High street retailers have brought forward their last Christmas order dates amid supply chain woes – with hundreds of thousands of orders still stuck at ports across the UK.
Fashion marketplace Asos is among retailers that have brought forward final order deadlines, according to ParcelHero.
The delivery giant had previously warned that many online retailers were being too optimistic given ongoing driver shortages, port delays and a supply chain crisis.
Closer-to-deadline delivery has been rising in popularity in recent years, with some brands such as Amazon, offering deliveries right up until 10pm on Christmas Eve, but some big names are playing it safe this year to manage expectation.
“Right now, some retailers, such as Asos UK (Lichfield), Cath Kidston, Joules, and The White Company have temporarily suspended their fastest, more expensive, next day home delivery options, which is a sensible move,” a ParcelHero statement said.
“Given the anticipated problems in supply chains and deliveries created by Covid-19 and Brexit, we were alarmed to find how close to the wire many retailers’ final online order dates were when we re-launched our Christmas deadlines tool again this year.”
It’s published a list of ‘Responsible Retailers’ that have brought forward their Christmas final order dates.
These include Asos, which is now a day earlier on December 23, Cath Kidston, which was December 23 but is now likely to be December 15 and Urban Outfitters, which was December 22 but is now December 21.
In a statement online, Cath Kidston warned of delays throughout December.
Its website states: “We are currently experiencing huge demand for our lovely products, which means our friends at the warehouse are working extremely hard at picking, packing, and dispatching orders.
“Unfortunately, during this period some orders maybe delayed. We know this is disappointing news, but we are working around the clock to resolve these delays.”
Jinks at ParcelHero added: ‘The well-publicised shortage of truck drivers means that, once goods actually reach Britain, stores are also having a hard time getting them into distribution centres and onto the shelves.
“We’re advising online shoppers not to rely on stores’ last order dates.
“Keep consulting our final deadline tool to see if stores have woken up, smelled the eggnog and decided to introduce more realistic deadlines."
Earliest deadlines for Christmas orders:
- Dell: 2 December, selected items including some laptops; 17 December, all orders
- HP: 16 December
- All Saints: 18 December
- Conran: 19 December
- Pets at Home: 20 December
Latest deadlines for Christmas orders:
- Amazon: 24 December
- Argos: 24 December
- Net-a-Porter: 24 December (specific postcodes only)
- Selfridges: 24 December (London only)
- Zara: 24 December (London only)
Christmas online order deadlines for your diary
Agent Provocateur: 2021/12/23
All Saints: 2021/12/18
Amazon: 2021/12/24
Ann Summers: 2021/12/23
Argos: 2021/12/24
ASOS: 2021/12/24 (certain post codes only)
Boden: 2021/12/23
The Body Shop: 2021/12/21
Boohoo.com: 2021/12/23
Cath Kidston: 2021/12/23
Currys: 2021/12/23
Debenhams: 2021/12/23
Dell: 2021/12/17
Disney Shop: 2021/12/23
Evans Cycles: 2021/12/23
Feel Unique: 2021/12/23
Firebox: 2021/12/23
Game: 2021/12/23
Gap: 2021/12/21
George.com (Asda): 2021/12/23
Harrods: 2021/12/23
Harvey Nichols: 2021/12/23
House of Fraser: 2021/12/23
HP: 2021/12/16
Ikea: 2021/12/21
Jigsaw: 2021/12/23
John Lewis: 2021/12/22
Karen Millen: 2021/12/23
Liberty: 2021/12/21
Littlewoods: 2021/12/23
M&S: 2021/12/22
Made.com: 2021/12/23
Net-a-Porter: 2021/12/24 (certain postcodes only)
New Look: 2021/12/23
Next: 2021/12/23
Paul Smith: 2021/12/23
PC World: 2021/12/23
Pets at Home: 2021/12/20
Selfridges: 2021/12/24 (London area only)
Sports Direct: 2021/12/23
Superdry: 2021/12/23
The Conran Shop: 2021/12/19
The White Company: 2021/12/23
Topshop: 2021/12/23
Urban Outfitters: 2021/12/22
Very: 2021/12/23
Warehouse: 2021/12/23
Watchshop: 2021/12/23
Zara: 2021/12/24 (London area only)
