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Delays of up to a week have forced An Post to advance the latest publication dates before Christmas for e-commerce retailers.
The move comes when the company’s ability to process packages comes under severe pressure due to a large increase in demand.
In an email to commercial and retail clients this week, the company says the action is necessary “in the interest of meeting customer expectations.”
An Post says delivery before Christmas Day cannot be guaranteed for packages shipped by retailers after Monday, December 14.
It means that the latest dates for posting online orders are almost a week early.
One Post says it was an “extremely difficult” decision to make, adding that it knows retailers and online marketers will not be satisfied with it. But he explains to customers that he has no other choice and that he is making the switch so as not to disappoint consumers.
An Post has seen a 230% increase in package deliveries. During November, the company delivered 2.5 million packages each week, and expected them to increase to 3.5 million in the coming weeks.
The move will have an impact on online sales as people weigh up expected delivery times.
In a statement issued to RTÉ News, An Post said that the revised deadline applies only to its “largest e-commerce retailers and shippers and not ordinary customers shipping packages and packages for whom the latest recommended dates still apply. “.
Consumers are encouraged to send Christmas postcards to the US by Friday, December 11. Cards for Europe must be sent before December 17th and EU packages before December 17th.
For cards sent to the UK, the dispatch date to ensure card and package delivery in time for Christmas is 18 December.
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Commenting on the change in publication dates for online retailers and business clients, the company said: “We prefer to be candid so that these top online marketers can plan their operations and advise their clients accordingly.”
Garrett Bridgeman, general manager of mail and parcels with An Post, said there are no changes to the dates for ordinary customers who send cards and packages, or for those who have ordered items from small and medium-sized businesses.
Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One, Bridgeman said the company’s ability to process packages is under pressure due to a large increase in demand.
He said An Post currently processes three million packages per week, compared to one million packages per week last year.
For customers ordering online from a large retailer, Bridgeman said, “Our advice is to purchase by the 14th to ensure you have it by Christmas Day.
“Most likely, items purchased online after the 14th will probably be delivered before Christmas day, but we all know at Christmas that ‘probably’ is not good enough, especially for purchases you need for Christmas morning.” .
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