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Oops, I Forgot to Shop! Am I Doomed?
If you're like me, you notice great gift ideas while surfing the web in April. Then one day you realize it's already December. In fact, it's a week before Christmas and you forgot to order anything.
Is it too late? Do you really have to brave the crowds at the mall? Of course not! This is America!
Amazon.com will guarantee shipping, but you have to shell out the bucks. No more Super-saver shipping.
-For Two-Day Shipping, order as late as 3 p.m. PST (time varies by item) on Thursday, December 20.
-For One-Day Shipping, order as late as 1 p.m. PST (time varies by item) on Saturday, December 22.
Other ways to guarantee your Amazon order will arrive on time:
1. Avoid third party sellers
2. Check availability before adding an item to your cart. It will tell you how soon Amazon can send it out.
3. When you order, the default for shipping is "Group my items into as few shipments as possible." Some items may hold up delivery of others. Change it to "send items as they become available".
4. If worse comes to worse, Amazon can send gift certificates by email.
More last-minute shopping ideas after the jump!
Target has this handy chart to make sure your packages arrive on time.
Sponsored message
Toys R Us Guarantees packages by Christmas Eve if you check the item's availability and follow this timeline:
-Dec 19 Use Second Day Shipping only on items with a 2 - 3 day availability
-Dec 20 Last day to order (by Noon EST) using Second Day Shipping only on items with a 2 - 3 day availability
-Dec 21 Last day to order (by Noon EST) using Next Day Shipping only on items with a 2 - 3 day availability
If you want to send someone out of town a nice gift basket:
Today is the last day for 2-day delivery by Harry and David. Overnight delivery is available until the 22nd. You can still get your Moose Munch.
You have until noon today to guarantee timely arrival of Recchiuti Chocolates. They are expensive, but worth it. I recommend the Black Box, because it contains my personal obsession - star anise-pink peppercorn.
Probably the greatest lifesaver for last-minute shoppers are the gift cards sold at the grocery store, many of which are open 24-hours. Grab one of those baskets from the floral department, grab an appropriate card and go to town. Popcorn, Milk Duds, and a video rental card. Fill a Pyrex measuring cup with cooking gadgets and a cooking store or grocery card. They even sell books and small electronics at the grocery store now. A popular cookbook right now is "Not Your Mother's Crockpot Cookbook." Or be a big spender and buy a crockpot too! Just avoid those homemade "coupon books" for massages and carwashes. We're on to those.
Photo by ktpupp via Flickr
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