Christmas shipping options for holiday shopping procrastinators

Some retailers offer two-day shipping

SAN ANTONIO – If you haven’t finished your holiday shopping, online retailers are eager to deliver to those who have procrastinated.

If you’ll be doing last-minute internet shopping, pay attention to the delivery dates.

“Many retailers offer two-day delivery for addresses within the U.S., and sometimes it's even free. But this year, with Christmas falling on Monday, you may need to give yourself a little additional time,” said Octavio Blanco, Consumer Reports’ money editor.

Walmart offers free two-day shipping on orders over $35 year-round. The order deadline for Christmas delivery is 2 p.m. on Dec. 20.

Amazon Prime members also get free two-day shipping for eligible merchandise. The order deadline to receive your package by Christmas is Dec. 22.

LL Bean offers free delivery year-round, but you’ll need to have your order in by Dec. 19 to get your purchases on time.

“Some delivery services may have limited delivery on Sunday, Christmas Eve,” Blanco said.

UPS Inc. isn’t planning to make any noncritical deliveries on Dec. 24, FedEx will have limited service on that day and the U.S. Postal Service will deliver as late as Dec. 24.

Another last-minute option would be to order online and pick up your package at a local store. Depending on availability of the product, Walmart will take in-store pickup orders every day, including through Christmas Day. And depending on your ZIP code, you may be able to get same-day delivery from Amazon Prime.


About the Author:

Marilyn Moritz is an award-winning journalist dedicated to digging up information that can make people’s lives a little bit better. As KSAT’S 12 On Your Side Consumer reporter, she focuses on exposing scams and dangerous products and helping people save money.