Happy “Black Friday,” everybody! We hope that all of our customers had a very safe and happy Thanksgiving filled with family, friends, great food and long naps!
All across the country people are doing some serious shopping, be it from the comfort of their own home or bravely wading through the crowds of their favorite retail destinations. Personally, I’m a “sit -at-home-with-a-hot-chocolate-and-some-fuzzy-slippers” kind of shopper. Other than shopping in pure comfort, there are many other benefits to shopping from home this weekend and throughout the holiday season; my favorites include not having to worry about being squished, staying out of the cold (which is officially upon us in our part of the woods), and (my number one benefit) no wasted gas money! I just click, click, click the items I want and watch for the boxes of fun to arrive.
If you start early enough, just about every retailer has free or extremely discounted shipping options this time of year. The emphasis is on starting early, however; I’m sure I’m not the only person who, in the past, has had to wrap up a couple bits of chocolate and an IOU for the gift that didn’t quite make it on time.
Here at OWC, we’re big believers that knowledge is power, so we’ve set up some tips and shipping estimates and deadlines to help make sure you get your order from us on time. After all, holidays are much better spent enjoying quality time with family and friends, rather than stressing over shipping times.
Tip #1: Aim for the Friday before as your absolute last date for receipt. – Monday 12/24 is a delivery day for most carriers so if for some reason your shipment is delayed, you have an extra day, just in case.
Tip#2: Watch where your package is shipping from and that company’s daily shipping deadlines. For our customers, we’re in Woodstock, IL, so anything shipping from our location is only a day for anywhere in Illinois, a good chunk of Wisconsin and Iowa, and some of Michigan, Indiana and Missouri. Why spend more on faster shipping if you don’t have to? Our daily shipping deadlines vary by carrier and service, so you’ll want to make sure you check our Shipping Options page to make sure you order is in on time.
Tip#3: Watch the weather. Winter is coming and, typically, that means winter storms aren’t too far behind. A good storm can easily ground cargo planes or cause accidents for the trucks on the road, and that can cause delays both big and small. If there’s a storm coming, select a faster method than you technically need, just in case. Cutting your time in half, if possible, will help make sure that if something does go wrong, you still walk away happy.
Tip #4: Ship to yourself as often as possible. Responsible merchants will be confirming credit card information to help prevent credit card fraud to their customers during the holiday season. Shipping to the same address the card-issuing bank has on file for you will ensure speedy processing and fewer delays.
Now for the good stuff! Here are our recommendations for holiday shipping estimates:
U.S. Postal Service:
Only the U.S. Postal Service (and UPS SurePost Saver) can ship to PO Boxes and military APO’s, FPO’s etc.
- Parcel Post – approximately 2-3 weeks (3-6 for HI and AK) – May not make it by the holiday. Not a guaranteed service
- First Class Mail – Up to 2 weeks – Should make it in time for the holiday if ordered by 12/7. Not a guaranteed service
- Priority Mail – Up to 1 Week – Will definitely it in time for the holiday if ordered by 12/14.
- Express Mail – 2-3 Days – Will definitely make it in time for the holiday if ordered by 12/18.
UPS:
- Mail Innovations – Up to 9 Days – Should make it in time for the holiday if ordered by 12/11. Not a guaranteed service.
- SurePost Saver – Up to 8 Days – Should make it in time for the holiday if ordered by 12/12. Not a guaranteed service.
- Ground – Up to 5 Days – Will definitely make it in time for the holiday if ordered by 12/14.
- Two Day – 2 Business Days – Will definitely make it in time for the holiday if ordered by 12/19.
- Standard Overnight – 1 Business Day – Will definitely make it in time for the holiday if ordered by 12/20.
- Priority Overnight – 1 Business Day – Will definitely make it in time for the holiday if ordered by 12/20.
Please note for Priority services the latest possible delivery time is specified by the carriers, varies by region, and is often extended during holiday hours. Please confirm with the carrier what time they consider priority delivery through in your area before counting on this service prior to any specific time.
Fed Ex:
- Ground – Up to 5 Days – Will definitely make it in time for the holiday if ordered by 12/14.
- Two Day – 2 Business Days – Will definitely make it in time for the holiday if ordered by 12/19.
- Standard Overnight – 1 Business Day – Will definitely make it in time for the holiday if ordered by 12/20.
- Priority Overnight – 1 Business Day – Will definitely make it in time for the holiday if ordered by 12/20.
- Saturday Delivery – Will specifically deliver on Saturday – Will definitely make it in time for the holiday if ordered by 12/21.
Please note for Priority services the latest possible delivery time is specified by the carriers, varies by region and is often extended during holiday hours. Please confirm w/ the carrier what time they consider priority delivery through in your area before counting on this service prior to any specific time.
For our international customers, we recommend reviewing the estimated delivery times to your area with your preferred carrier. Since we ship to over 200 countries it is difficult to give average estimates for international shipments via express carriers, so you may wish to check these carriers’ Web sites to confirm shipping times.
The U.S Postal Service does not yet have a good tool for quick lookup. For these services, we have seen their longest delivery times as:
- First Class (or International Mail Service) – Up to 45 days – May not make it by the holiday. Not a guaranteed service.
- Priority Mail – Up to 2 Weeks – Should make it in time for the holiday if ordered by 12/7. Not a guaranteed service.
- Express Mail – Up to 1 Week – Should make it in time for the holiday if ordered by 12/12. Not a guaranteed service.
Please note, all shipments domestically from OWC are shipped with just the packing slip included, which does not include prices for those of you shipping gifts directly to friends and family. International import laws require that all packages shipped internationally include the appropriate customs paperwork, which will include the cost of the items being shipped be adhered to the outside of the package. Any duties, taxes or brokerage/import fees due will be collected at the time of delivery.
Please don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions; we’re always here to help make sure you find exactly what you need and get it when you need it. You can contact our friendly and helpful Sales, Customer Service or Technical Support by phone at (800) 275-4576 or Internationally at (815) 338-8685, or via live chat or email via our Web site.
We wish all the best to you and yours during the holiday season. Happy shopping!
