IanThe holiday season is a hectic period for a lot of businesses. With the advent of online shopping, it can be a mad part of the year with people logging on to their computers every minute and closing in on deals very close to Christmas. So, online retailers and shipping carriers like UPS and FedEx face humungous volumes in the December season. Retailers offer special delivery options for those shoppers who are willing to pay extra shipping fees. For those extreme cases, some shipping carriers offer Same Day Air delivery, meaning you can have gifts delivered on Christmas Day.
Now, all this sounds great. The holiday season is made extra happy with all the retail therapy, gifts and shopping. But grinch comes in the form of missed UPS / FedEx deliveries. It’s wonderful for the customer to get a great deal on that laptop he has been vying for six months. And it’s doubly wonderful to get it on Christmas Day. Or just before that. But to find that a botched FedEx / UPS delivery has ruined his Christmas by a late delivery is bad news for the retailer, for the shipping carrier and for the customer.
The fiasco last year
During the last Christmas and New Year Season, UPS and FedEx suffered massive backlash because of their failed deliveries. They missed shipments due to be delivered in the holiday season. Their peak season operations did not go according to their plans and they failed miserably. Failing any shipment deadline is different. But the massive holiday bulk hit them hard. Their complaint boxes were full; they faced irate customers in the customer care phone lines and worst of all. Their social media presence was targeted. Their Facebook walls were filled with angry remarks. There were cases where passports went missing en route. People blamed UPS and FedEx for ruining their Christmas. The backlash spread to online retailers as well. It was a case of wrong promises. People rightfully asked the shipping carriers why they promised to take it up when they couldn’t deliver their promises.
FedEx and UPS offered official apologies to those who missed shipments on time. They quoted the bad weather was responsible for a lot of mishaps. They hadn’t anticipated the volumes; it surpassed their forecasts and the shipping carriers were left without capacity to handle the season.
The amendments made this year
So, this year, shipping carriers and online retailers are a lot more cautious. Their plans for the holiday season include a lot of buffer resources. The US Postal Service will provide First-Class mail until the 20th of December. The cutoff date for Priority Mail is the 21st of December and the final cutoff for Priority Mail Express is the 23rd of December. For the first time in 2014, FedEx promises to provide a variety of shipping services leading up to and even on Christmas Day. While their normal option or Fed Ex Home Delivery and Ground winds up services by the 17th of December, FedEx Express Saver shipping extends to two days later. Fed Ex 2Day A.M. and FedEx 2Day shipments must be booked by the 21st of December. The 23rd of December is the final day for FedEx First Overnight, FedEx Priority Overnight, and FedEx Standard Overnight shipping. And, on the 25th of December, FedEx will provide SameDay shipping services. UPS has a similar scheme to handle the season traffic. Christmas delivery cutoff days fall between the 20th and 24th of December. General pickup and delivery service will run through the 21st of December. UPS Priority Mail Express service and UPS Next Day Air extends up to the 23rd of December. On Christmas Eve, deliveries will be made, but UPS Ground, UPS Standard or 3 Day Select will not be picked up until Thursday, Dec. 26. There is no service from UPS on Christmas Day.
