Retail Experts: Start Christmas Shopping NOW

The postal delays that caused a ruckus during the election are expected to continue through the holiday season. In other words, start Christmas shopping now, experts say.

“We expect to see continued pressure on shipping as more packages flow through the system,” says Karl Haller, retail industry expert at IBM Global Business Services. “We have already seen some of the major carriers impose fees on package shipping in anticipation of this.”

Officially, the United States Postal Service says to arrive by Christmas, ground shipments need to be sent by December 15th; first-class mail needs to go out by December 18th; and priority mail should be sent by the 19th.

When do you usually start Christmas shopping? What will be different about Christmas shopping this year?

More about: