There’s truly nothing worse than impatiently waiting by the door for your parcel to arrive. Except maybe, waiting for your parcel to arrive when you desperately need it by a very important date, e.g. Christmas.
Let’s face it, gift shopping is stressful enough without the existential dread we give ourselves every year by doing said shopping at the last minute.
We’ll be here, stressing over our laptops.
(Supplied)If you’ve done a little (or like us, A LOT) of online shopping this year you’ll likely be painstakingly aware that thanks to COVID the postman is moving a little slower than usual.
We didn’t think it possible, but this essentially means our last-minute Christmas hauls have become even more stressful in 2021.
.png?resize=380%2C285)
And with December 25 less than a month away, there’s never been a better time to get a start on your shopping.
So, to help us all get our gifts on time, we’ve rounded up all the essential postal cutoff dates you really do need to know, PLUS all the best online outlets with the fastest shipping times for those who like to live on the edge and risk it anyway.
Get ready to shop.
(Supplied)Australia Post
It goes without saying, but we (read: Australia Post) are saying it anyway: “Tis the season to be early.” So if you’ve got your gifts, send them ASAP.
The current cut-off dates for Christmas deliveries vary depending what state you’re in:
NSW, Tas, Vic, QLD, ACT, and SA: December 20 for Express Post, December 13 for Parcel Post
WA and NT: December 15 for Express Post, December 8 for Parcel Post
AusPost have also finalised their international Christmas cutoff dates, so if you’re shipping presents to family overseas check the full list here.
Cut-off dates for major locations vary, so make sure you double check. For example, standard parcels to New Zealand can be sent as late as December 3, but if you’re posting something to the UK it needs to be sent by November 26.
If you’re in doubt, AusPost answered all your burning questions here.
The Iconic
The Iconic has notoriously speedy shipping times which make them a godsend at Christmas; however, their cut-off dates are usually different for every state and should be noted.
The online retailer has just recently finalised its Christmas cut-off dates for 2021 and fortunately for us it looks like we have until December 21st to get our orders in.
The Iconic is offering express shipping options and even same-day shipping in many major cities, but with current postal delays there are no guarantees on rush deliveries.
The Christmas cut off dates in major cities around Australia are as follows:
Sydney – December 21 for Express Post, December 17 for Stanard Post
Brisbane – December 21 for Express Post, December 17 for Stanard Post
Melbourne – December 21 for Express Post, December 16 for Stanard Post
Adelaide – December 21 for Express Post, December 17 for Stanard Post
Perth – December 21 for Express Post, December 17 for Stanard Post
Hobart – December 21 for Express Post, December 17 for Stanard Post
Canberra – December 21 for Express Post, December 17 for Stanard Post
You can check out current shipping estimates and cut-off dates for regional areas here to make sure your gifts will arrive on time.
Gifts Australia
With the motto “Delivering happiness” you know you’ve come to the right place for last minute shopping. The dedicated gift site has something for every friend and family member from toddlers to your grandparents.
The site currently has a calculator you can use to estimate your delivery times, but the advice is to order sooner rather than later as this is set to be a busy (and delay-filled) Christmas.
“To ensure your Christmas gifts arrive on time, use the easy Christmas Pre-Order option during checkout and select the preferred delivery dispatch window that best suits your needs. Place your order as soon as possible, and allow plenty of time for your gifts to arrive,” the site reads.
“This Christmas, we are strongly recommending that our customers choose a dispatch week in November to alleviate possible delivery delays with Australia Post. This may mean that your gifts will arrive very early, but this is much better than arriving after Christmas.”
Exact cut-off dates haven’t been confirmed yet, but you can keep an eye on delivery information here.
When shopping channel your inner Cher Horowitz.
(Supplied)Showpo
The prefect option for your fashion-loving friends and family, Showpo currently offers same-day delivery options for those in Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne.
But, be warned, even the promise of same-day delivery can be subject to delays during the holiday season.
You can use the delivery calculator here to get a rough idea of your shipping times, but we recommend getting in early.
Culture Kings
Another stylish staple store specialising in streetwear offering same day delivery (Brisbane only) is Culture Kings.
They also offer express delivery which takes between 1 and 3 days for other areas, though that doesn’t include processing time, which may be longer during the busy holiday period.
You can peep all the fine print here.
Online shopping meet the physical with Click and Collect. So you can catch us walking out of the stores like Blair.
(Supplied)LVLY
More than just beautiful flowers, LVLY are delivering gorgeous gift bundles with same-day delivery across a range of locations.
Same-day delivery is currently available seven days a week in Melbourne, Geelong, Mornington Peninsula, Sydney, Wollongong, Central Coast, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Adelaide.
While they haven’t confirmed exact Christmas cut-off dates yet, LVLY were delivering gifts until Christmas Eve in 2020 so we can hope for the same this year.
Keep an eye on LVLY’s shipping and delivery news here.
Click & Collect
If you’re willing to brave the physical stores and the last-minute chaos that comes with them, but want to skip the browsing both David Jones and Myer, home to every type of gift you could hope to find, offer click and collect options. You can even pick up your purchases the same day if you order before noon!
Order from Aesop before 1pm and you’ll be able to pick them up in store the same day, while at Review you can collect your order at the nearest store within 48 hours. Rebel Sport offers collection within an hour, Best & Less and BCF can have your order ready for collection in two hours, Harris Scarfe can do it in three and Strandbags offer click and collect within four hours.
Other stores offering speedy click and collect options across Australia include Glue Store, Intersport, and Bonds. Some Rivers stores and in Paul Smith Melbourne and Sydney also offer click and collect.
Simply purchase online, choose the store you want to pick up from and pop in to find your package waiting.
