Online shopping tips to ensure timely deliveries from Canada Post this holiday season

WINNIPEG — Canada Post said it’s preparing for its busiest online shopping season this Christmas. Alice Lafferty, General Manager of Domestic Parcels and Customer Experience, said Canada Post started planning early to make sure all holiday deliveries are made on time, but there are some things shoppers should watch for before they buy in order to avoid disappointment.

It’s all in the shipping details

Online shoppers should take an extra second to look at the shipping details, Lafferty said.

Where is it coming from? Lafferty said items that are coming from far away generally take longer to arrive, and it could take even longer if the product you want isn’t currently in stock.

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Another thing to keep your eyes peeled for, is a guarantee.

“A lot of retailers are actually putting guarantees up right now saying, ‘Still will arrive before Christmas’, and that’s important to look for.”

Lafferty also said to pay close attention to tracking information.

“If it doesn’t have tracking information, and it doesn’t look like it’s coming [with] a priority service, it may actually arrive after the holidays.”

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Finally, Lafferty suggested considering paying a little more for priority service to ensure a timely delivery.

A busy time for Canada Post

According to Lafferty, they’re expecting twice the volume of parcels this year compared to just five years ago. She said the carrier is now delivering more than a million packages a day.

Canada Post made a number of preparations in anticipation for this busy holiday season, including hiring three thousand temporary workers to help with increased demand.

Those who are looking to ship with Canada Post should visit their website for deadlines to ensure their deliveries arrive in time for the 2017 holidays.