Retailers adjust Christmas shipping dates

Retailers across the USA are adjusting their order deadlines to ensure deliveries in time for Christmas.

According to Stella Service, a company that measures customer service performance, retailers are either not promoting a deadline or they are changing cut-off dates as the holiday approaches to ensure Christmas arrival or manage customer's expectations.

Target's website originally said December 20 would be the last day to order online for delivery by Christmas, but the date was later removed.

Ralph Lauren meanwhile advertised December 21 as the cut-off date, but Stella Service tracked a change last week to December 19.

Other retailers have finalised their cut-off dates and are guaranteeing speedy delivery. Stella Service says of the retailers it tracks, Nordstrom has the latest date and will accept orders until December 23 for standard shipping on specific merchandise.

Last season bad weather and poor forecasting of online demand prevented millions of packages from making it to shoppers by Christmas Eve.

Stella Service’s vice president of research, Kevon Hills, said retailers are now being cautious in order to prevent disappointed shoppers and protect brand reputation.

According to an Accenture shopping survey timely shipping is now a key concern for consumers with 50 percent worried about receiving Christmas packages on time.