What are shipping deadlines?

Shipping deadlines are released by carriers as a safeguard because of the high shipping volumes during the holiday season. While you may have to ship packages a bit sooner than usual, it’s worth the extra effort to ensure gifts and orders arrive on time. Your customers will appreciate having these dates ahead of time, boosting customer satisfaction throughout the season.

GlobalPost International Shipping Deadlines

Tips for international shipping 

Whether your business has decided to ship internationally for the first time this season or has been for 20 years, it’s worth giving yourself a refresher on packaging international shipments. Higher shipping volumes can lead to packages being in transit longer than usual, and it’s easy to make mistakes with an influx of orders. When shipping internationally, remember to: 

• Accurately complete all customs paperwork
• Confirm addresses with customers before shipping
• Package shipments for both hot and cold temperatures
• Carefully wrap fragile items and include orientation arrows for proper handling 

International shipping restrictions 

Additionally, it’s worth brushing up on international shipping restrictions to avoid any penalties,  returned shipments, or even confiscated packages. Shipment restrictions can vary depending on the destination country, which carrier network is being used, and the import/export regulations in transit. Some items that can’t be shipped internationally through GlobalPost are: 

• Aerosols 
• Dry ice 
• Hemp-based products (including CBD) 
• Lithium batteries 
• Nail polish 
• Perfumes (containing alcohol) 
• Perishable items 

More information about international shipping restrictions can be found on our website. 

The holiday season doesn’t have to be stressful, and neither does international shipping. GlobalPost is working to simplify international shipping for businesses of all sizes. Let us handle the hard parts of international shipping like finding HS Codes, so you can put the focus back on your business. Ship around the globe this holiday season with the help of GlobalPost!

The post 2025 Holiday Shipping Deadlines appeared first on GlobalPost.

What is GlobalPost?

GlobalPost is an international shipping service that enables businesses to ship international parcels quickly and affordably through our partnerships with global postal carriers and commercial carriers.

• Free HS tariff code fulfillment service for up to five free daily HS code lookups
• No printed customs forms
• Door-to-door tracking with GlobalPost Standard International
• Up to 30% off shipping costs with SmartSaver
• Free phone and email support

For more information about GlobalPost, visit us at the following events:

• RICE: June 13-15, 2023 in Chicago, IL
• Parcel Forum: September 11-13, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee
• EDGE Supply Chain Conference: October 1-4 in Kissimmee, FL

What are international holidays?

International holidays will include federal holidays where mail may not be delivered and major holidays creating an influx in orders. These dates range from national holidays to recognized shopping holidays.

New Year’s Day – January 1, 2023 (Multiple countries)

Many countries around the world mark January 1 as the beginning of a new year. New Year’s Day may be considered a federal holiday, meaning carriers won’t deliver packages and other institutions will be closed. If New Year’s Day falls on a weekend, carriers and companies usually observe the following Monday as a holiday.

Lunar New Year – Date varies, second New Moon after December 21 (Asia)

Several Asian countries celebrate the Lunar New Year, which is a 15-day celebration to welcome springtime and the beginning of the lunar calendar.

Australia Day – January 26 (Australia)

Australia Day marks the day on which British ships, or the First Fleet, landed in Australia in 1788. If Australia Day falls on a weekend, it’s recognized on the Monday after, similar to New Year’s Day and other federally-recognized holidays.

Valentine’s Day – February 14 (Multiple countries)

Valentine’s Day was established as a romantic holiday for those in relationships. Over the years, Valentine’s Day has shifted to a day of love, be it platonic or romantic.

Family Day – Third Monday in February (Canada)

Family Day is a Canadian national holiday where residents are encouraged to spend time with their loved ones, be they given or chosen.

Click Frenzy – Dates vary (Australia)

Like Cyber Monday, Australia’s Click Frenzy is a 2-3 event where customers expect discounts and deals across online retailers. Click Frenzy days are clustered throughout the year and last for around 53 hours at a time.

Easter holidays – Dates vary, the Friday before Easter thru the Monday after Easter (Multiple countries)

Good Friday falls on the Friday before Easter and marks the beginning of Easter weekend. Easter egg hunts and family gatherings are common during this timeframe.

 Mother’s Day – Date varies, the second Sunday in May (Multiple countries)

Mother’s Day is an appreciation day for mothers, so customers will be on the lookout for potential presents.

Father’s Day  – Date varies, the third Sunday in June (Multiple countries)

Father’s Day is an appreciation day for fathers, so it’s a good time to promote gift ideas and offer your customers discounts.

Canada Day – July 1 (Canada)

Canada Day is another Canadian national holiday and marks the combination of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Providence of Canada into a single entity.

The End of the Financial Year, or EOFY- June 30 (Australia)

The EOFY signifies the end of Australia’s financial year. With the EOFY impacting stores, customers purchase heavily discounted products, as retailers are trying to create space for new inventory.

Prime Day – dates vary, July and potentially October (Global audience)

Prime Day is one of the largest retail events of the entire year; your business will have ample opportunity to showcase products and provide customers with promotions. Last year, Amazon announced a second round of Prime dates in addition to the regular dates in July. However, a second set of Prime Days hasn’t been confirmed for 2023 as of the writing of this blog.

Summer Bank Holiday – August 29 (Northern Ireland, England, and Wales)

Northern Ireland, England, and Wales honor summer ending with the Summer Bank Holiday and festivities.

Canadian Thanksgiving – second Monday in October (Canada)

Canadian Thanksgiving is similar to Thanksgiving in the US and provides Canadian citizens a way to give thanks and spend time with family and friends.

Singles Day – November 11 (China)

Singles Day is the opposite of Valentine’s Day and celebrates those who are single instead of those in relationships.

Small Business Saturday – Date varies, the Saturday after Thanksgiving (Global)

Small Business Saturday promotes shopping from small businesses for an entire day.

Sofa Sunday – Date varies, Sunday after US Thanksgiving (Australia)

Sofa Sunday is close to Cyber Monday in the US and offers shoppers online sales across stores and marketplaces.

Black Friday – Date varies, Friday after US Thanksgiving (US)

Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving and is one of the biggest shopping days of the holiday season. Black Friday deals can be found for both in-person and online shoppers.

Cyber Monday – Date varies, Monday after US Thanksgiving (US)

Cyber Monday is the Monday after Thanksgiving and is closing in on Black Friday for the largest pre-holiday shopping day. As its name implies, Cyber Monday deals are mainly found online.

Super Saturday – Date varies, the last Saturday before Christmas

Super Saturday is one of the last shopping days before Christmas and gives shoppers another round of sales and discounts.

Christmas Eve – December 24 (Multiple countries)

In some countries, gifts are opened on December 24 instead of Christmas Day (December 25), so it’s another opportunity to market to customers.

Christmas Day – December 25 (Multiple countries)

Christmas Day has become one of the most important holidays for ecommerce. While many stores are closed on December 25, customer purchases throughout November and December are for Christmas presents. This is also a USPS holiday.

Boxing Day – December 26 (Multiple countries)

Boxing Day is almost a continuation of Christmas Day, as sporting events and celebrations are commonplace. Boxing Day is also observed on the Monday after Christmas if December 26 falls on a weekend.

New Year’s Eve – December 31 (Multiple countries)

New Year’s Eve is considered to be the last day of the year in some countries and is celebrated through events to count down the final moments of the previous year.

GlobalPost 2023 Holidays

While the holidays below don’t reflect GlobalPost hours of operation, packages in transit might experience delays due to the shipping holidays of our partners. The following dates are shipping holidays for our partners, so regular deliveries won’t be made.

• Monday, May 29, 2023: Memorial Day
• July 4, 2023: Independence Day
• September 4, 2023: Labor Day
• November 23, 2023: Thanksgiving Day
• November 24, 2023: Day After Thanksgiving
• December 25, 2023: Christmas Day
• January 1, 2024: New Year’s Day

Conclusion

Part of being an international shipper means having an awareness of international holidays. International holidays range from a country’s federal holidays to specific days used to mark promotional events. Having these international holidays at your fingertips can prevent inconvenient shipping delays for your customers. It can also help your business plan for an increase in shipments and provide customers with special offers to align with the holiday at hand.

The post International Holiday Calendar appeared first on GlobalPost.

To add yet another layer of complexity to the situation, the ongoing staffing shortage and other factors may delay normal shipping times. In fact, UPS estimates that demand will exceed capacity by as much as 5 million packages per day!

For merchants and shoppers alike, staying in tune with holiday shipping cutoff dates is more important than ever. We’ve done the research for you so you don’t miss a beat:

International Holiday Shipping Cut Off Dates

Holiday cut off dates for international package shipping range from Nov 29 through Dec 13, depending on the destination country and mail service type. All Priority Mail International® and First-Class Package International Service® have a deadline of Dec 6, with the exception of Africa and Central/South America, which have a deadline of Nov 29.

Priority Mail Express International® provides a little extra time with a deadline of Dec 13, again with the exception of Africa and Central/South America, which have a deadline of Dec 6.

GlobalPost services’ deadlines range from Nov 29 through Dec 13. However, keep in mind these timelines don’t include time spent in customs for clearance.

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*Same deadlines apply for Global Advantage Program.

Domestic Mail Holiday Shipping Cut Off Dates

USPS shipping deadlines for domestic mail vary from Dec 15 through Dec 23, depending on the parcel type. Priority Mail Express offers the most flexibility with a cutoff date of Dec 23. The full breakdown for domestic mail is below:

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*Same deadline applies for Global Advantage Program First Class.

Military Mail Holiday Shipping Deadlines

Sending parcels via USPS Retail Ground is the most stringent deadline when mailing to military addresses — the cutoff date is Nov 6. Priority Mail and First Class Mail letters and cards are more forgiving, with a cutoff date of Dec 9. If that’s still not enough time, Priority Mail Express Military Service extends its cutoff date through Dec 16.

Shipping to Alaska
When shipping to Alaska, plan to send items early. Cutoff dates range from Dec 2 (USPS Retail Ground) to Dec 21 (Priority Mail Express).

Shipping From Hawaii
Cut off dates when shipping from Hawaii range from Dec 3 (First Class and Priority Mail) to Dec 22 (Priority Mail Express), depending on the destination country.

Holiday shipping is always a burden for businesses, which is why we’re taking the guesswork out of the process. Contact us today and discover how GlobalPost is simplifying the 2021 holiday shipping season and beyond.

The post 2021 Holiday Shipping Cut Off Dates You Need to Know appeared first on GlobalPost.

Priority Mail Express International delivery is unaffected, and mailpieces will be delivered as usual.

If your First-Class Package International Service or Priority Mail International shipment is already on its way, the international carriers will mark it as “Mail Service Suspended — Return to Sender” and return it to you. When service to the target country is discontinued, the USPS will issue a full refund of the shipping expenses paid.

Alternate Delivery Options to Australia

If you have a shipment you need to send to Australia during this suspension period, we recommend you use GlobalPost International Standard.

GlobalPost International Standard gets door-to-door tracking capabilities to over 200 countries and uses a network of postal carriers which provides a similar service to First Class Package International Service at a lower rate.

If you don’t see GlobalPost International Standard as an option in your shipping software, contact Customer Care at 1-888-434-0055 (open Monday to Friday, 6 am to 6 pm PT) to request access to GlobalPost carrier services.

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A year and a half into the epidemic, the disruption to global supply systems is worsening, causing consumer product shortages, and increasing the cost of shipping items. For retailers and holiday customers, this is bad news. Shoppers should expect higher costs and fewer options this Holiday season, and some companies such as Adidas, Crocs, and Hasbro have already announced that they anticipate challenges going into Peak season.

To illustrate the dramatic impact of COVID on global operations, let’s look at an incident that took place in China in early August. The country had to shut down a terminal at the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, the world’s third busiest container port, after a worker tested positive for Covid-19. Not only did this force some major international shipping companies such as Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd to modify their timetables in order to avoid the port (which in turn caused delays), but the impact on operations at China’s other ports was enormous. And while the situation has been contained, and the terminal reopened after a 2-week hiatus, experts still predict that it will take 60 days for activities at the port to resume to normal levels.

This is just one example among many other of the impact of Covid on global trade, and unfortunately many retailers around the world will continue to experience disruptions as they attempt to stock up in preparation for the holiday season. At GlobalPost, we monitor worldwide shipping and postal operations on a daily basis and do our best to provide frequent updates on our Service Updates page. We encourage you to bookmark this page and review it periodically so that you remain aware of any global service disruptions and use this information to manage your customers’ expectations and continue to provide them with a great shopping experience.

The post COVID’s impact on Peak Shipping Season appeared first on GlobalPost.

“These temporary rates will keep the Postal Service competitive while providing the agency with the revenue to cover extra costs in anticipation of peak-season volume surges similar to levels experienced in 2020,” the agency said in announcing the proposal.

Retailers are facing a number of obstacles as the holidays approach, including traffic bottlenecks at seaports, supply-chain interruptions, and increasing material and labor expenses, all of which are making it more difficult and costly to stock their shelves. The recent increase in Covid-19 cases, fueled by the spread of the highly transmissible Delta form, adds to the uncertainty. Last year, the Postal Service implemented its first holiday fees on packages, but primarily for commercial customers such as shops and large shippers. During the holidays, the agency functioned as a safety valve for many shippers, as FedEx Corp. and United Parcel Service Inc. imposed strict shipping limitations on their clients, while other regional carriers struggled. During the holidays, FedEx Corp. and United Parcel Service Inc. kept their clients to strict shipment caps while other regional carriers ran out of capacity, and the agency served as a safety valve for several shippers. Even as the rise of parcels strained the network, the surcharges allowed the Postal Service to scrape out a little profit in the quarter ended Dec. 31.

During the epidemic, surcharges have become an unavoidable part of delivery rates. Since last year, both FedEx and UPS have adopted surcharges and hiked base rates to mitigate costs associated with the significant increase in items shipped over the previous year. Even the GlobalPost domestic product will be affected by the additional surcharges. Our First-Class and Parcel Select products use the USPS for last-mile delivery.

USPS International services are unimpacted by the price change and rates will remain steady through the rest of the calendar year as will the GlobalPost International Services. GlobalPost domestic services where USPS is used for shipping will be subject to increases based on the USPS peak surcharges.

The post U.S Postal Service Proposes Peak Season Surcharges appeared first on GlobalPost.

The UPU, headquartered in Berne, Switzerland, was founded in 1874 and is the world’s second oldest international organization made up of four bodies (The Congress, The Council of Administration, The Postal Operations Council, and The International Bureau). The UPU is the major venue for collaboration amongst postal sector participants, with 192 member countries. It contributes to the creation of a genuinely global network of up-to-date products and services. As a result, the organization serves as an advisor, mediator, and liaison, as well when providing technical support as needed. It establishes regulations for international postal exchanges and gives recommendations to boost mail, parcel, and financial services volumes while also improving the customer service quality.

Stuart Smith, Chief of International Postal Affairs at State and the U.S. Department of State has begun its preparation for the Universal Postal Union’s 27th Congress. Congress is the supreme authority of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and meets every four years. The UPU’s member countries are expected to adopt the new World Postal Strategy – a plan for the new work cycle beginning in 2022 – at the 27th Universal Postal Congress in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, in August 2021. Congress will also decide on new laws and norms governing international postal trade.

Smith provided an update to stakeholders on the important bills currently before Congress, including:

• Integrated Product Plan (IPP): The UPU’s effort to modernize and streamline its product offering is considered as an opportunity to build on the 2019 Geneva Congress’s pay reforms and better position posts for the eCommerce market. One idea is to make tracking required on inbound letter posts by 2023, with debate over whether tracking will be limited to items or include both goods and documents.
• Self-declaration for inward land rates: The United States proposed reforming parcel remuneration by moving away from internal land rates and toward self-declared parcel rates, similar to how packets are paid. However, the Council of Administration (CA) recommendation on this topic did not include the US suggestion, implying that the current capped inward land prices system in place since 2004 would be maintained. The Congress is expected to endorse the CA plan to keep the rate cap, the US will introduce the notion of eliminating it at the Abidjan Congress.
• Consolidate the 2019 Geneva Congress decisions: The Geneva Congress carve-outs that set self-declared tariffs for E-format commodities is one aspect that needs to be worked out (packets). According to the United States’ understanding of the agreement, reciprocity is at its core, which means that low-flow countries who do not pay self-declared rates cannot levy self-declared rates reciprocally. The problem of reciprocity and the revenue-cap application is scheduled to be discussed.
• Opening UPU to the wider postal sector: According to Smith, the task force report on this topic will serve as the foundation for suggestions, which will most likely be based on the three recommendations that the task force ultimately made in its report: reform of the Consultative Committee; opening UPU products and services to the private sector; and continuing to work on opening up by holding an Extraordinary Congress (EC) in 2023.

The post State Department Preps for Universal Postal Union appeared first on GlobalPost.

Why is this happening?
The Postal Regulatory Commission has completed a review of the rules that determine how much the U.S Postal Service can raise rates in a year. Now the Postal Service is exercising new pricing authority granted by the Postal Regulatory Commission in a November 2020 ruling that allows them to exceed the CPI-based price cap on market-dominant products to account for certain factors. To help the U.S Postal Service restore financial stability, the regulator decided it should have the ability to raise prices above the rate of inflation. The Postal Service decided to move up the rate change to help expedite their ability to generate new revenues rather than waiting until the traditional October announcement and January implementation date.

Listed below are the highlights of the proposed August 2021 U.S Postal Service rate increase:

• Retail stamps and Forever^® stamps are increasing 3¢ to $0.58.
• Metered Mail letters increase 2¢ to $0.53, improving the metered letter savings to 5¢ per letter when compared to stamps.
• Flats increase $0.16 to $1.16 for 1 oz.
• Postcards increase $0.04 to $0.40.

First Class Mail Letter Rates – As of August 29, 2021
INCREASE PER LETTER -Jan 2021 Rates vs. aug 2021 Rates

Additional benefits to using USPS shipping services powered by GlobalPost
Our First Class Mail International Flats with Merchandise Allowed is a part of our special service which allows customers to ship flat-size mailable documents of value while still using the USPS service for a surcharge. The USPS First Class Mail International service does not allow items of value to be sent FCMI.

The post New U.S. Postal Service Rate Increase in August appeared first on GlobalPost.

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Current Delivery Challenges
The global marketplace has transformed with the recent growth of the e-commerce industry. According to Digital Commerce 360, consumers spent $861.02 billion on online shopping in 2020, a 44% rise over the prior year. As we see the digital marketplace continue to expand all around the world, the consumers behaviors are changing as well. Their demands and expectations have shifted, and they are looking for cost-effective and quick delivery options. A recent report done by the logistic company SOTI Inc. has revealed that more than 61% of logistics companies agree that last-mile delivery is the most inefficient process in the entire supply chain. Below are some of the most critical challenges that arise during last-mile delivery for online retailers.

• Lack of visibility. Transparency into the delivery processes is the most important requirement for ensuring customer loyalty. Buyers want complete knowledge of the location of their package and when it will reach them.
• High delivery costs. For both customers and the business, last-mile delivery tends to get expensive. Setting up an infrastructure that supports timely deliveries can be costly. Also, shipping and logistics companies have to assign money for complex routes, failed deliveries, extra stops along the delivery route, drivers’ salaries, and fleet operation.
• Late deliveries. This is one of the major challenges that shipping and delivery companies deal with. The failure to stick to predetermined timelines gets expensive for businesses. Delivery delays harm a brand’s reputation, increase customer churn, and affect your profits.
• Inadequate route planning. For the ones new to the logistics and last mile, route planning can be confusing and challenging, consisting of multiple variables that must be considered. Ineffective route planning leads to delayed deliveries, increased customer frustration, and high costs.

Benefits of Last-Mile Cross-Border Delivery
Today, customers want full transparency during transactions, and the last mile of your delivery can make or break their experience. Missed delivery schedules, issues in route optimization, incorrect deliveries, no option for proof of delivery, high shipping cost – these minor problems can turn into huge challenges that can potentially devastate customer experience, as well as business. The benefits of last mile can equal to streamlined shipping and delivery process by automating time-consuming and repetitive tasks in the delivery process, saving a lot of time, resources, and money for your business. You can also benefit by improving route optimization. Last mile providers or software can calculate and assign the most efficient routes for your deliveries. Flexible delivery options are an additional benefit to your customers, making for a more-convenient online shopping experience.

Strong Markets for Last Mile Cross-Border Delivery
Europe has emerged as one of the strong markets for last-mile cross-border delivery. Europe has seen a record number of online sales, which means shippers must navigate an increasingly competitive landscape of delivery options. The European e-commerce market accounts for 9% of total retail sales, and research says it is expected to grow more than six times the rate of in-store sales through 2022. New challenges with last-mile delivery and meeting consumer demands will be faced by shippers across the region. Unlike the United States, with only four broad carrier options for shippers, Europe has a host of carrier options that range from large integrators to country postal operators. More than half of European online sales are generated in three key markets — France, Germany, and the United Kingdom — and 26% of e-commerce sales in Western Europe are cross-border orders. Understanding this shows that there can be great potential for shippers to gain a competitive advantage by becoming efficient in cross-border shipping.

About GlobalPost and the Use of Last-Mile Cross-Border Delivery
GlobalPost is exclusively designed and built to leverage multiple carriers for last-mile delivery to achieve the best balance of speed and price. As a last-mile cross-border solution provider, GlobalPost is constantly finding new carrier options to improve the network and eliminate pain points in cross-border shipping.

The post New Options to Consider in International Shipping: Last Mile Cross-Border Delivery appeared first on GlobalPost.