Retailers' final Christmas order dates: tell me why we don't like Christmas Mondays!

Nov. 21, 2023 - PRLog -- Britain's favourite retailers have revealed their final Christmas online order dates. With Christmas falling on a Monday this year, there could be some nasty surprises for last-minute shoppers, warns the home delivery specialist ParcelHero.

As yet, no store delivers on Christmas Day and many retailers don't deliver on a Sunday. That means Saturday, 23 December is the last possible delivery date for many stores, forcing retailers to pull back their last order deadlines this Christmas.

With Christmas delivery confusion likely, ParcelHero has just relaunched its ever-popular retailers' Christmas deadline tool. It lists fifty of the UK's favourite stores' final online ordering dates for Christmas.

ParcelHero's Head of Consumer Research, David Jinks M.I.L.T., says: 'A Monday Christmas is the nightmare before Christmas Eve for retailers. With the earlier Saturday deadline for deliveries and a three-day gap for retailers whose standard delivery option is working days only, pressure will be mounting. Stores such as printer and laptop specialists HP and Waterstones bookshop don't offer Saturday deliveries. That means they have had to move their final Christmas ordering date back to Tuesday, 19 December to allow sufficient time for a Friday delivery.

'It's not just standard-price orders that are impacted. Several retailers' final deadline options for their fastest express deliveries are also looking cautious. Last year, for example, Superdry and The White Company offered Christmas orders right up to 23 December, but they are advising that this year's last possible order date is 21 December.

'Such precaution makes a lot of sense, as there could be some Christmas delivery disruption this year. Some Amazon warehouse staff are likely to be on strike around Black Friday and Christmas time. Iceland supermarket workers at a major distribution centre are also planning strikes over the Christmas period, according to the union Unite. And there could be a shock looming for chocolate lovers. The GMB union says Ferrero Rocher production is also expected to be impacted by strike action, potentially spoiling Christmas for partygoers and ambassadors alike.

'Additionally, some delivery organisations and distribution centres are struggling with a lack of seasonal staff because the pool of available workers has sunk considerably post-Brexit. For all these reasons, we strongly advise shoppers not to place their trust in retailers' final order deadlines, as deliveries and supply chains could be under strain.

'Given the current strain on delivery services, we won't be surprised if many retailers move their final order dates even earlier as Christmas nears. That's why our continually updated Christmas deadlines tool is so useful for keeping shoppers in the know. To check the easy-to-use retailers' final order and final mailing dates tool, see: www.parcelhero.com/events/christmas-gifts-delivery