Following our most recent piece of research that we conducted into consumers shopping intentions and parcel delivery expectations as they prepare for Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas, we now know when the last-posting dates for this Christmas are.
Royal Mail has published its annual list of last Christmas posting dates, along with lots of other helpful dates, including international deadlines, as well as helpful advice regarding how to package your items correctly. The all-important dates for you to mark on your calendar are:
Friday 18th December: 2nd Class and 2nd Class Signed For
Monday 21st December: 1st Class and 1st Class Signed For and Royal Mail Tracker 48*
Tuesday 22nd December: Royal Mail Tracker 24*
Wednesday 23rd December: Special Delivery Guaranteed
If you or your business is planning on using Parcel Force to ship items this Christmas, you should also be aware that parcels sent for UK delivery using its ‘two day’ services may be sent up to Tuesday 22nd December, whilst next-day delivery parcels may be sent up until Wednesday 23rd December.
For International posting dates, and with global coronavirus restrictions in place across every continent, it has never been more important to shop early and send early. These global postal dates for your calendar are:
Monday 30th November: BPFO mail to Operational HM Forces
Friday 4th December: Australia and New Zealand
Monday 7th December: BPFO mail to Static HM Forces
Wednesday 9th December: Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Central and South America, Far and Middle East
If you’re concerned about your presents not arriving on time, or potentially getting lost, then Web Tracking Systems (WTS) could be a potential solution. These tracking systems allow employees to check up on deliveries for themselves and know when they are due to arrive and where they are.
Parcel lockers are another great solution which can help to minimise the physical disruption of desk-side deliveries and ensure parcels stay safe if people are off site. In addition to this, security scanners can help to provide extra safety, particularly if there’s an increase in incoming mail volumes, along with deliveries likely to be around the time of the year when there are fewer manual checks taking place, such as around the Christmas holiday period.
Now you know when to post your Christmas parcels, we would like to wish all our customers, partners and readers a happy festive season. We hope all your parcels are delivered to you safely!
* Royal Mail Tracked 24 and Royal Mail Tracked 48 services are not available to purchase at Post Office® branches
