• by Aaron Baar , December 18, 2013

This year’s mid-week Christmas Day is playing havoc with retailers’ delivery guarantees, and could catch procrastinating shoppers flat-footed. 

According to Shop.org’s eHoliday survey, 75% of retailers said their deadline for free standard shipping would expire before Friday, Dec. 20, a full five days before Christmas. Meanwhile, 84% of retailers said their guarantee of a Christmas delivery would also expire before the 20th.

All is not lost for procrastinating consumers who may be willing to pay a little more, however. A third of companies that will be offering free or upgraded expedited shipping promotions will be giving customers until Saturday, Dec. 21, to take advantage of the offer. Nearly 20% of customers will be able to take advantage of that offer until Sunday, Dec. 22, and 17% will have until Monday, the 23rd. 

Customers who are willing to pay a little extra will also have some more time to get packages across the country. Nearly three-quarters of retailers (74%) said they’d offer express two-day shipping as late as Dec. 21 for a guaranteed delivery, while 27% said they could go as late as Sunday, Dec. 22. Nearly half said they were comfortable offering one-day shipping as late as Monday, the 23rd. 

“With Christmas falling on a Wednesday this year, we expect to see numerous offers from retailers for expedited and express shipping as we head into the final stretch and potentially biggest weekend of the year,” Shop.org executive director Vicki Cantrell said, in a statement. “Companies know how important shipping offers are to their customers, many of whom will keep an eye out in the coming days as their favorite retailers are likely to up the shipping ante.”

"Delivering Packages" photo from Shutterstock.