The 2022 holiday shipping season is quickly approaching. Read on to discover all you need to know to prepare adequately for this season.
What is Considered the Holiday Shipping Season?
The holiday shipping season, or peak shipping season, is a period within the year, specifically the fourth quarter of the year (Q4 or from October to December) when the volume of orders and shipments spikes. This leads to higher demand for carriers.
It is worth noting that this season emerges as a result of the massive sales that occur during the holiday shopping season (Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and other gift-purchasing days leading into the holiday season).
2022 Holiday Shipping Deadlines for USPS, UPS, and FedEx
Nowadays, consumers bank on last-minute orders and swift delivery. This can be a big challenge for business owners during peak shipping season as these consumers tend to opt for same-day or next-day shipping. Since there is higher demand and insufficient labor, carriers work all day and all night to transport goods from loading points to specified delivery locations on a first come, first served basis. Hence, the longer consumers delay their holiday shopping during this period, the lesser their chances of getting their orders on time.
This is why holiday shipping deadlines come into the picture. These deadlines help business owners to manage the expectations of their customers and prevent the disappointing customer experience that comes with late delivery. Without further ado, here are the 2022 deadlines for popular carriers USPS, UPS, and FedEx.
USPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines
Service: Shipping Cutoff Date
- USPS First Class Mail ® – Saturday, December 17th, 2022
- USPS Retail Ground ™ – Saturday, December 17th, 2022
- USPS Priority Mail ® – Monday, December 19th, 2022
- USPS Priority Mail Express ® – Thursday, December 23rd, 2022
UPS® Holiday Shipping Deadlines
Service: Shipping Cutoff Date
- UPS 3 Day Select ® – Monday, December 19th, 2022
- UPS 2nd Day Air ® Services – Wednesday, December 21st, 2022
- UPS Next Day Air® services – Thursday, December 22nd, 2022
FedEx Holiday Shipping Deadlines
Service – Shipping Cutoff Date
- FedEx Ground ® Economy – Thursday, December 8th,2022
- FedEx Home® Delivery – Wednesday, December 14th, 2022
- FedEx Ground® – Wednesday, December 14th, 2022
- FedEx Express Saver ® – Tuesday, December 20th, 2022
- FedEx 2Day® Services – Wednesday, December 21st, 2022
- FedEx Same Day – Friday, December 23rd, 2022
Common Holiday Shipping Season Challenges
Every holiday shipping season comes with similar challenges yearly, thanks to the pronounced shift in demand and supply.
Below are two major challenges business owners encounter during this season.
Increase in Consumer Activity
During this season, there is an increase in the volume of orders, which can be somewhat overwhelming for many businesses. If you can’t handle these orders properly, there will be delays in handing the goods over to carriers for shipping. And that is bad for business.
Demand and Expectations of Customers
Managing the demand and expectations of customers is arguably the most pressing challenge during the peak shipping season.
These days, consumers prioritize transit time when purchasing products. So, it will come as no surprise if a shorter delivery time is one of your business perks. However, during the holiday shipping season, it becomes more challenging to meet the demands of your customers, especially when they request overnight or same-day shipping. This is because there are insufficient carriers available to handle swift deliveries.
How to Navigate the 2022 Holiday Shipping Season
As a business owner, you can ride the challenges associated with the peak shipping season by taking these simple but effective steps below.
Develop a Solid Shipping Plan
Start your preparation a few months before the holiday shipping season begins in October. This will help you handle the influx of demand adequately. Additionally, come up with a solid shipping plan by referring to valuable data. Ensure you get accurate data on each process involved in shipping. It will help you determine the time required to fulfill an order without any disappointment.
Here is a breakdown of the kind of data you need:
- How long does it take to pack an item?
- How long does it remove the packaging material?
- How long does it take to collect all the items together?
- How long does it take to print shipping labels?
- What is the international quote (Itl quote) or international freight quote (Itl freight quote) of a carrier for international shipping USA (Itl shipping USA) and other countries across the globe?
Taking note of these little details can significantly improve your chances of navigating this season.
Keep a Close Eye on Inventory
Inventory refers to all your goods, items, materials, or merchandise available for sale in the market to help you enjoy profits. To avoid any inventory shortage, make sure that you always have sufficient stock available to meet the pressing needs of your customers.
Ensure Successful Holiday Shipping with GoShip
GoShip aims to help business owners like you experience a hassle-free holiday shipping season by ensuring that the whole shipping process runs quickly and smoothly.