The holiday season is here, bringing with it the hustle and bustle that keeps shippers busy right through to the New Year. While we can't prepare your holiday feast or wrap presents, we’re here to make shipping easy. To help you plan ahead and ensure timely deliveries, we’ve put together a complete list of the USPS 2024 holiday shipping deadlines. With these dates in mind, you can keep your customers happy and stress-free this holiday season!

2024 Holiday Shipping Dates for Contiguous U.S. (Lower 48 States)

Recommended send-by dates for expected delivery before December 25. (Excludes Alaska & Hawaii).

• USPS Ground Advantage® Service - December 18th
• First Class Mail® Service - December 18th
• Priority Mail® Service - December 18th
• Priority Mail Express® Service - December 21st

2024 Holiday Shipping Dates for Alaska & Hawaii

Recommended send-by dates for expected delivery before December 25. 

USPS Ground Advantage® Service

• Alaska - December 16th
• Hawaii - December 16th

First-Class Mail® Service

• Alaska - December 18th
• Hawaii - December 18th

Priority Mail® Service

• Alaska - December 19th
• Hawaii - December 19th

Priority Mail Express® Service

• Alaska - December 20th
• Hawaii - December 20th

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2024 Holiday Shipping Dates for International Mail

Recommended send-by dates for expected delivery before December 25.

Africa

• First Class Package International Service® - December 2nd
• Priority Mail International® Service - December 2nd
• Priority Mail Express International® Service - December 9th

Asia/Pacific Rim

• First Class Package International Service® - December 9th
• Priority Mail International® Service - December 9th
• Priority Mail Express International® Service - December 16th

Australia/New Zealand

• First Class Package International Service® - December 9th
• Priority Mail International® Service - December 9th
• Priority Mail Express International® Service - December 16th

Canada

• First Class Package International Service® - December 9th
• Priority Mail International® Service - December 9th
• Priority Mail Express International® Service - December 16th

Caribbean

• First Class Package International Service® - December 9th
• Priority Mail International® Service - December 9th
• Priority Mail Express International® Service - December 16th

Central & South America

• First Class Package International Service® - December 2nd
• Priority Mail International® Service - December 2nd
• Priority Mail Express International® Service - December 9th

Europe

• First Class Package International Service® - December 9th
• Priority Mail International® Service - December 9th
• Priority Mail Express International® Service - December 16th

Mexico

• First Class Package International Service® - December 9th
• Priority Mail International® Service - December 9th
• Priority Mail Express International® Service - December 16th

Middle East

• First Class Package International Service® - December 9th
• Priority Mail International® Service - December 9th
• Priority Mail Express International® Service - December 16th

2024 Holiday Shipping Dates for Military Mail

Recommended send-by dates for expected delivery before December 25. 

USPS Ground Advantage® Service

• APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 090-092 - November 4th
• APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 093 - November 4th
• APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 094-099 - November 4th
• APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 340 - November 4th
• APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 962-966 - November 4th

First-Class Mail® Service

• APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 090-092 - December 9th
• APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 093 - December 9th
• APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 094-099 - December 9th
• APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 340 - December 9th
• APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 962-966 - December 9th

Priority Mail® Service

• APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 090-092 - December 9th
• APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 093 - December 9th
• APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 094-099 - December 9th
• APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 340 - December 9th
• APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 962-966 - December 9th

Priority Mail Express Military® Service (PMEMS)

• APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 090-092 - December 16th
• APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 093 - N/A
• APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 094-099 - December 16th
• APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 340 - December 16th
• APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 962-966 - December 16th

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us directly through the chat box on our website or at hello@VESYL.com.

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Click here for the UPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines.

From the moment a customer places an order, their post-purchase experience can only be as good as the efficiency of your fulfillment operations.

Enter VESYL.

Designed for both casual shippers and businesses with more complex shipping needs, VESYL streamlines the shipping process to get more packages out the door in less time, with reduced costs. In this article, we’re diving into how you can leverage automations with VESYL for more efficient fulfillment operations.

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The Importance Of Efficient Fulfillment Operations

As mentioned above, efficient fulfillment operations are the backbone of a successful e-commerce business and brand. It not only contributes to a heightened customer experience, but also plays a pivotal role in building brand loyalty. With the rise of fast-paced consumer expectations, businesses that prioritize and invest in efficient fulfillment operations not only meet their customer demands, but also reduce operational costs, enhance scalability, and ultimately position themselves for sustainable growth,

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Common Challenges in Fulfillment Operations

Fulfillment, done well, runs like a well oiled machine. However, it’s made up of a number of moving parts and this is where some of the challenges lie. From inventory discrepancies and order inaccuracies to the complexities of managing multiple sales channels, these hurdles can impact customer satisfaction and brand reputation. Not to mention the increasing demand for quick shipping and real-time tracking adds another layer of complexity. Some other challenges include:

• Shipping errors
• Slow delivery times
• International shipping
• Disorganized returns
• Customer service issues

If the above leaves you feeling deflated, keep reading. 

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Leveraging VESYL For More Efficient Fulfillment Operations

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Store Automations

VESYL connects to all major e-commerce platforms including Shopify, eBay, WooCommerce, Etsy and more. This allows you to easily import and manage orders from one or multiple platforms, allowing management of orders all in one place.

With all orders now in one place, you can automate your shipping processes working top down. Setting automation rules speeds up the process by reducing the need to select and fill information on individual orders. Brands can use product SKU’s and pre-selected shipping to trigger automation rules to preset shipping speeds, carriers and rates. A few examples of this are:

• Wooden Coffee Set - Select Large Box
• SKU TY9921 - Priority
• Orders + $1000 - Set Insurance

These pre-set automation triggers allow you to save time associated with having to process each order manually, and still enjoy cost savings. 

Alternatively, you can upload orders from a CSV and save your mappings as a preset. Then, next time you upload, the leg work is already done. 

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Quick Ship

It’s all in the name. For those with a smaller parcel volume or looking to create labels one at a time, there’s Quick Ship.

Quick Ship allows you to paste the customer address and quickly verifies that address to ensure no errors. This automated address verification process reduces the risk of any delays due to an incorrect address and cuts the costs otherwise associated with address correction fees and shipment returns. 

Once the address is filled out and verified, VESYL has the option of manually filling out package dimensions and other options, or you can pre-define box and package types and sizes. In the boxes tab, you can “Add Box” to add your custom box or package dimensions and name them. Once saved, these options will show in the “box” drop down menu. By pre-defining your box sizes, this saves the groundwork and time of having to fill out frequently used box dimensions every single time.

With the above completed, click “Get Rates” for the most competitive shipping rates in real-time, across multiple carriers and services. This enables you to compare costs and make informed decisions for every shipment within seconds.

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Batch Shipping

Designed for businesses shipping multiple packages, Batch Shipping purchases and prints multiple labels, whether it’s 1 or 500 labels, all at once. Additionally, Batch Shipping generates the packing list and label for the fulfillment team to easily pick, pack and ship the orders. The tracking number and information is then sent back to the e-commerce platform which, depending on how the store has email automations set up, will trigger an email to the end customer communicating the shipping information. This feature combined with VESYL’s integrations automates and streamlines the fulfillment process while still providing discounted shipping rates, reducing time, costs and minimizing the risk of errors. 

Shipping more than 500 pieces a day? Our team is dedicated to delivering concrete results as not only a service provider, but also your strategic partner. Enjoy a VESYL shipping evaluation on the house.

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Customized Reporting

It’s no secret that clear reporting and analyzing is key to success and sustained business growth. With VESYL, the reporting tab provides a variety of reporting options from different time periods and report types such as shipment, payment log, tracking etc. The ability to refine the report to the information you need, saves time and, analyzed correctly, can help to further reduce costs. 

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In Summary

Every VESYL feature has been meticulously designed to save shippers both time and money, from pre-defining frequently used boxes, pre-set automation triggers, easy integrations with major e-commerce platforms and partners, Batch Shipping and more. Not to mention, with our outcome-focused and expert team, we are constantly adding more features and integrations to shake up your shipping. 

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Need an integration we don’t currently have? Just let us know!

In the fast-paced world of e-commerce, efficiency is a necessity for brands of all types and sizes. From streamlining the shopping experience to optimizing logistics, every aspect of e-commerce hinges on the ability to do more with less. 

Enter QR codes.

The unassuming squares of black and white pixels that are quietly transforming the landscape of online shopping.

What are QR Codes?

QR codes, short for Quick Response codes, have been around for decades. However, their potential in e-commerce has only recently been fully realized. These two-dimensional barcodes encode information that can be quickly and easily scanned and processed by smartphones.

How Are QR Codes Revolutionizing E-commerce Efficiency?

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Providing Seamless Shopping Experiences

One of the most significant ways QR codes are improving e-commerce efficiency is by streamlining the shopping experience for customers. Traditionally, online shoppers faced long checkout processes, especially when it came to entering shipping and payment details manually, resulting in a high number of abandoned carts. However, with QR codes, these steps can be simplified significantly. By scanning a QR code at checkout, customers can instantly access their account information, eliminating the need for tedious data entry and reducing the risk of errors.

Moreover, QR codes are being integrated into product packaging to provide shoppers with instant access to additional information. Whether it's product specifications, user reviews, or instructional videos, scanning a QR code allows customers to make more informed purchasing decisions without having to search for information manually. This allows costumers to have all of the information at their fingertips to make a fully informed decision. This also fosters customer trust, especially in industries where counterfeit products are an issue.

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Optimizing Logistics

Beyond improving the shopping experience, QR codes are also revolutionizing the logistics of e-commerce. For inventory management, QR codes have become an invaluable tool for quick and simple real-time inventory information such as stock levels, restocking requirements and warehouse locations. This reduces the risk of both over and under stocking allowing brands to better prepare for customer demands.

Another area where they are making a significant impact is in shipping and delivery processes. Traditionally, shipping labels had to be printed and affixed to packages manually, consuming time and resources. However, with QR codes, this task becomes as simple as a scan.

Many e-commerce platforms now offer QR code-based shipping labels, allowing merchants to generate labels digitally and attach them to packages with ease. This not only saves time and reduces costs but also minimizes the risk of errors associated with manual data entry. With this, customers can now track their orders at every step of the way allowing shoppers to know exactly when to expect their package, as opposed to the 5 hour delivery windows often given. 

QR Codes are also proving their value when it comes to returns. Instead of having to ask customers to print labels and deal with printers, brands can send return labels directly to customers via QR codes. Removing the need for printers, customers can then take the package to the local drop off where the QR code is scanned on their phone, and the label is correctly printed and attached by the carrier.

VESYL provides the option for shippers to print their labels or download them as QR codes. This is not only a great option for streamlining returns, but also eliminates the time associated with printing and attaching labels to packages. Learn more about our shipping software or book a quick demo with us.

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Enhanced Marketing Opportunities

In addition to their operational benefits, QR codes also present exciting marketing opportunities for e-commerce businesses. By incorporating QR codes into materials, such as advertisements, flyers, or product packaging, brands can engage customers in interactive experiences.

For example, scanning a QR code might lead customers to exclusive discounts, promotional offers, or interactive content, fostering brand loyalty and driving conversions. Moreover, QR codes can be used to gather valuable data about customer behavior and preferences, enabling brands to tailor their marketing strategies more effectively.

Once customers have received their order, QR codes are an effective way to encourage customers to share their feedback and product reviews. 

Looking Ahead

From simplifying checkout processes to optimizing logistics and enhancing marketing efforts, QR codes offer a vast range of benefits for both stores and customers alike. By embracing this technology, e-commerce businesses can stay ahead of demands and deliver exceptional shopping experiences in an increasingly competitive landscape.

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