Now that bonfire night has been and gone, it’s time to think about your Christmas shipping.

If you’re sending gifts to family and friends, now’s the time to get them in the post to avoid any Christmas shipping delays.

We’ve put together our list of most common Christmas shipping mistakes to help you get those gifts under the tree without delay.

 

6 Common Christmas Shipping Mistakes

These are the 6 most common Christmas shipping mistakes we see at Parcel2Go.

 

 

1. Underestimating Shipping Times

The weeks leading up to Christmas are an extremely busy time for couriers. We always advise you to send your parcels in plenty of time, even if you’re sending a package within the UK.

You can check our Last Posting Dates for Christmas 2024 which will tell you the deadline for posting your parcel to arrive before Christmas. You can also find last posting dates for Europe and Worldwide.

If you want to find out the last shipping date for a specific destination country, get a quote and see how quickly we can deliver your gifts.

Before you post, it’s a good idea to check out our latest courier and service information too, to keep up to date with last posting dates and any potential service disruptions.

 

2. Inadequate Packaging

You’ve taken the time to choose a beautiful present; now take the time to package it well so it doesn’t get damaged on its journey.

Although your gift was probably wrapped with pretty paper, ribbons, and bows in the shop, that won’t be sufficient to protect it during transit, whether it’s traveling within the UK or abroad.

Our top tip is to choose a sturdy cardboard box that’s slightly larger than your gift. Pack the inside with crumpled newspaper or bubble wrap so that your gift doesn’t touch the sides of the box, and then secure the top and bottom with strong packing tape.

You can read our packing advice and guidance or see our blog on how to send a parcel for more details.

 

3. Ignoring Customs & Import Regulations

Avoid ending up on the naughty list this Christmas by checking the local Customs and Import Regulations before you ship your parcel.

You should also check our list of prohibited items before you wrap your package to make sure you’re not sending anything that could cause your delivery to be delayed.

Rules and regulations can vary by courier, so it’s worth checking their restrictions once you’ve decided which Christmas courier you’ll be using.

 

4. Not Weighing and Measuring Your Package Correctly

You’ll need to weigh and measure your parcel accurately to get a quote with Parcel2Go.

We’ll need to know the height, width, and depth of your parcel, as well as its weight in kilograms.

You can use our volume calculator to help you work out your parcel’s weight based on its width and length. This nifty little tool can help you save money on your shipping by giving you the most accurate measurements, meaning you’ll never overpay for your parcel delivery.

 

5. Addressing Parcels Incorrectly

To make sure your parcel’s delivered on time, label your package clearly, making sure you include the delivery postcode and a return address.

If you need to check a postcode, you can use our free postcode checker.

You might need to format addresses differently if you’re sending a gift to loved ones abroad. If in doubt, you can check our country specific pages where you’ll find information on how to address your parcels properly.

 

6. Customs Invoice Not Completed (If You’re Sending Internationally)

If you’re sending your Christmas gift from the UK to a country in Europe or worldwide, you’ll need to complete a commercial invoice.

Don’t worry! When you book with Parcel2Go, we’ll give you step-by-step instructions on how to do this as part of the booking process. You can find more tips to help you through the stages in our commercial invoice guide.

We’ll also give you guidance on how to work out your commodity code.

You can read more about what a commercial invoice is in our business guide.

 

How to Avoid Shipping Delays During Christmas

Now you know the most common Christmas shipping mistakes. Let’s see what you can do to make sure your Christmas shipping is easy and stress free.

 

Use Express Shipping for Last-Minute Orders

If you love a bit of last-minute Christmas shopping, don’t worry, there are still ways you can send your gifts to your loved ones in time for the big day. At Parcel2Go, we have a range of next day, express and other timed services which will be available in the weeks running up to the New Year.

We recommend you send urgent Christmas parcel deliveries with UPS or FedEx to have your packages delivered within 1-3 days.

Find out more about how to book express services.

 

Use Reliable Couriers

At Parcel2Go, we compare prices from the UK’s most trusted Christmas couriers, meaning you can be confident your gifts are in safe hands.

We work with couriers such as Royal Mail, Yodel Direct, Evri and DPD, to make sure you’re getting cheap parcel delivery without compromising on the high quality of your service.

Your Christmas shipping with Parcel2Go starts from just £1.99 exc VAT - get a quick quote today and see how much you could save.

 

Top Tips for Smooth Christmas Shipping

Shipping for small businesses can be stressful at this time of year, but with Parcel2Go we have plenty of options to make sending out your customer’s deliveries as easy as possible.

 

Ship Early to Avoid Delays

The best way to avoid Christmas shipping delays for your customers is to ship as early as possible.

If you can, display a last order date on your website to give yourself time to get those orders picked, packed, and sent before the last posting dates.

For those customers who have left shopping to the last minute, consider offering upgrades to express or next day shipping.

If you’re in a rush to get all your parcels sent, why not try one of our collection services to save yourself a trip to your local drop off point?

 

Provide Real-Time Tracking

You can give your customers extra peace of mind for free when you book your parcel delivery with Parcel2Go by giving them their parcel tracking details.

Simply by using their unique parcel ID, they’ll be able to track their parcel’s progress towards its destination—perfect for those who want to be home to meet the courier or are expecting a valuable delivery.

Our free parcel tracking is available with all our courier services.

 

The Benefits of Smart Send for Christmas Shipping

 

 

This Christmas, let Smart Send streamline your eCommerce shipping so you can concentrate on getting festive.

Parcel2Go's free shipping management service, Smart Send lets you manage all your deliveries from one simple-to-use dashboard and giving you:

 

Cheapest Domestic Rates

Using our Smart Sent shipping management tools will give you access to the cheapest domestic rates on our platform - letting you save even more money on your deliveries.

 

Automated Shipping

Smart Send's Auto Send feature will make your shipping process effortless.

Perfect for saving time over the busy, festive season, you can automatically import items from your eCommerce accounts and get email notifications when they sell. You can also use Rule Manager and Auto Send’s customisable preferences to help you book your shipping in just one click.

 

Accurate Delivery Estimates

Set up automated customer notifications in your Smart Send account to send your customers their tracking details so they can keep an eye on their Christmas delivery every step of the way. Learn more about Smart Send.