Tips For Holiday Shipping Success

Holiday shipping doesn’t have to be a hassle! Use our holiday shipping success tips to ensure your season is merry and bright.

1. Prepare your shipments early

Our branches (and those of every shipping provider!) become busier during the holidays. Here are some great tips for holiday shipping success.

Dropping off packages earlier in the day can help you avoid crowds. Make sure all labels are easily readable and that your packaging is in good condition and is the right size for your items. Read more about our packaging and labeling tips to ensure your shipments get where they need to go.

If you have a high volume of shipments we recommend dropping off shipments at least 2-3 hours before a branch closes. With the increased volumes during this busy time, this will help our teams process your shipments quickly.

If you’re a Chit Chats client, remember to create batches when dropping off multiple shipments. We’d also recommend connecting your eBay, Etsy, ShipStation, WooCommerce, Adobe or Shopify stores with your Chit Chats account to make creating new shipments easier. If you have BigCommerce, or Squarespace contact our support team as we are currently testing this feature with select clients.

We provide three different methods for getting your packages to us. Drop them off at one of our over 70 locations across Canada, have them picked up from your door, or mail them to us. If you are interested in Chit Chats pickups submit a request with your address for eligibility.

2. Stock up on Shipping Supplies

Is there anything more frustrating about preparing shipments than realizing you’ve run out of the supplies to pack them in? Don’t let it happen to you! Make sure to secure your favourite mailers, envelopes and other packing materials well in advance of your holiday sales rush.

Chit Chats Supplies is the perfect place to find great discounts on a variety of items that will keep your shipments safe during transit. Easily place an order online for delivery to your door or to pick up from your nearest branch.

Avoid the disappointment of seeing your favourite items out of stock; plan to buy your supplies early.

3.Compliance: Don’t ship your cookies

Holidays usually mean an abundance of chocolate, cookies and candy, but remember that most carriers will have tight restrictions on shipping food. Plus, finding out the hard way can cost you precious shipping time on your orders!

Food of any kind cannot be shipped with Chit Chats when shipping to the U.S. or internationally.

Need a refresher on what can and cannot be shipped? Review about prohibited items and the Shipment Compliance Declaration.

4. Consider opting for insurance

An influx of orders is always fantastic, but higher shipping volumes can also lead to more opportunities for unexpected shipping updates. Prior to shipping any of your packages, consider purchasing Chit Chat Insurance or opting for a postage option that includes some coverage from the carrier. Depending on the insurance coverage for your shipment, you will be compensated for the value of the eligible shipment should a package go missing or arrive damaged. 

During the holidays, the possibility of items arriving damaged or getting lost in transit can be slightly higher than the rest of the year. Come January, stores will be fielding requests for refunds for undelivered packages. Purchasing insurance is an extra layer of protection and peace of mind for sellers who cannot afford to pay out for circumstances beyond their control. 

It is also important to communicate that this time of the year is typically associated with longer delivery times. Chit Chats Insurance does not cover shipping delays, so while the standard waiting period for filing claims may have already elapsed, consider waiting an extra 14 days before filing a claim. This will help give your shipment more time for delivery in case there is an extended delay. Please note that in the event that your package is delivered while the insurer is reviewing your claim, it may not be honored. 

5. Think Ahead About Returns

Sometimes that gifted pair of shoes just didn’t fit quite right and now your customer is looking to you for how they can return them. Reviewing your return policy before the returns come rolling in can save a lot of headache in the come down from the holidays.

Chit Chats return labels are available for many of our popular postage types so you can set your returns to autopilot. This flexible solution gives you the option to send you customers a ready-to-use and fully tracked return label should they need to use it, simplifying your returns strategy.

6. Know your holiday shipping deadlines

Get your shipments in before the holiday carrier deadlines. We’ll be posting updates as we receive them from our partners.

The coming months will be busy for everyone but with a little organization and Chit Chats to help, it can be the best holiday season yet!

Monitor our blog so that you can keep abreast of any service delays or important updates that may impact you.

As always, if you have any questions, contact us or dive into our Help & Support to find useful resources for making the most of our services.