Shopping Online Takes the Pain Out of Christmas Shopping

SANDPOINT, ID, November 30, 2012 (Press-News.org) Consumers everywhere find Christmas shopping difficult and stressful at times. Savvy shoppers may solve this problem by choosing to shop online. Shoppers can cover everyone on the Christmas list without ever leaving their easy chair... or bathrobe! In the past, shopping consisted of struggling down crowded aisles to fight over the few products left on heavily picked-over shelves. Nowadays, with a few clicks of the mouse shoppers can complete their Christmas shopping and avoid the holiday hassle of in-store shopping.

Purchasing gifts online is a cinch, but there are a few pitfalls to avoid as consumers wrap up their e-shopping. Shipping deadlines need to be studied and strictly adhered to. A great rule of thumb is to simply order early. Last minute gift deliveries during the holidays are touchy at best due to pressed-for-time gift shippers, overburdened gift companies, and tempestuous weather systems. Buying gifts well in advance of Christmas alleviates stress for shoppers as the holiday draws near and aids gift companies who can better anticipate the holiday rush when orders are placed early. Shipping deadlines are often misinterpreted by consumers, and can cause holiday drama. Keeping informed about the ins and outs of shipping transit days, shipping fees and holiday shipping deadlines can help all consumers avoid the stress of delayed gift delivery.

It cannot be emphasized enough... ORDER EARLY. Consumers can expect to save a considerable amount of money by allowing for time to select ground shipping, especially on heavier items. For example, a package with a ground shipping cost of $10.99 will have an overnight or next day air shipping cost of up to $65.00! Saturday delivery options are even costlier.

Many online retailers offer free shipping on selected items. This is really exciting, but when you read the fine print, this usually applies exclusively to the ground shipping option. Retailers don't want to have to pay costly last minute shipping fees, either! The lesson here, GO WITH GROUND. Plus, Christmas always seems to fall smack-dab in the center of a snow storm, and bad weather can shut down shippers, so ordering well in advance will help shoppers to steer clear of possible storm delays. Online retailer Arttowngifts.com recommends ordering gifts no later than December 13th for best results.

Personalized items are usually a big hit for online shoppers. Having an item engraved or monogrammed is a wonderful way to add a thoughtful touch to any gift. Retailers like Arttowngifts.com offer large selections of Personalized Gifts that are very popular; however, sometimes shoppers forget that it takes longer for personalized gifts to ship out. Even with the quick turnaround on customized collections, shoppers still have to allow some time for making their gift extra personal. If ordering personalized gifts, Arttowngifts.com recommends ordering no later than December 10th.

Many consumers get confused about the details of transit days, and if an order is placed last-minute, these details can determine whether a gift is delivered by Christmas, or after. Shoppers should be aware that there is no shipping on weekends and holidays, so these don't count as transit days. Shippers pick up in the afternoon, so for items delivered today, orders should be placed in the early morning to account for time zones. An order placed on Friday night, for example, won't ship out until Monday morning.

The day that an order is placed does not count as a transit day, and each subsequent week day is counted as a transit day, excluding holidays. Ground orders typically take up to 5 transit days before a gift is delivered. Delivery time varies from 3 to 5 days, so accounting for 5 days will keep customers safer and not sorrier. The variation in transit days is a function of the combination of the Ship From (Warehouse) location and the Ship To address of the recipient.

One last note on shipping: specified addresses need to be checked and re-checked. Packages with incorrect addresses will either be delivered to the wrong address or delayed, resulting in unnecessary stress for shipper, gift company, recipient and customer. Plus, shippers charge an address change fee, so getting it right the first time will help consumers avoid unnecessary expenditures during a season that is often a budget breaker.

Same day gift delivery is a popular option for many shoppers. When life gets hectic, important occasions may be forgotten until the last minute, and Same Day Gift deliveries help solve this problem. Retailers such as Arttowngifts.com have nice selections of Same Day Gifts like balloons, flowers, wine and fruit baskets available for last minute delivery. These companies depend on local florists and gift companies to make same day gift deliveries in a recipient's area. Problems arise during the holiday season, however, as these local companies become swamped with orders and can run out of time and resources for orders placed for immediate delivery. For orders of balloons, baskets or bouquets for delivery during December 20th through the 24th, Arttowngifts.com recommends placing orders a week in advance and specifying a delivery date. This will get orders on the roster before over-booking occurs.

During November and December, retailers begin offering terrific coupons and bargains; but buyer beware!! Waiting until the last minute to take advantage of holiday deals may end up biting shoppers. Retailers become pressed as holidays draw nearer, and the mass of orders they receive is usually incentive enough to stop offering deals. Plus, retailers often go out of stock on their on-sale items, so ordering as soon as coupons and deals start popping up is wise. Shoppers can subscribe to the e-mail lists of favorite companies to receive promotional offers and keep aware of the holiday bargains becoming available.

For companies hoping to take advantage of corporate discount rates, ordering early is essential. Ordering a large number of baskets or personalized gifts for an office place two days before Christmas and expecting a discount is not going to fly with any gift retailer. Large last minute orders like these are going to cost a company full price. To receive corporate rates, companies should place orders in November or very early in December.

The most important takeaway for holiday consumers completing their Christmas shopping online is to order early. Shipping gets a lot less complicated for shoppers who start early, and discounts are much more available. Ordering online may be a very simple solution to the holiday rush, but it still takes preparation. With just a little pre-planning, consumers can reap the benefits of click it and ship it shopping to spread holiday cheer without the holiday hassle.

About Arttowngifts.com
Arttowngifts.com, headquartered in Sandpoint Idaho, features high quality products created by artisans and cottage industries throughout the US and Canada. The company enjoys meeting the shopping needs of customers who enjoy handcrafted designs and unique gifts. The company's product line up includes signs for the home and office, gift baskets, personalized gifts, gold roses, spa gifts, handcrafted jewelry, picture frames, collectibles and architectural name frames. Additional information on Arttowngifts.com is available at http://www.arttowngifts.com.