As the Covid-19 pandemic moves holiday shopping to the couch and overwhelms capacity limits for shippers, retailers are moving online order deadlines much earlier than in years past.
GETTY CREATIVEChristmas may still be two weeks away, but you only have a few more days to put in online orders if you want your gifts delivered on time.
The Covid-19 pandemic has created a boom in online orders that has overwhelmed capacity limits for shippers like UPS, FedEx and the U.S. Postal Service. Three billion packages are expected to ship between Thanksgiving and Christmas, up almost 40% from last year, according to delivery analytics firm ShipMatrix. Of those, 2.5 million are expected to be delayed.
In response, retailers have moved up their deadlines to receive orders by Christmas Eve earlier than in years past, including:
- JCPenney: Moved its deadline up by five days to December 14.
- Everlane: Order by December 14, more than a week earlier than last year.
- Dick’s Sporting Goods: Orders must be placed by December 15, five days earlier than last year.
- Home Depot: The deadline is December 16, four days earlier than last year.
- Sephora: Orders must be placed by December 17.
- Nordstrom: Deadline of December 19, three days earlier than last year.
- Gap and Neiman Marcus: Must place orders by December 20.
- Allbirds: Deadline of December 23.
For last-minute shoppers who miss the deadline, a trip to the mall may be in order. Some retailers are offering incentives to shoppers who agree to come pick up an online order themselves. Nordstrom is offering free gift wrapping for in-store and curbside pickup, plus “various surprises” while supplies last, according to a spokesperson. Neiman Marcus is tapping Santa Claus to deliver gifts to cars every Saturday. Gap is giving shoppers a chance to win a $500 gift card if they pick up an online order at a UPS store. JCPenney is offering a 10% discount on select items for in-store and curbside pickup.
The other option is checking to see if the retailer offers same-day delivery, for an extra fee. Big chains like Walmart, Macy’s, Bed Bath & Beyond, Best Buy and Michael’s have partnered with a string of delivery startups like Instacart, DoorDash and Roadie that use gig workers to rush orders from local stores.
Many of the nation’s largest retailers have transformed their brick-and-mortar stores into mini distribution hubs this year. For instance, Target doubled the number of employees packing online orders and added more than 8,000 drive-up spots for customers to pick up orders. Its same-day services—which include in-store pickup, curbside pickup and same-day delivery through Shipt—have grown more than 200% this year. Gap has also made it easier for customers to come grab online orders, and seen a 50% increase in in-store and curbside pick-up orders.
Between stay-at-home orders and safety concerns that many harbor about venturing to stores this year, a last-minute online shopping rush is likely unavoidable—so don’t delay in getting those orders in.
The Link LonkDecember 12, 2020 at 11:00PM
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Haven’t Yet Ordered Your Holiday Gifts? Time Is Running Out. - Forbes
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