The holidays are right around the corner, and we hope you’ve already secured gifts for everyone on your shopping list. I mean, we’ve been doling out plenty of gift guides to help with that, like the best gaming gifts under $100, the best D&D gifts, and a guide to shopping for luxury editions of classic board games. But, if you’ve been a little bit naughty and forgot someone, or have a last-minute gift in mind, there’s still time to stuff some stockings.
However, depending on where you’re doing your holiday shopping, you may have less time than you think. Buying the gift is the easy part, but ensuring that it arrives on time can be tricky. To help you ensure that you aren’t caught without a gift to give, we’ve rounded up the shipping policies and deadlines from a variety of retailers that spell out when you should make your purchases in order for them to arrive by Dec. 25.
Many items from Amazon will ship with free shipping. While great, it could mean that purchases may take up to 10 days to arrive. Thankfully, there are plenty of gift options that are available with a Prime subscription, which, depending on the item and the recipient’s location, allows some orders to be delivered in just a day or two (or faster). But, to ensure that everything is in your hands by Dec. 25, you should checkout no later than the following dates based on the shipping method you choose:
- 2-day shipping (with Prime) – Order by Dec. 22.
- 1-day shipping (with Prime) – Order by Dec. 23.
- Same-day delivery (with Prime) – Order by Dec. 24.
Best Buy is equally generous with its holiday shipping policies, offering free next-day shipping on most items, with some items eligible for same-day delivery without the need for a paid My Best Buy membership (paying for My Best Buy Plus unlocks free 2-day shipping on products). However, if you’re near a Best Buy location, arranging a pick-up order might be your most reliable option. Best Buy stores will remain open until 7 p.m. local time on Dec. 24, and will offer curbside pickup on any orders placed before 5 p.m. local time.
- Free Next-day shipping – Order by Dec. 23 at 10:30 a.m.
- Free Same-day delivery – Order by Dec. 24 at 12 p.m.
- Curbside pickup – Order by Dec. 24 at 5 p.m.
Most purchases from the big red retailer can be delivered within two days of your order, but some items may take up to five business days to arrive. While orders of $34.99 or more qualify for free shipping, Target Circle 360 members are eligible for free shipping on all orders. Thankfully, Target has extended its holiday shopping hours, with same-day delivery options available for orders placed by 3 p.m. local time, and curbside pickup available for orders placed before 6 p.m. local time. Most Target locations will also remain open until 8 p.m. on Dec. 24 for any last-minute purchases.
- Standard shipping – Order by Dec. 19.
- Two-day shipping – Order by Dec. 22.
- Curbside pickup – Order by Dec. 24 @ 6 p.m.
To ensure your Walmart purchases arrive by Dec. 25, the retailer recommends finalizing your order by 12:30 p.m. local time by Dec. 23. And, just like Target, Walmart offers free shipping for online orders of $35 or more, plus free shipping to all orders for Walmart Plus members. Walmart also offers express delivery for some of its items, which can be delivered within 30 minutes from your local store if you place your order by 4 p.m. local time on Dec. 24.
Walmart Plus members are eligible for one free express delivery per year. This perk is available to non-members for an additional $10 fee. Curbside pickup will be available from your local store for any orders placed before 12 p.m. local time on Dec. 24.
- Two-day shipping – Order by Dec. 23 at 12:30 p.m.
- Express delivery – Order by Dec. 24 at 4 p.m.
- Curbside pickup – Order by Dec. 24 at 12 p.m.
Newegg offers free standard shipping on most of its PC parts and accessories, but opting for this method means your orders may take up to 10 days to arrive. However, per Newegg’s shipping calendar, you can have your order arrive by Dec. 25 if you’re willing to pay for expedited shipping. If you’re using three-day shipping, you’ll need to order by Dec. 19, or Dec. 20 if you’re paying for two-day shipping.
A limited number of products are eligible for next-day delivery if you place your order by Dec. 23. Same-day delivery isn’t an option with Newegg, and orders placed on Dec. 24 won’t ship until Dec. 26 at the earliest. Newegg also doesn’t offer flat-rate shipping, so the amount you pay for shipping will largely depend on what you’re ordering. But to give you an idea, two-day shipping on a new CPU costs roughly $23, while it costs around $70 for a pre-built gaming desktop.
- Three-day shipping – Order by Dec. 19
- Two-day shipping – Order by Dec. 20
- Next-day delivery – Order by Dec. 23
