Top 5 Holiday Shipping Tips You Need to Know
It may be the season of giving, but late or missing packages can put a damper on the holiday spirit. Whether you’re planning to ship gifts to friends and loved ones or are searching for the perfect online presents, taking steps to ensure smooth delivery can help keep holiday cheer high and stress low.
Here are some tips for hassle-free gift delivery during the holiday season.
1. Rent a mailbox at The UPS Store
Browsing virtual shelves can be an efficient alternative to facing the holiday shopping rush inside busy malls. However, online delivery can sometimes come with challenges, such as making sure you’re home for the courier’s first delivery attempt to avoid redirects and the unfortunate security concerns about leaving a package exposed on your front porch or in your building’s lobby. That’s where mailbox rentals at The UPS Store can help.
If you’re having items shipped to you this holiday season, a mailbox rental allows our employees at The UPS Store to sign for you and keep your package safe, and we can do so for all couriers, not just UPS. All that’s left for you to do is pick it up when it’s convenient for you .Some stores even provide email/text notifications about your deliveries, so please check with the team at a location near you.
An added benefit of a mailbox rental is that it provides you with a real street address, so entering delivery details when ordering online can feel much more safer than inputting the number of a P.O. box (which most couriers don’t deliver to) or using your home address.
We also know how unpredictable the weather can be—a slushy, wet winter combined with cardboard boxes is not ideal. Instead of risking your deliveries to the elements, renting a mailbox can provide peace of mind, ensuring the contents remain safe and dry.
2. Keep an eye out for important shipping dates
Many of us are familiar with that anxious, “stomach-dropping” feeling when we find out a package won’t be delivered on time before an important event or occasion—it often feels even worse during the holidays. Don’t let it happen to you this year! Shipping early, especially if your recipient lives far away, is key.
Click here for The UPS Store’s holiday shipping dates for 2024.
Here are some important dates to mark on your calendar:
- December 16th – Last day to ship by Ground for delivery to the US & Extended Areas.
- December 16th – Last day to ship by Ground for delivery across Canada (domestic).
- December 20th – Last day to ship by Air for International delivery.
- December 23rd – Last day to ship by Air for delivery across Canada and the US.
When you ship early, you can also have more options that align with your timeline and budget. Find out our shipping options here.
3. Be mindful of hazardous items
Before choosing a gift to send nationally or internationally, it is important to consider if it would be deemed hazardous. Perfume or cologne, for example, can make excellent holiday gifts but are deemed hazardous because of its flammable properties.
You can find the hazardous materials The UPS Store will not ship here, but some common items that could be part of your holiday gifts include:
- Oil-based paint
- Items in aerosol containers
- Spray paint
- Cleaning solutions
- Alcohol-based hand sanitizer
- Dry ice
Batteries are another item that may cause issues in shipping. While dry cell batteries (e.g., AA, AAA, D, etc.) are not classified as hazardous, steps should be taken keep your packages safe and to prevent the batteries from short-circuiting or leaking.
Find out more battery-shipping tips here.
4. Consider regulations when shipping internationally
Sending a holiday gift to someone who lives internationally can be a wonderful way to share in the holiday joy, even from thousands of miles away. However, there is a monetary limit to how much you can spend on a gift for customs to still consider it a gift, and to avoid paying taxes/duties. This is called a gift allowance, and different countries have varying regulations around it.
For example, gifts worth up to $100 may be sent, free of duty and tax, to friends and relatives in the United States, as long as the same person does not receive more than $100 worth of gifts in a single day. There are also steps you need to take if you send more than one gift in the same package, such as specifying the recipients’ names for each gift, a description of each gift, and the total value of the gifts.
Find out more about gift allowance regulations here.
Speaking of shipping internationally, if you plan on sending delicious Canadian goodies to friends or loved ones in the U.S. and abroad, there are also some regulations to follow. For instance, when filling out a customs form, you must indicate that the package is a gift and that there’s food inside. You could also be required to include an ingredient list. Learn more here.
5. Leave the packing to the pros
While gift-giving is the fun part, packing requires time and attention that you may not have at your disposal during the busy holiday season. Also, no one wants that nagging feeling that you might not have packed a gift correctly for safe travel! Our team at The UPS Store understands this and is here to help. We’re called the Certified Packing Experts for a reason!
Full-service packing is an option that allows you to bring the item(s) you want to ship to our store and have our team handle the rest. We’ll choose the correct packing materials and shipping containers (e.g., boxes, mailers, etc.) for your item(s). We can also help with customs documentation if needed.
Holiday shipping with The UPS Store
We can’t wait to be part of your holiday gift-giving plans! If you’re looking for additional peace of mind this holiday season, we offer a Pack & Ship Guarantee. When you leave the packaging up to our staff and ship with The UPS Store, you can opt-in for protection against loss and damage.
Check out our holiday hub for more tips, including holiday printing options for holiday greeting cards to include with your gifts, and let’s celebrate the holiday season with safe, quality shipping.