UPS and USPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines 2022 US
Updated: Dec 12, 2022
Hey, shippers! It’s that time of year again. Big carriers UPS and USPS have released their holiday shipping deadlines for 2022! As an online seller, it’s super important that you know when they are. Knowing your shipping cut-off points helps you prep for an influx of orders, set your ‘order by’ dates, and communicate this with your buyers. This way, you ensure your loyal customers get their packages in time for the holidays. Hooray for customer satisfaction! Here are your UPS and USPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines for 2022.
Please note: The shipping deadlines in this post are US domestic only.
Wait, What Actually are Holiday Shipping Deadlines?
The Holiday shipping deadlines show you the latest dates you can ship a package, so it arrives to your customer in time for the holidays.
Let’s do a little example. Say you want to ship a product to your customer via USPS Priority Mail. You can see from the table below that this year's shipping deadline for USPS Priority Mail is 19th December. So, you would need to ship by 19th December for it to arrive on December 25th. Simple. 😉
Another example for UPS® Ground shipping is the time and cost calculator. This tool allows you to quickly get estimated shipping quotes for UPS® global package delivery services.
Simply provide the origin, destination, and weight of your shipment to compare service details. Then, you can sort your results by time or cost to find the most cost-effective shipping service.
USPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines for US
Service | Shipping Deadline |
USPS Retail Ground™ | Ship by Saturday December 17th |
USPS First Class Mail® | Ship by Saturday December 17th |
USPS Priority Mail® | Ship by Monday December 19th |
USPS Priority Mail Express® | Ship by Thursday December 23rd |
Shipping to/from Hawaii, Alaska, or a Military address? Check out all the USPS deadlines here.
UPS® Holiday Shipping Deadlines for US
Service | Shipping Deadline |
UPS® Ground | Delivery times vary, check ups.com/ctc |
UPS 3 Day Select® | Ship by Tuesday December 20th |
UPS 2nd Day Air® services | Ship by Wednesday, December 21st |
UPS Next Day Air® services | Ship by Thursday, December 22nd |
Check the UPS Holiday Schedule for further Details.
Why It’s Important for Online Sellers to Know Holiday Shipping Deadlines
1. Helps you set a last order by date
Knowing carriers holiday shipping cut-off points helps you set an ‘order by’ date for your customers. This is the last date at which customers can order your products. Setting an order by date ensures you have time to pack and ship orders, and then meet carrier cut-off points.
When should I set my order by date?
When setting your order by date, try to achieve balance. Yes, you want to set dates as late as possible to get more sales. However, you don’t want to give yourself too much to do and miss the carrier's deadline! Consider the cut-off points above and how much inventory you expect to sell. And then, set a realistic order by date.
2. Enables you to plan what shipping options you offer to customers
There’s also the advantage of being able to plan what shipping options you can offer to your customers. If you know your deadlines, you can decide whether you’re able to offer expedited instead of standard shipping.
When you’ve decided what options you’ll offer, you can then tell your customers early. They’ll really appreciate this because it helps them organize their own holiday shopping. Basically, your own organization shows care and consideration towards your buyer.
3. Allows you to communicate order by dates customers so they can get organized
Once you’ve set your order by date, you can communicate it to your customers. Then, they’ll know the last date they can order one of your products and be sure that it’ll arrive on time. Plus, when shipping with UPS, they’ll receive instant tracking information once you’ve shipped their package!
Inform and remind customers of order by dates using email marketing and your socials. And remember to have a permanent point of reference of your order by date for your buyers. Put it on your stores’ homepage, product pages, and pin a post on your social media accounts.
Delays are always a possibility. So let customers know that your order by date could change. Then, if it does, tell them right away. By doing this, you’re covering yourself and managing buyer's expectations. Your customers will love that you're keeping them in the loop.
Want to be super ready for the holiday shipping season? Check out our Top 10 Holiday Shipping Tips for Online Sellers.
Summary - Know Your Deadlines and Enjoy an Organized and Stress-Free Holiday Season
Knowing and staying up to date with carrier deadlines is key to a successful and stress-free holiday shipping season. By using these dates you can set order by dates, plan what shipping you’re going to offer customers, and communicate shipping options clearly to buyers.
Ultimately, this keeps you as organized as possible. It also allows your customers to plan ahead too. They’ll really love your clear communication and clarity. And that’s only going to boost customer satisfaction. 😃
As a commitment to SMBs, UPS does not apply its Peak Season Surcharge to merchants that opened their account on Ship.com
You read that right! As a commitment to sellers on Ship.com, UPS will not apply the recently announced Peak Season Surcharges†. Take advantage of discounts of up to 77% off on UPS® Ground shipments, up to 72% for UPS Next Day Air® and UPS 2nd Day Air® service.
The Same Applies for USPS!
USPS also won't be applying their Peak Season Surcharges! So, you can rest easy knowing you are getting the lowest shipping rates available this holiday season.
Plus, with Ship.com, you can:
Print Discounted Shipping Labels in 3-Clicks.
Schedule a FREE USPS Home pick-up in 2-Clicks.
Ditch time-consuming Post Office trips and save up to 90 minutes per-week. Time is precious in peak season!
Streamline your Holiday shipping and save your purse from surcharges this year…
*Discounts off UPS® Daily Rates. Rates are limited to shipping from the U.S. only. Rates and any applicable discounts are subject to change at any time without notice.
**As a commitment to SMBs, UPS does not apply its Peak Season Surcharge to merchants that opened their account on Ship.com.
† Peak Season Surcharges are not applied only to accounts opened on Ship.com.
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