With Most Shipping Deadlines Passed, Here Are Your Options For Holiday Delivery
BOSTON (CBS) – With Christmas just five days away, you are officially almost out of time to send your holiday gifts. All standard ground shipping deadlines have already passed.
For UPS, Tuesday is the deadline for the 3-day select service if you are shipping in the U.S.
If you are using FedEx, Wednesday is the last day for two-day shipping. You can send things Overnight Express or Priority Overnight as late as Thursday.
Thursday is also the deadline for Priority Mail Express with the U.S. Postal Service.
According to online deal finder RetailMeNot, about 70 percent of shoppers still have some last minute purchases planned; and most of those are online.
"If you're relying on traditional shipping methods, whether it's through a carrier or a retailer, it's really risky," said RetailMeNot's Krstin McGrath. "Even if that retailer is promising you'll get that item on time, there could be weather issues. It could be the case that your item is dropped off at a leasing office in your condo or your apartment, and you aren't able to retrieve that item if that office closes early for the holidays. At this point, every day makes a difference."
If you don't want to chance it, many retailers offer same day pickup. You can check out online, drive to the store, and grab your items.
Another thing to remember: there are a lot of digital subscription services that make great gifts with no shipping required.
You could sign a loved one up for meal kit deliveries from Home Chef or Freshly. An Audible subscription is great for the book lover in your life. Master Class offers online classes for everything from arts and music, to community and government.