol and increased online shopping because of the pandemic have already created some slowdowns which are “destined to get worse as the holiday volume kicks in,” according to the forecast report. The USPS implemented service changes last month as part of a cost-cutting initiative that could slow down 30% of all first class mail. Products that were formerly transported by planes are instead being moved by trucks, specifically affecting mail and packages that are traveling further distances.
Key Background
Shoppers have been widely advised to start their shopping early this year to combat supply chain issues. Last month, a Morning Consult poll found that half of respondents had already started their holiday shopping. More than 50% of respondents found that items they wanted were out of stock in store and online, and almost half reported that the item they wanted was backordered online. President Biden addressed the supply chain crisis at the G20 summit Sunday and announced new actions to combat it, including signing an executive order that streamlines the county’s stockpiling efforts and funding two initiatives that will cut down on red tape surrounding customs and other clearance procedures.
Further Reading
Your USPS Mail Might Be Slower Starting Today — Here’s What To Know (Forbes)
Holiday Shoppers Already Feeling Effects Of Supply Chain Issues, Poll Finds (Forbes)
At G20 Summit, Biden Announces Actions And Priorities To Combat Supply Chain Crisis (Forbes)
