2-minute read
Small business retailers frantically trying to deliver customer orders in December need to be aware of the last posting dates for Christmas. Whether you’re a high street business or an online shop, keep your customers happy and informed with a reliable delivery service.
Royal Mail has published the last recommended postage dates for international and UK parcels to arrive in time for 25 December 2023.
This guide includes all the dates to remember along with tips for communicating with your customers during this busy time of the year.
The table below shows the dates to remember if you’re using Royal Mail services.
If you’re using an alternative courier service then some companies are offering collections up until 21 December – but be sure to check with individual couriers for exact dates.
And keep an eye out in your local Post Office as they may be offering DPD and Evri delivery services over the counter too.
These are the last posting dates for delivering parcels and letters in the UK:
Date | Postage option |
---|---|
Monday, 18 December | 2nd Class 2nd Class Signed For Royal Mail Tracked 48 |
Wednesday, 20 December | 1st Class 1st Class Signed For Royal Mail Tracked 24 |
Thursday, 21 December | Special Delivery Guaranteed |
Friday, 22 December | Special Delivery Guaranteed (or pay an extra fee for Guaranteed Saturday Delivery) |
You’ll need to leave more time if you’re posting internationally.
These are the last posting dates for using international and tracking and signature services:
Personal customers posting at Post Offices | Royal Mail business account customers | Destination |
---|---|---|
Wednesday, 6 December | Wednesday, 13 December | Africa, Central and South America, Asia, Australia, Bulgaria, Caribbean, China (People’s Republic), Far and Middle East, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain |
Thursday, 7 December | Thursday, 14 December | Cyprus and Malta |
Friday, 8 December | Friday, 15 December | Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Eastern Europe, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, USA |
The dates for using online services for international delivery have now passed for businesses and personal customers.
Keeping your customers informed about when they can expect to receive parcels is particularly important during December.
Here are some things to keep in mind to keep online shoppers happy:
Are you on track to meet the last posting dates for Christmas? Let us know in the comments.
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Catriona Smith
Catriona Smith is a content and marketing professional with 12 years’ experience across the financial services, higher education, and insurance sectors. She’s also a trained NCTJ Gold Standard journalist. As a Senior Copywriter at Simply Business, Catriona has in-depth knowledge of small business concerns and specialises in tax, marketing, and business operations. Catriona lives in the seaside city of Brighton where she’s also a freelance yoga teacher.
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