Must-know shipping deadlines for last-minute holiday shopping
A roundup of the last day you can order and get your items before Christmas.
— -- Christmas falls on a Monday this year, which is good news if you’re planning to hit the stores over the weekend. But if you’re planning to buy online or ship, the deadlines are creeping up.
With more than 2 billion packages going out this holiday, your safest and cheapest bet is to take care of business now, ABC News chief business correspondent Rebecca Jarvis said.
Here are Jarvis’ top tips for securing the perfect gifts for everyone on your list at the very last minute.
Order by Dec. 19
If you’re ordering online, many retailers have Dec. 19 as the cut-off date for standard shipping. It’s a good idea to double-check, though, because a few retailers have Dec. 18 as the cut-off, Jarvis said.
If you are sending the gift yourself, today is also an important deadline for the least expensive options to get it there by Christmas.
Shipping deadlines
Monday, Dec. 18: UPS three-day select
Tuesday, Dec. 19: FedEx Express Saver and USPS first class (this includes greeting cards)
Wednesday, Dec. 20: FedEx two-day, UPS 2nd Day Air, USPS Priority Mail
Thursday, Dec. 21: FedEx Overnight, UPS Next Day Air
Friday, Dec. 22: USPS Priority Mail Express
Monday, Dec. 25: FedEx Same Day
U.S. Postal Service is the best bet for cheapest price
Consumer Reports analyzed USPS, FedEx and UPS delivery services and prices for deliveries between 30 pairs of cities and found that if cost is your main concern, the postal service is often the way to go. If you’re really leaving things to the last minute and you need a service that delivers on Christmas day, your best bet is the U.S. Postal Service.
The USPS’ priority mail express money-back guaranteed delivery service operates 365 days a year, including Christmas day in many markets, Jarvis explained. There’s a $12.50 surcharge for this.
You have until Friday, Dec. 22, for Priority Mail Express to deliver by Christmas Day, Dec. 25, Jarvis said.
Best option overall for last-minute shoppers
If you are late in the game, Jarvis said, Amazon is your other best option, besides heading to the stores.
Dec. 22 is the cutoff for two-day shipping, which is free for Amazon Prime members.
Dec. 23 is the cutoff for one-day shipping, which is available for some cities but is free for Prime members.
Dec. 24 is the cutoff for same-day delivery and two-hour delivery.
Consumer website BestBlackFriday.com rounded up a list of the last day you can order from many popular online retailers in order to ensure that your purchase is delivered by Christmas.
This roundup is also useful for planning purposes, but be sure to double-check the delivery details of your order before making a purchase. A full list of deadlines can be found on Best Black Friday's website.