As a heavy shipper, right now is the busiest time of year for you. And, of course, you are also facing unruly supply chains, making staying on top of carrier deadlines extra critical.
Traditionally, Black Friday is the official kick-off to the busy holiday shopping season. However, many global supply chain analysts recommend that holiday shoppers hoping to purchase gifts that will arrive before the holidays get an earlier start. According to a recently released poll conducted by the Morning Consult, 51% of consumers are following this advice and have already started checking items off their holiday shopping lists.
To reach your fulfillment targets and position your organization for success, be sure to keep the main carrier holiday shipping schedules for FedEx, UPS, and USPS below in mind —and don't forget to keep your customers updated with the reality of logistics this year. A few emails and webpage messaging can go a long way in managing expectations and keeping customers happy.
These dates are the recommended last days to ship for delivery by Dec. 25 through FedEx.
FedEx U.S. to U.S. Shipping |
|
|
Service |
Cut Off Date |
|
FedEx SameDay® |
Friday, December 24 |
|
FO, PO, SO, Extra Hours |
Thursday, December 23 |
|
2Day & 2Day AM |
Wednesday, December 22 |
|
FedEx Express Saver® |
Tuesday, December 21 |
|
FedEx 1Day® Freight |
Thursday, December 23 |
|
FedEx 2Day® Freight |
Wednesday, December 22 |
|
FedEx 3Day® Freight |
Tuesday, December 21 |
|
FedEx Ground® Contiguous US |
Wednesday, December 15 |
|
FedEx Ground® Alaska & Hawaii |
Wednesday, December 15 |
|
FedEx Home Delivery® Contiguous US |
Wednesday, December 15 |
|
FedEx Home Delivery® Alaska & Hawaii |
Wednesday, December 15 |
|
FedEx Ground® Economy |
Thursday, December 9 |
|
FedEx Freight® |
Wednesday, December 15 |
|
FedEx Freight® Economy |
Thursday, December 9 |
|
FedEx Freight® Direct |
Wednesday, December 15 |
FedEx is closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. There is no pickup or delivery service on these days. FedEx Custom Critical® is available.
For more information, including international shipping deadlines, see the FedEx website.
UPS is closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. There is no pickup or delivery service on these days. UPS Express Critical® is available. See the details on the UPS website.
UPS 2021 Holiday Deadlines |
|
| UPS 3 Day Select® | Tuesday, December 21 |
| UPS 2nd Day Air® | Wednesday, December 22 |
| UPS Next Day Air® | Thursday, December 23 |
Check here to view UPS' holiday shipping schedules.
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USPS Holiday Shipping |
|
|
Service |
Cut Off Date |
|
USPS Retail Ground® |
Wednesday, December 15 |
|
First-Class Mail® |
Friday, December 17 |
|
Priority Mail® |
Saturday, December 18 |
|
Priority Mail Express® |
Thursday, December 23 |
|
First-Class Mail® (Alaska) |
Saturday, December 18 |
|
Priority Mail® (Alaska) |
Saturday, December 18 |
|
Priority Mail Express® (Alaska) |
Tuesday, December 21 |
|
USPS Retail Ground® (Alaska) |
Thursday, December 2 |
|
First-Class Mail® (Hawaii) |
Friday, December 17 |
|
Priority Mail® (Hawaii) |
Friday, December 17 |
|
Priority Mail Express® (Hawaii) |
Tuesday, December 21 |
|
USPS Retail Ground® (Hawaii) |
N/A |
|
FedEx Ground® Alaska & Hawaii |
Wednesday, December 15 |
|
FedEx Home Delivery® Contiguous US |
Wednesday, December 15 |
More USPS holiday shipping information can be found here.
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