Holiday Shipping
Everything you need to know to ensure gifts arrive on time and look stunning.
Holiday Shipping 101: Timing
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The Holidays are by far the busiest time of year for package delivery services. USPS alone ships around 30 million more packages per day around the holidays, meaning packages will likely take longer than usual to ship. For domestic delivery through USPS, make sure your packages are sent before these dates:
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2015 USPS Holiday Shipping Cut Off Dates Calculated for December 25, 2015
December 15: Standard Post™
December 19: First-Class Mail® Service
December 21: Priority Mail® Service
December 23: Priority Mail Express® Service
Holiday Shipping 201: Shipping Goodies
There are a few things you should consider when shipping perishable goods to make sure they arrive intact.
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Tip 1: Choose recipes that will withstand shipping conditions including loading and unloading, vibration and temperature changes. Biscotti, sugar cookies, shortbread cookies and bar cookies are generally good choices. Candies, such as caramel popcorn, peanut brittle and truffles, can also ship well.
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Tip 2: Pack goodies snugly in plastic wrap, foil or decorative tins to prevent jostling. Place cakes in a tin or rigid plastic container. Secure bundles and seal containers with Scotch® Expressions Tapes to keep them closed tightly and looking festive.
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Tip 3: Wrap bundles with cushioning material, such as Scotch™ Cushion Wrap. Pack them in a sturdy shipping carton, such as a Scotch™ Mailing Box, which offers strong protection. Fill in empty spaces in the box with crumpled newspaper, additional Scotch™ Cushion Wrap or plain air-popped popcorn so goodies don’t shift and crumble during shipping.
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Tip 4: Make sure that liquids, such as oils and vinegars, are tightly capped. Reinforce caps with a strong tape, such as Scotch® Heavy Duty Shipping Packaging Tape. Seal bottles in a plastic bag before packing and cushion them well.
Tip 5: Perishable foods should be packed with cold packs designed for cool shipping and sent via next-day service.
Festive Holiday Packing
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Many of us have family or friends who won’t be around for the holidays. But there’s no reason why mailed gifts shouldn’t look as beautiful and personal as the ones at home. Check out these fun and simple ideas for taking the appearance of your shipped gifts up a notch.
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Just because your shipped gifts are travelling in padded mailers doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the personal touch of creative wrapping. These simple tips allow you to bring mailers to life with nothing more than Scotch® Expressions Tape.
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Military Shipping Tips
Make a soldier smile with a care package from home. Follow these tips to ensure your package finds its destination safely.
Tip 1: Packages must not weigh more than 70 lbs. or be larger than 108 inches in total circumference (total length + total width).
Tip 2: Not sure what to include? Non-perishable foods like energy bars, beef jerky, nuts and drink mixes are good options. In addition, magazines, small personal products and pens are always welcome. Family photos, local newspapers, children's artwork and favorite music can also help to remind a soldier of home.
Tip 3: Priority Mail packages can take up to 14 days to reach their destination — sometimes more, depending on where your soldier is stationed. Consider this length of time plus any climate extremes when assembling your care package.
Tip 4: Take a close inventory of what you include in the package — it'll make filling out the customs form easier when you're ready to send it off. -
Returns
Follow these tips to keep return shipping simple and stress free. Remember, when returning a package with a pre-paid label, to make a copy of the tracking label so you can keep track of it. Most large online retailers now allow you to track items through their websites, but it’s still a good idea to keep a copy while shipping is still in progress. Wait for your item to be delivered before requesting credit from the company. USPS return shipping may take up to 2 weeks. Also, make sure you return the item within the appropriate time period. Especially around the holidays, many companies have specific return date restrictions.
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Learn the best practices for shipping virtually any item with complete confidence that it will arrive in one piece.
