Key holiday shipping deadlines and tips to avoid shipping scams
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Pay attention to shipping cutoff dates if you want your packages to arrive before a specific holiday.
Retail ground and first-class mail should be sent by Dec. 17; for priority mail, ship by Dec. 19; and for priority express, the cut-off is Dec. 23.
Be wary of shipping scams, which are on the rise.
ST. LOUIS (KTVI) – The season of giving is also a season of shipping. Here are some companies’ shipping deadlines you should know to make sure your package is delivered before Christmas, with some according to BlackFriday.com.
Let’s start with the United States Postal Service. Retail ground and first-class mail should be sent by Dec. 17; for priority mail, ship by Dec. 19; and for priority express, the cut-off is Dec. 23.
Over at UPS, Dec. 20 is your deadline for Three-Day Select; for 2nd-Day Air, it’s Dec. 21; and for Next-Day Air, the shipping deadline is Dec. 22. You’ll need to visit the UPS website for an estimate on the cutoff for ground shipping.
At FedEx, there’s a Dec. 14 deadline for ground shipping. Express Saver and Three-Day Freight packages should be mailed by Dec. 20. Two-day and One-day Freight have a Dec. 21 deadline. Last-minute options exist too, but you’ll have to check online.
“It’s really become so run-of-the-mill to get these text messages that, I think, people have almost become a little immune to the understanding of how much risk it really does pose,” said Hank Schless, who works for cybersecurity company Lookout.
Schless says package delivery scams are on the rise. The scammers pose as shipping services, sending fake confirmation text messages trying to get you to click a link and share personal information.
“A big red flag should be if you click on one of these links and it says ‘please log in with your Google account,’ ‘log in with some other account,’ or ‘use your credit card number’ to validate your identity,” he said.
Lookout recommends making a list of what you’ve bought and checking it twice to confirm who’s shipping it.
“The idea of keeping a quick little list of everything you’ve ordered and where you’ve ordered it from is a lot less painful than getting your identity back,” Schless said.
Armed with that advice, here are some shipping deadlines from major retailers. Amazon will provide a delivery estimate at checkout for its standard shipping. Dec. 23 is the one-day delivery deadline for Prime members. Same-day delivery is available on Dec. 24, but only in select areas.
Shoppers return in-person for holidays
At Walmart, Dec. 20 is the deadline for free, standard shipping for non-Walmart+ members. Dec. 22 is the cutoff date for Walmart+ members to get expedited shipping.
FedEx Holiday Shipping Deadlines
See FedEx’s full list of deadlines for the 2022 season.
• Dec. 14: FedEx Ground deadline.
• Dec. 20: FedEx Express Saver, FedEx three-day freight.
• Dec. 21: FedEx two-day, FedEx one-day freight.
• Options exist at the VERY last minute, too
UPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines
See all of UPS’s shipping deadlines for the 2022 holiday season.
• Ground: UPS isn’t providing a cutoff for ground shipping — you’ll need to get an estimate via UPS’s website, and that estimate will vary depending on where you are and where you’re shipping to.
• Dec. 20: UPS 3-Day Select.
• Dec. 21: UPS 2nd Day Air.
• Dec. 22: UPS Next Day Air.
USPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines
See the full list of the U.S. Postal Service’s holiday shipping deadlines for 2022.
• Dec. 17: USPS Retail Ground.
• Dec. 17: First-Class Mail.
• Dec. 19: Priority Mail.
• Dec. 23: Priority Mail Express.
Military Shipping Deadlines for Christmas 2022
• If you need to send a gift to a loved one stationed at a military base, plan to ship much earlier. Shipping deadlines, as provided by USPS (the only carrier authorized to deliver to bases), vary by the base’s ZIP code.
Store Shipping Deadlines 2022
Amazon
• Free/Standard shipping deadline: See delivery estimate at checkout for free economy shipping and free two-day shipping
• Expedited shipping deadline: Dec. 23 for one-day delivery (free for Prime members, no minimum). Dec. 24 for same-day delivery (available in select areas)
American Girl
• Free/Standard shipping deadline: Dec. 12
• Expedited shipping deadline: Dec. 20
Apple Store
• Free/Standard shipping deadline: Shipping deadline varies by item
• Expedited shipping deadline: Shipping deadline varies by item. Expedited shipping fees vary based on weight
Barnes and Noble
• Free/Standard shipping deadline: Dec. 17 by noon EST
• Expedited shipping deadline: Dec. 20 a.m. by 11:59 a.m. ET for expedited
Bass Pro Shops
• Free/Standard shipping deadline: Dec. 14
• Expedited shipping deadline: Check the website
Bath & Body Works
• Free/Standard shipping deadline: Dec. 16 for Standard
• Expedited shipping deadline: Dec. 21 for Expedited
Bed Bath & Beyond
• Free/Standard shipping deadline: Dec. 19. for Standard
• Expedited shipping deadline: Dec. 21 for Expedited; Dec. 22 for Express
Belk
• Free/Standard shipping deadline: Dec. 16
• Expedited shipping deadline: Dec. 21 for overnight (fees apply)
Best Buy
• Free/Standard shipping deadline: Dec. 20 by 10:30 a.m. CST
• Expedited shipping deadline: Dec. 24 by noon local for same-day
Cabela’s
• Free/Standard shipping deadline: Dec. 14
• Expedited shipping deadline: Dec. 21 at 4 p.m. EST for Two-Day; Dec. 23 at 4 p.m. EST for Overnight
Costco
• Free/Standard shipping deadline: See shipping estimate at checkout
• Expedited shipping deadline: See shipping estimate at checkout
Dell
• Free/Standard shipping deadline: Dec. 14 by 2 p.m. CT
• Expedited shipping deadline: Dec. 21 by 2 p.m. CT (next day)
Gap
• Free/Standard shipping deadline: Dec. 15
• Expedited shipping deadline: Dec. 22 by 1 p.m. EST for priority shipping
Harry & David
• Free/Standard shipping deadline: Dec. 18 for standard
• Expedited shipping deadline: Dec. 20 for 3-Day Express; Dec. 21 for 2-Day Express; Dec. 22 for Overnight
Home Depot
• Free/Standard shipping deadline: Dec. 16
• Expedited shipping deadline: Dec. 16
JCPenney
• Free/Standard shipping deadline: Dec. 15
• Expedited shipping deadline: See the website for options
Kohl’s
• Free/Standard shipping deadline: Dec. 19 by 1:00 p.m. CST
• Expedited shipping deadline: Dec. 20 by 1:00 p.m. CST for one-day shipping (fees apply)
L.L.Bean
• Free/Standard shipping deadline: Dec. 18 by midnight ET
• Expedited shipping deadline: Dec. 18 by midnight ET
Lowe’s
• Free/Standard shipping deadline: Dec. 14
• Expedited shipping deadline: Check the website
Macy’s
• Free/Standard shipping deadline: Dec. 21 by 5:00 p.m. EST
• Expedited shipping deadline: Dec. 22 by noon EST for express
Old Navy
• Free/Standard shipping deadline: Dec. 15
• Expedited shipping deadline: Dec. 22 by 1 p.m. EST for priority shipping
Overstock
• Free/Standard shipping deadline: Look for “Delivered by Christmas” icon
• Expedited shipping deadline: Look for “Delivered by Christmas” icon
Pottery Barn
• Free/Standard shipping deadline: Dec. 18 by 10:00 p.m. PST
• Expedited shipping deadline: Dec. 21 by 11:00 p.m. PST for next-day shipping
REI
• Free/Standard shipping deadline: See shipping estimate on the website
• Expedited shipping deadline: See shipping estimate on the website
Sam’s Club
• Free/Standard shipping deadline: Dec. 18 for Ground; Dec. 8 for freight
• Expedited shipping deadline: Dec. 23 or 24 at 12 p.m. local time for same-day ($12 for Club members)
Sephora
• Free/Standard shipping deadline: Dec. 20 by 6:00 a.m. EST
• Expedited shipping deadline: Dec. 21 by 6:00 a.m. for flash two-day
Target
• Free/Standard shipping deadline: Dec. 22
• Expedited shipping deadline: Same-day delivery is available, but slots may be limited on Dec. 24
Walmart
• Free/Standard shipping deadline: Dec. 20 for non-Walmart+ members
• Expedited shipping deadline: Dec. 22 for next-day (Walmart+ members)
PHOTOS: White House unveils holiday decorations
Hanukkah 2022 Shipping Deadlines
The first night of Hanukkah is Dec. 18, which is a Sunday. A few stores have announced Hanukkah shipping deadlines. For those that haven’t announced specific deadlines, please check the retailer’s shipping guarantees to see how long it takes to ship packages.
Kwanzaa 2022 Shipping Deadlines
The celebration of Kwanzaa begins on Dec. 26. Because Dec. 25 is a national holiday (and therefore a day on which all U.S. carriers cease shipping and delivery services), it won’t be possible to receive your packages on that day. Plus, Sunday, Dec. 26 is not a regular shipping day for FedEx, UPS, and USPS. So, for Kwanzaa, we suggest planning for delivery on Dec. 23 at the latest. In other words, use our Christmas deadlines above to ensure on-time Kwanzaa delivery.
In-Store Pickup Options
Over the past few years, stores expanded their in-store pickup options — and the pandemic only accelerated that. Heading into the holiday shopping season, several major retailers have announced that they will be providing shoppers with the option to get orders via curbside pickup, in-store pickup and ship to store.
Avoid Shipping Pitfalls
• Always get tracking numbers for items you buy online, so you can validate any notifications you get about the shipment.
• If you receive a message from a shipping company, and you aren’t expecting a package, do not click the link attached to the message. Check your email for any shipping confirmation you might have forgotten about.
• Inspect the URL of the link in any email or text messages you receive. For example, FedEx explains that fraudsters can use links that are misspelled or slightly altered website addresses that may trick recipients into believing the link is real (fedx.com, fed-ex.com, etc.).
• Download a mobile security application on your device — like Lookout — that will block connections to phishing sites before they can do harm and alert you immediately if you download a malicious app.
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