It's the holiday season again, but this year...there's a twist. Due to an ongoing snarl in the global supply chain, many in eCommerce worry their packages won't reach recipients on time.
The cause for concern is a huge backlog at US ports, caused by a shortage of container space and a tight labor market. This while elevated eCommerce activity has slowed courier deliveries and raised shipping rates. How can you ensure your packages arrive on time? Be proactive and know the cutoff date for your courier.
Here's the Easyship holiday shipping cutoff calendar for 2022. It shows you the latest send-date for every major courier service to have your package arrive by Christmas.
How to Deliver On Time For Peak Season
Every business dreams of making huge sales for peak season. Almost 40% of holiday shipping happens in the four weeks leading up to Black Friday.
But in reality, keeping up with all those orders is a lot of work. Half of Christmas shipments (52% ) get shipped between the week of Black Friday and the first two weeks in December. With sales volume and customer tensions high, the key to keeping up is preparation.
Easyship has prepared a shipping checklist to help. This way you can check off key tasks on your way to creating a memorable, timely delivery for every customer – without wondering if you did it right.
Follow these five shipping tips to ensure your eCommerce business enjoys smooth sailing for the holidays:
1. Create and communicate your holiday shipping policy. This helps to avoid confusion around returns, etc. For help, try our free shipping policy generator.
2. Identify your most affordable, expedient couriers. You can use our Rate Calculator to compare holiday courier rates instantly.
3. Purchase key packaging and supplies for fulfillment. You can order shipping boxes online from USPS, UPS, and FedEx.
4. Display a range of affordable shipping in your web store. Customers are more likely to convert if you offer options for shipping, as many customers may want rush delivery for the holidays.
5. Create a smooth post-purchase experience with a transparent eCommerce returns process, plus seamless tracking.
2022 Holiday Delivery Deadlines
When is the last day to mail packages so they arrive by Christmas? For USPS? UPS? FedEx? Does anyone deliver on Christmas Day? We've got your answers.
USPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines in the US
USPS delivers on Christmas Eve but is closed on Christmas Day. All branches are closed with no deliveries will go out on Christmas.
Below are the last dates you can ship with the most popular USPS services to have your package arrive by Christmas.
| Service | Holiday Ship By Date |
|---|---|
| USPS Retail Ground | December 17, 2022 |
| USPS First Class Mail | December 17, 2022 |
| USPS Flat Rate Priority Mail | December 19, 2022 |
| USPS Priority Mail Express | December 23, 2022 |
And here is the full cutoff data calendar for all USPS services.
FedEx Holiday Shipping Deadlines in the US
FedEx delivers on Christmas Eve but not Christmas Day. Here are the 2022 holiday cutoff dates for the most popular FedEx services:
| Service | Holiday Ship By Date |
|---|---|
| FedEx Ground Delivery | December 14, 2022 |
| FedEx Freight Priority | December 14, 2022 |
| FedEx Express Saver | December 20, 2022 | FedEx 2Day Services | December 22, 2022 |
And here is the full cutoff calendar for FedEx 2022 holiday shipping.
UPS Holiday Shipping Deadline in the US
UPS delivers Christmas Eve but not on Christmas. Cutoff dates are below:
| Service | Holiday Ship By Date |
|---|---|
| UPS 3 Day Select | December 20, 2022 |
| UPS 2nd Day Air Service | December 21, 2022 |
| UPS Next Day Air Service | December 22, 2022 |
Refer to the full calendar below if you're planning to ship with any other UPS services.
2022 Domestic and International Holiday Delivery Deadlines
Now that you're aware of all the holiday shipping cutoff dates and the last day to mail packages for Christmas, we've also put together a handy holiday shipping deadlines infographic that shows you what services are available and how to schedule your own shipping cutoff dates for domestic shipments and international orders.
Don't forget these dates as Christmas nears! Download our cutoff calendar and keep it close to ensure your customers have a happy holiday!
Download the Calendar
Provide your email and we'll send you a digital copy so that you can easily refer back to it later.
