Believe it or not, but not all online merchants offer their customers with a holiday shipping schedule. If this statement does not apply to you, skip right to the very last paragraph of this post. If, on the other hand, you do not yet have a shipping schedule posted on your website, you want to put one together and post it a.s.a.p.
Putting together a shipping schedule is easy. Just contact your courier for this information, then add your own order processing and handling time, and put together your own table.
If, for instance, you’re shipping orders via the United States Postal Service, they have their shipping deadlines clearly outlined on their website:
If you’re using other postal services, contact them for details.
If you’re offering free shipping on orders, but it takes longer than your expedited options, let the consumer know the exact date by which their free shipping orders have to be placed.
Here’s, for example, how Overstock.com does it:
Finally, if you have an affiliate program, make sure to let your affiliates know these important shipping cut off dates too. They will appreciate having such information, as it will allow them to plan their own marketing efforts in accordance with it. For example, if orders placed past December 20 have no chance of arriving by Christmas, save your affiliates their advertising money — let them know about it in advance.