Strategy and precision around the holidays are as important to ecommerce store owners as lights and ornaments are to the pivotal pine tree. According to a recent study:
- 50% of all small businesses get more than 25% of their annual sales in the holiday season
- 75% of small-to-medium-size retailers say they rely heavily on holiday shoppers
- 73% of SMBs attribute more than 1/4 of their annual sales to peak season
Clearly, the stakes are high when the holidays come knocking, and that can mean the difference between stunning success and falling flat with profits at the end of the year. Considering all that, ecommerce stores need to have their ducks (or, rather, gifts) in a row come peak season. A HUGE part of that is shipping. Do you have reliable shipping carriers? Is your 3PL providing an extensive, secure network of shipping options? Are you aware of holiday shipping deadlines?
That last one is a simple, but major requirement for ecommerce store success this holiday season. Ensure your brand is positioned to make customers happy with all their purchases, even the last-minute ones. Our dedicated 3PL team has compiled due dates for the four major shipping carriers in the US for you right here!
USPS® Holiday Shipping Deadlines in the US
Did you know USPS is the only shipping carrier permitted to touch every mailbox in the US? That reach means an extensive network of shipping options! This is just one of the many reasons the United States Postal Service is relied on by so many. If you’re an ecommerce store, you’ve likely leaned on USPS over the years if you sell lighter-weight products. USPS is best for sending smaller packages (under 20 pounds) with a maximum weight of 70 pounds. (Think ecommerce stores that specialize in clothes, toys, and books for example.) Let’s review the USPS holiday shipping deadlines for 2023 in the US to keep you even more in the know!
***Note – there are different dates for holiday shipping to Hawaii, Alaska, and military bases/outposts.
Holiday Shipping within the Lower 48 (Excludes Alaska and Hawaii)
USPS Ground Advantage™ — Saturday, December 16
First-Class® Mail (including greeting cards) — Saturday, December 16
Priority Mail® — Monday, December 18
Priority Mail Express® — Wednesday, December 20
Alaska Holiday Shipping
USPS Ground Advantage™ — Saturday, December 16
First-Class® Mail — Saturday, December 16
Priority Mail® — Monday, December 18
Priority Mail Express® — Wednesday, December 20
Hawaii Holiday Shipping
USPS Ground Advantage™ — Saturday, December 16
First-Class® Mail — Saturday, December 16
Priority Mail® — Saturday, December 16
Priority Mail Express® — Wednesday, December 20
Air/Army Post Office (APO), Fleet Post Office (FPO), Diplomatic Post Office (DPO)
USPS Ground Advantage™ — Nov. 6
First-Class® Mail — Saturday, December 9
Priority Mail® — Saturday, December 9
Priority Mail Express® Military Service — Friday, December 15*
***PMEMS not available for APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 093
UPS® Holiday Shipping Deadlines in the US
UPS (the United Parcel Service) has a maximum shipping weight of 150 pounds. That’s more than double the USPS threshold, which means if your ecommerce store sells heavier goods (televisions, furniture, washing machines), this is likely a better shipping carrier for you. UPS also offers many unique express shipping services, so if you are a savvy ecommerce store anticipating last-minute peak season purchases, this could be a reliable way to follow through on your by-the-holiday delivery promise. Let’s have a look at different UPS shipping deadlines for the US this season. UPS also offers free tracking so you can monitor a package right to your customer’s door, a peace-of-mind bonus during peak season!
UPS 3 Day Select® – Tuesday, December 19
UPS 2nd Day Air® services – Wednesday, December 20
- OR Thursday, December 21 with Saturday Delivery options
UPS® Ground – Check ups.com/ctc for specifics
UPS® Ground Saver – Check ups.com/ctc for specifics
UPS Next Day Air® Services – Thursday, December 21
- OR Friday, December 22 with Saturday Delivery options
***Note – below you will find the holiday shipping deadlines for shipping out of the US to reach our neighbors to the north and south!
FedEx Holiday Shipping Deadlines in the US
It’s true that cost is an epically important aspect of choosing a shipping service. That being said, if your ecommerce store has needs that go past price because of the specific products you carry, FedEx may be for you. FedEx is known for its speed and specialty, providing many expedited options and specialty temperature control versatility for perishable products like food. FedEx also provides a free tracking option. FedEx’s holiday shipping deadlines for the US are all listed below.
FedEx Ground® Economy – Wednesday, December 13
FedEx Freight® Economy – Tuesday, December, 12
FedEx Express Saver – Tuesday, December 19
2Day & 2Day AM – Wednesday, December 20
FedEx SameDay – Friday, December 22
Be sure to check out the FedEx website for info on a few more specific shipping services like FedEx Home Delivery, FedEx Freight, and international FedEx options, which can be found on their holiday shipping chart as well.
*** Note – FedEx offers a Saturday peak season delivery option with a $16 per package surcharge. Also, be aware that your ecommerce store’s day to ship can be extended by an additional day to 12/22 for FedEx First Overnight and FedEx Priority Overnight, and it can be extended to 12/21 for FedEx 2Day.
DHL Holiday Shipping Deadlines in the US
DHL uses its own domestic network to deliver packages to their ultimate shipping zones; local post offices handle deliveries from there. This shipping carrier is known for speed, value, and service, so in terms of peak season reliability, it is an awesome shipping option. DHL shipping specialists are dedicated to making every part of the holiday shipping process as quick and efficient as possible—offering simple tracking tools, fast online billing, easy claims processing, and worldwide networks to get ecommerce goods where they need to go as quickly as possible.
The unique thing about DHL’s holiday shipping services is that there is no “ship by” deadlines to reach customers by Christmas if you use DHL Express’ Same Day Delivery Service (SDS). This shipping service lets your ecommerce store ship orders 365 days, 24/7, with specific delivery dates quoted by the SDS team. If you use this holiday shipping service you can utilize DHL’s proactive tracking and a notification system to get updates on the progress of your shipments, even on public holidays. Without SDS, pickup and delivery during public holidays are not possible.
***Note – If you want to ensure that your ecommerce store orders arrive in time for your customers’ holiday needs, be sure to schedule your DHL Express deliveries to arrive a day before a public holiday. To ship during Christmas this year, the cut-off for a holiday shipping delivery date is December 24th.
ShipMonk’s Holiday Shipping Advice
Expedited delivery and reliable delivery are a must for ecommerce stores in terms of maximizing customer satisfaction and keeping up with holiday demand. That’s why ShipMonk offers an amazing 2-day shipping option for fast and affordable shipping. It’s also why we developed our Virtual Carrier Network, which is a combination of rate shopping and transportation management that we utilize for all our clients. This shipping carrier-agnostic solution involves all the major shipping carriers in our network. The big benefit is ecommerce stores that work with our 3PL aren’t handcuffed to any one shipping carrier, infusing flexibility and adaptability into your holiday shipping plan while maintaining your costs. At a glance, our general deadlines are noted below, but we work with the specific deadlines for the major shipping carriers listed above as well.
‘Tis the Season to Extend Your Selling Window!
Want to sell more this season? Three words. Affordable. Express. Delivery. ShipMonk clients take advantage of our budget-friendly express carrier options, adding nine additional days of selling with delivery late into December.
Ship Your Goods, Posthaste
December is already in full swing, so we hope that providing these holiday shipping deadlines all in one place has helped you get organized and see the big picture. We wish you a merry and stress-free season. If you have any questions about what our 2-day shipping, Virtual Carrier Network, and other shipping services can do for you, please contact us today. And if you’ve been good and want your ecommerce store to do even better in the new year, gift yourself the opportunity to work with a new 3PL partner this holiday season. It may be the most wonderful time of year, but ShipMonk is dedicated to helping your ecommerce store grow all year round.
