The holidays are upon us, and a crucial part of your peak season prep is figuring out when you need to get your orders out the door to ensure timely delivery before the 25th. Because let’s face it, nothing ruins the holiday spirit like a late gift.
To help you keep shipping on time during the most wonderful (and busiest) time of the year, we’ve compiled a list of cutoff dates for domestic U.S. shipments based on national carrier and service level.
Here are your 2023 holiday shipping deadlines for USPS, FedEx, and UPS:
USPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines
| USPS Service | 2023 Last Day to Ship |
|---|---|
| USPS Ground Advantage™ | Saturday, December 16 |
| First-Class Mail® | Saturday, December 16 |
| Priority Mail® | Monday, December 18 |
| Priority Mail Express® | Wednesday, December 20 |
| Destination | USPS Ground Advantage™ | First-Class Mail® | Priority Mail® | Priority Mail Express® |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | Saturday, December 16 | Saturday, December 16 | Monday, December 18 | Wednesday, December 20 |
| Hawaii | Saturday, December 16 | Saturday, December 16 | Saturday, December 16 | Wednesday, December 20 |
FedEx Holiday Shipping Deadlines
| FedEx Express® Service | 2023 Last Day to Ship |
|---|---|
| FedEx SameDay | Friday, December 22 |
| FO, PO, SO, Extra Hours | Thursday, December 21 *Friday, Dec. 22 with Saturday delivery |
| 2Day & 2Day AM | Wednesday, December 20 |
| FedEx Express Saver | Tuesday, December 19 |
| FedEx Express 1Day Freight | Thursday, December 21 |
| FedEx Express 1Day Freight | Wednesday, December 20 |
| FedEx Express 1Day Freight | Tuesday, December 19 |
| FedEx Ground® Service | 2023 Last Day to Ship |
|---|---|
| FedEx Ground | Friday, December 15 *Check FedEx’s website for details |
| FedEx Home Delivery | Friday, December 15 *Check FedEx’s website for details |
| FedEx Ground Economy | Wednesday, December 13 |
| FedEx Freight® Service | 2023 Last Day to Ship |
|---|---|
| FedEx Freight® Priority | Friday, December 15 *Check FedEx’s website for details |
| FedEx Freight® Economy | Tuesday, December 12 |
UPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines
| UPS Service | 2023 Last Day to Ship |
|---|---|
| UPS® Ground | Check ups.com/ctc for details |
| UPS® Ground Saver | Check ups.com/ctc for details |
| UPS 3 Day Select® | Tuesday, December 19 |
| UPS 2nd Day Air® | Wednesday, December 20 *Thursday, Dec. 21 with Saturday delivery |
| UPS Next Day Air® | Thursday, December 21 *Friday, Dec. 22 with Saturday delivery |
Need help managing holiday shipping deadlines and customer expectations?
With 85% of online shoppers unlikely to shop with a retailer again after experiencing a late delivery, you can’t afford NOT to prioritize your shipping and delivery experience this holiday season. Here are two pieces of practical advice that’ll keep you out of that percentage:
Communicate these dates with your customers
Your customers want piece of mind that their orders will arrive in time for the holidays, and if that’s not possible, they expect you to let them know upfront. By clearly communicating shipping deadlines, you not only alleviate their concerns about timely delivery but also empower them to make quicker purchasing decisions. This will contribute to a positive online shopping experience that keeps customers coming back year-round.
Factor in your lead times and other fulfillment details
While knowing carrier cutoff dates is important, it’s just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to calculating accurate delivery timelines. It’s equally as important that you also consider other factors such as lead times, blackout dates, time-in-transit, and even product-specific variables that may impact delivery. Fortunately, our comprehensive date and time logic enables you to customize and automatically account for each of these fulfillment details so you can ensure on-time deliveries every time.
Don’t leave your peak season shipping to chance. Get started with a free 15-day trial today and let’s make the 2023 holiday season your best one yet.
