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Early final Christmas order dates ‘will shock last-minute shoppers'

30th November 2017

Photograph of Early final Christmas order dates ‘will shock last-minute shoppers'

Many stores' Christmas final online order dates will be earlier than last year, warns the e-commerce delivery expert ParcelHero. Its retailers' Christmas deadline tool reveals the stores likely to catch last-minute shoppers off guard.

The parcel price comparison specialist ParcelHero is warning that the trend for later and later Christmas final order dates will be reversed this year. ‘Last minute online shoppers are going to get a bit of a shock,' predicts ParcelHero's Head of Consumer Research, David Jinks MILT. ‘We've all got used putting off Christmas shopping ever later. But Christmas Eve is on a Sunday this year - and that spells trouble.'

Many stores' fastest available delivery slot is still only the next working day, such as Urban Outfitters and Dell. That means the final date to buy an item online and have it delivered is Thursday 21st December. For shoppers holding their head in the sand until the last possible moment, that could be a nasty shock. And some stores' final order deadline is even earlier, with Harvey Nichols and Liberty saying their final date is Wednesday 20th!

Says David: ‘That's why ParcelHero’s now traditional Christmas shipping online tool is now live again, and could well save last-minute shoppers from Christmas disaster.’

But for determined Christmas shopping procrastinators there is some good news. Explains David: ‘Amazon and Argos are once more battling it out to offer the last possible shopping date and time. Argos is currently saying it can deliver orders taken at 1pm Christmas Eve before Christmas Day; and this year Curry’s/PC World has joined the last-minute race with a 1pm Christmas Eve deadline as well. But the winner looks like being Amazon, which is taking Christmas Eve deliveries right until 9.45pm for those living in some Amazon Prime Now service areas. At this rate we could see the first Christmas Day deliveries this year!’

Concludes David: ‘Last minute shoppers - and there’s no getting round it, our research shows they are usually men - will have to face up to the realities of Christmas a little earlier this year. Or be prepared to shell out on pricey same day and one-hour weekend deliveries from those limited number of retailers who have woken up to the demand.’

For a continuously updated list of retailers’ final order deadlines, and final mailing dates for the UK and overseas for all the major delivery companies, see: https://www.parcelhero.com/events/christmas-gifts-delivery

Last order dates for some stores from Parcel Hero but if you live in the far north of Scotland you perhaps better leave an extra day or two.

Amazon 24th

Argos 24th

ASOS 23rd

Boden 22nd

Body Shop 21st

Ann Summers 21st

Currys 24th

Debenhams 22nd

Dell 21st

Evans Cycles 18th

George (Asda) 22nd

Harrods 22nd

Harvey Nichols 20th

Jigsaw 21st

John Lewis 22nd

Karen Millen 22nd

Liberty 20th

M&S 22nd (not food)

Net a Porter 24th

New Look 21st

Next 22nd

Paul Smith 20th

PC World 24th

The White Company 22nd

Urban Outfitters 21st

Warehouse 22nd

These dates were verified on 29 November 2017. As we confirm other retailers' deadlines we will update our tool so check back on https://www.parcelhero.com/events/christmas-gifts-delivery for the latest information.

Royal Mail Latest Recommended Posting Dates

Wednesday 20 December 2nd Class Royal Mail Signed For 2nd Class

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Thursday 21 December Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed

Friday 22 December Royal Mail Special Delivery SaturdayGuaranteed