Mark your calendars! The busiest shopping season is upon us, and shipping deadlines are fast approaching. This year, delight your customers by guaranteeing their holiday gifts arrive on time with the help of these guidelines.
Shipping Delays are Here to Stay
Unlike previous years, 2022 has a few more factors that could affect the ideal shipping deadline. First, there has been a recurring supply chain shortage that threatens to result in substantial inventory shortages. These supply chain shortages tend to cause supplies and inventory to arrive in sporadic groups rather than a steady flow.
These recommended deadlines may change depending on the starting location and delivery destination. Listed below are the deadlines for services from UPS, USPS, and FedEx (the three most common shipping companies) for 2022. It should be noted that shipping deadlines can be unpredictable and may change as we get into the midst of peak shipping season
The recommended shipping deadlines for USPS are:
USPS Retail Ground – Saturday, December 17th
USPS First Class Mail – Saturday, December 17th
USPS Priority Mail – Monday, December 19th
USPS Priority Mail Express – Friday, December 23rd
The recommended shipping deadlines for UPS are:
UPS Ground – Check ups.com/ctc for details
UPS Day Select – Monday, December 19th
UPS 2nd Day Air Services – Wednesday, December 21st
UPS Next Day Air Services – Thursday, December 22nd
The recommended shipping deadlines for FedEx are:
FedEx Ground Economy – Thursday, December 8th
FedEx Ground – Wednesday, December 14th
FedEx Home Delivery – Wednesday, December 14th
FedEx Express Saver – Tuesday, December 20th
FedEx 2-Day Services – Wednesday, December 21st
FedEx Same Day – Friday, December 23rd
In 2022, Christmas (the number one gift-giving holiday) falls on a Sunday. Therefore, this year, Christmas Eve (December 24th) is on a Saturday. The 24th is when most people want to have all the gifts ready and set up under their Christmas tree. If planned correctly, this could work out well because most shippers already deliver on Saturday, and many don’t usually deliver on Sunday. Certain delivery services, such as 2-day or next-day delivery, may charge extra for Sunday delivery. Still, these services tend to cost more compared to standard shipping rates.
There’s also a new problem in 2022: businesses and employees disagreeing on fair working conditions and wages. The US is still dealing with labor shortages as under-employment remains an issue, and companies struggle to find enough employees to fill their roles.
Beware of the Holiday Crunch
Labor shortages mean that delivery services may be understaffed as the holidays approach. As a result, anyone on the clock may have to work all hours to deliver packages to the people who ordered them, leading to mistakes and delays. In addition, many businesses claim their employment rate is at a record low due to the pandemic. This phenomenon is the worst labor shortage to impact the US economy in 75 years.
Delivery companies must maintain optimal staffing levels, and their guaranteed shipping dates may become unpredictable. If you run a store that ships items regularly, give yourself some wiggle room. Create holiday shipping deadlines for your products and display them clearly to customers. Ensure everything gets shipped out ASAP.
How can StoreAutomator help you optimize your shipping and delivery?
Never miss a shipping deadline again. With StoreAutomator, you can manage your sales, fulfillment, order routing, and logistics and sync your inventory in real-time. Our easy-to-use platform allows you to streamline and grow your entire ecommerce operation in a centralized system and integrates with your preferred enterprise tools.
Schedule a demo today to discover how StoreAutomator can grow your sales while saving you time and money.
