With Christmas undoubtedly the busiest time of the year, and an increasing number of consumers doing their shopping online, it’s easy to overlook some details when it comes to gift-buying.
From misspelling delivery details to forgetting cut-off dates, leading parcel delivery company CouriersPlease (CP) reveals its top tips to ensure your gifts make it under the tree on time.
Jessica Ip, spokesperson for CP, says: “CouriersPlease’s own data found that there’s a growing number of Aussies – 62 per cent to be exact – who will be taking their Christmas shopping online this year[1], and we are expecting record volumes once again.
With millions of items being processed in the weeks leading up to Christmas, now is the busiest time of year for both retailers and the warehousing and delivery industry. Avoid the shopping rush, which can result in mistakes in your order or delivery details, by planning in advance to prevent any delays or lost presents.”
CP reveals its top six tips to ensure your Christmas presents arrive on time:
Try to get your online orders in ASAP. CP data found that, last year, 1 in 5 (20%) shoppers weren’t planning on starting their gift purchasing until December – leaving them open to late Christmas gift arrivals. To guarantee that your gift purchases will be sitting under the Christmas tree come Christmas morning, get your online orders in by mid-November. With more than 3.7 million orders being processed by CP last year around the holiday period, items that may usually take 5-7 business days to deliver can experience delays of up to 1 day.
Be aware of delivery cut-off dates. Retailers and parcel delivery companies have their own cut-off dates to guarantee deliveries before Christmas. CP (and other parcel delivery companies) have separate cut-off dates between metro and regional cities across the country. The cut-off date for domestic CP deliveries in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are between 18-19 December, while in Western Australia it’s 12-13 December. International dates will also differ again. Pay attention to these crucial dates or you may be left empty-handed on the big day!
Don’t be sloppy with delivery details. While it’s a busy time of year for all, low attention to detail is something that could get you in a pickle this Christmas. By misspelling street names or providing the wrong postcode you run the risk of having your item being sent to the wrong address, or cause delays in delivering to your intended recipient.
Take advantage of flexible delivery options. With December a busy social period for most of us, you might not be home to sign off on your gift deliveries if they require a signature on arrival. Consider using the Authority to Leave option with your parcel delivery service, so that your gift can be left in a safe location at the delivery address. If your order is arriving with CP, you have the option to nominate a neighbour up to three houses away in either direction who can accept a delivery on your behalf.
Check local taxes and duties when ordering from overseas retailers. Purchasing from overseas online retailers is sometimes thought to be cheaper, but don’t forget that they are subject to GST when goods under $1000 are purchased by online shoppers (introduced last year). Goods over $1000 will incur other charges and taxes. The near-bargain you thought you may have been getting by purchasing overseas could result in you paying more than you expected on a gift.
6. Be careful when sending your Christmas gifts in recycled packaging. CP encourages customers to reuse parcel wrapping and boxes but be extra attentive to the condition of the packaging. For instance, remove old delivery labels as this may create confusion to the company delivering your item – resulting in delays. It’s also a good idea to include delivery details inside and outside your item, in case the packaging gets damaged en route.
About CouriersPlease
CouriersPlease (CP) is a leading courier and freight service that delivered nearly 18 million parcels in 2018 alone. CP offers a network of pick up and drop off locations comprising more than 3500 lockers in 45 locations and more than 1000 retail outlets to enable consumers and businesses to pick up or post their parcels more securely and out of hours. Visit couriersplease.com.au.
[1] Findings come from a survey commissioned by CP of 1000 Aussies who made at least 3 online purchases in the last 3 months.
