Last-minute Christmas gift shopping? Your guide to Christmas Eve hours, deadlines and shortages
Christmas is, well, here. And yes, you're a bit late if you're still looking now.
But while time is of the essence, it's still possible to get some gifts to your loved ones, even as your options will be limited in a shopping season of shortages and shipping delays.
If you are celebrating in-person with family, one of the most affordable options will be to pick up the gifts using curbside pickup or to venture into stores that are expected to be both busy and picked over.
There's an unorthodox option if you're not celebrating together. Now this might feel awkward and should probably be reserved for the closest of family or friends who would be game. You could consider asking your close friend or family to pick up the gifts you order for them at the nearby Target, Best Buy or Kohl's with curbside pickup (and then beg them to wrap the gifts on your behalf).
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Or, on the less do-it-yourself end, most major retailers also are offering same-day delivery with on-demand companies including Instacart, Shipt, DoorDash, Uber and Roadie.
But the good tidings of super-fast delivery can have a downside. You may have to pay extra to get your late orders delivered on Christmas Eve.
Marc Gorlin, founder and CEO of Roadie, a crowdsourced delivery platform for same-day and urgent deliveries, told Paste BN that retailers are seeing more in-store shoppers than in 2020.
“But the pandemic has permanently changed consumer behavior, with more people shopping online – especially with the new omicron variant injecting uncertainty into this year’s holiday season,” Gorlin said.
Christmas Eve store hours
Check out Paste BN's Christmas Eve store hour roundups. Here's when major retailers are open and here's when grocery stores will close Friday.
Shopping last-last-minute on Christmas Day? Here's the list of what stores are open on the holiday and which are closed. Hungry? Here are the restaurants open.
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Check inventory before going to stores
Cut down on time in the store by mapping out your last-minute purchases. Use store websites and apps to see what is available and to find where in the store the products are located.
Google Shopping also allows shoppers to check in-store inventory from home. Find local stores that carry the products you are looking for from Google Shopping and select the “in stock” filter to see only the nearby stores that have it on their shelves.
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In-stock alerts mean act fast, especially with COVID tests
Signing up for in-stock alerts and notifications is typically easier to do from retailer apps than websites.
It's how I scored the very in-demand COVID-19 rapid tests Wednesday at Target and how I've scored many holiday gifts including an iPad.
But once you get the alert, you'll need to act fast as supplies will go fast and it can take multiple attempts.
And since I last offered this suggestion when shopping for shortage items, I've been testing out the Hot Stock app on my iPhone. The app is free but there’s an option to pay $5.49 to receive notifications for up to 10 products. With the free version, I've received notifications when the PS5 returned in stock before quickly selling out.
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Amazon, Walmart, Target deadlines for same-day Christmas Eve orders
For Christmas Eve orders, experts advise that consumers place orders early in the day and realize that delivery times can depend on the availability of store employees and paid shoppers who round up orders.
Target is offering same-day Christmas Eve delivery through Shipt on orders placed on the Target app or website with a final delivery window of 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Target’s Christmas Eve orders for Drive Up curbside or in-store order pickup need to be placed by 6 p.m. local time and then picked up before stores close at 8 p.m.
Walmart's cutoff to place orders for Christmas Eve express delivery in two hours or less is 1 p.m. local time. Curbside and pickup from store timeslots will be available through 4 p.m. local time.
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Amazon also has same-day delivery on Christmas Eve for eligible items, which is free for Prime members with orders $35 or more and $2.99 for orders under $35. Cutoff times vary, and Amazon says not all delivery speeds are available in all regions and for all products.
Gift card time
If everything you want to buy is sold out or won't arrive until well after Christmas, gift cards might be the best option. Year after year, they have been one of the most popular and requested holiday gifts.
According to the National Retail Federation's annual holiday survey, 46% of shoppers plan to buy gift cards, which is expected to total $28.1 billion in spending, the highest since $29.9 billion in 2018.
It's possible to buy gift cards online and at convenience stores that will be open Christmas Day as well as CVS and Walgreens.
Kristin McGrath, a shopping expert and editor at deal website RetailMeNot, also suggests looking at digital gifts.
“If you’re unable to get an item due to shipping delays or low inventory, then consider getting a digital gift like a subscription (HBO Max, Rent The Runway, Wine Club, etc.) or gifting an experience like tickets or travel,” McGrath said.
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After Christmas sales option for late gifts
There are legitimate reasons your gifts might be late this year, and if hope is lost for your gift arriving before the eggnog, you can apologize and keep shopping.
Although there has been less holiday merchandise available this year because of supply chain constraints, expect to find after-Christmas sales with markdowns starting Sunday while supplies last. Bath & Body Works also will begin its semi-annual sale with up to 75% off select items.
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Follow Paste BN reporter Kelly Tyko on Twitter: @KellyTyko. For shopping news, tips and deals, join us on our Shopping Ninjas Facebook group.