Australia Post is gearing up for an even busier festive season with a significant change to its delivery services, just in time for the Black Friday rush. As online shopping continues to soar, especially during this period of massive sales, the postal service is adjusting to ensure parcels arrive safely and on time. But what exactly is changing, and how can you make sure your holiday shopping arrives without a hitch?
Weekend Deliveries to Handle the Christmas Rush
This year, Australia Post will reintroduce weekend deliveries across metro areas and select regional locations, aiming to ease the burden of the holiday season. This service will run from this Saturday through Christmas, depending on the volume of parcels to be delivered. With so many packages expected to flood the system, this change is part of the effort to keep everything flowing smoothly. Gary Starr, the Executive General Manager of Parcel, Post, and eCommerce Services at Australia Post, stated that this addition was essential to maintaining the huge surge in demand, reports Sky News.
And it’s not just about speed; it’s about giving Aussies more flexibility during the busiest time of the year. Weekend deliveries are a small but significant shift to help manage the chaos that typically accompanies holiday shipping. The change will cover all the major metro capitals and extend to select regional towns. Australia Post is hoping that this extra effort will ensure people don’t have to deal with the stress of delayed deliveries come Christmas Eve.
Australia Post Boosting Capacity: More Staff and Extended Services
In addition to weekend deliveries, Australia Post is bringing in thousands of extra team members to handle the expected increase in parcel volumes. Last year, they delivered a staggering 103 million parcels over the Black Friday sales period alone. And this year? They’re planning to go even bigger. To make collection even easier, they’re also expanding self-service Parcel Lockers and extending Post Office trading hours. These efforts are designed to reduce the pressure on local post offices, making it easier for people to pick up their parcels at a time that works best for them.
Key Dates to Keep in Mind
So, how can you make sure your parcels arrive in time for Christmas? Australia Post has provided some crucial cut-off dates. If you’re sending items within the same state, the deadline for posting is Monday, December 22. For interstate deliveries, aim to send by Friday, December 19. Of course, if you’re using Express Post, you’ll need to send your parcels by Tuesday, December 23. A little last-minute scrambling might still get your gifts to their destinations—just remember that for those items, you’ll need to get them into the system by 2:30 pm for Parcel Post items lodged over the counter.
For those living in more remote areas like Western Australia, Northern Territory, or Tasmania, it’s wise to allow a few extra days for deliveries. And if you’re sending international parcels, bear in mind that they may take a bit longer, especially if they’re traveling from South Australia, Tasmania, or the NT. International parcels tend to travel interstate before they leave the country, which can add a few extra days to their journey.
What Does This Mean for Online Shoppers?
As Black Friday and Cyber Monday draw near, many Australians will be rushing to snap up deals. With shopping habits shifting more towards online purchases, delivery services like Australia Post are under the microscope more than ever. So, if you’re planning to send or receive parcels, it’s crucial to stay on top of these dates and make sure you’re not left scrambling at the last minute.
By expanding their services and offering weekend deliveries, Australia Post is hoping to make the holiday season a little less stressful for everyone. Whether you’re sending gifts across the country or eagerly waiting for a package, it’s clear that they’re doing everything they can to ensure smoother, quicker deliveries during one of the busiest times of the year.
