Holiday Shopping Mistakes That Could Delay Your Delivery (And How to Avoid Them)
The holiday season moves fast, and so do shipping deadlines. Whether you're sending gifts to loved ones worldwide or stocking up on festive essentials, even small shopping mistakes can cause significant delivery delays. To keep your packages on track, here's a simple guide to the most common pitfalls and how MyUS helps you avoid them.
Wait Too Long to Start Shopping
Holiday inventory moves quickly, and retailers often sell out of popular products earlier than shoppers expect. Carriers also face extreme seasonal volume, which means every priority shipment may take longer than usual.
How to Avoid It
- Start your holiday shopping early (ideally before December)
- Check MyUS holiday shipping deadlines to know when to submit your Ship Requests
- Use MyUS Buying Assistant to secure limited-stock items faster
Not Checking International Shipping Restrictions
Every country has rules about what can and cannot enter its borders, especially during the holiday season when customs offices are busy. Items like perfume, certain electronics, batteries, supplements, and food products may be restricted or require additional paperwork.
How MyUS Helps
- Members get access to country-specific alerts before making a purchase
- MyUS lists Restricted & Prohibited Items for members to review
- Our team reviews and flags prohibited items at the warehouse to prevent unexpected holds.
Using Retailers That Don't Ship Internationally
Some retailers do not offer international shipping or may require a US or UK billing address. This causes many shoppers to place orders that later get cancelled or get stuck in checkout loops.
A Fast Fix with MyUS
MyUS provides US and UK shipping addresses so you can shop with almost any retailer, even if they do not ship internationally. Our addresses allow you to:
- Access exclusive sales
- Shop from US- and UK-only brands
- Consolidate your orders into one cost-saving shipment
Choosing Slow or Economy Shipping at Checkout
Retailers often offer discounted or "free" economy shipping, but during peak season, these methods can be extremely slow. While the savings may seem appealing up front, the extra delivery time to your MyUS suite may push you past international shipping deadlines.
Smart Strategy
- Opt for standard or expedited domestic shipping to your MyUS address
- Once everything arrives, you can consolidate and pick the fastest international service from MyUS
Forgetting to Verify Product Dimensions & Weight
Oversized items, like larger toys, cookware, gaming chairs, and décor pieces, may require special handling. These items may not qualify for every shipping method and can take extra time to process or route through carriers.
How to Stay On-Time
- Check product dimensions on retailer websites before purchasing
- Use the MyUS Shipping Calculator for accurate estimates
- If an item is oversized. Ship it separately rather than waiting for a consolidation
Not Submitting Your Ship Request in Time
One of the most common holiday-season mistakes is forgetting to submit a Ship Request after your packages arrive at the MyUS warehouse. Packages will remain stored until you approve them for shipping, which can unintentionally cause you to miss a key holiday cutoff.
How MyUS Solves This
- MyUS sends email notifications when packages arrive
- Members can auto-ship, schedule shipments, or manually submit a request with one click
Always submit your Ship Requests before 3 PM EST on carrier cutoff dates to maximize your chance of on-time delivery.
Overlooking Customs Documentation Requirements
Incorrect descriptions, missing values, or vague product details can lead to customs delays that stretch for days or even weeks. Customs agencies require precise documentation to clear goods efficiently, and mistakes often result in inspections or temporary holds.
MyUS Advantage
MyUS simplifies customs paperwork by generating or requesting:
- Invocies
- Itemized contents
- Require documentation for your destination
Our team double-checks for accuracy before your package ships.
Ignoring Weather & Peak Season Carrier Delays
Winter weather can disrupt flights, trucking routes, and sorting facilities, causing slowdowns. Even in regions without snow, overall holiday demand increases transit time for all carriers.
Best Practices
- Build in buffer time (3-5 days)
- Choose faster services earlier in December
- Track your packages through the MyUS dashboard for real-time updates
Ordering Personalized Gifts Too Late
Customized gifts, such as monogrammed items, engraved jewelry, or photo books, usually require extended production time before they ship. During the holidays, these production windows get longer due to increased demand.
Holiday Tip
Order personalized items by early December to avoid production bottlenecks.
How MyUS Helps You Avoid Delays
MyUS helps streamline your entire shopping and shipping process so you can shop globally without worry.
With MyUS, You Get:
- Fast processing of incoming packages
- Free package consolidation to save on shipping costs
- US & UK shipping addresses for global shopping
- Discounted carrier rates
- Expert customs assistance
- Buying Assistant to help you secure hard-to-find gifts
You shop. We ship. Your loved ones receive their gifts on time — wherever they are in the world.
Shop Smart & Ship Early
Holiday shopping doesn’t have to be stressful. By avoiding these common mistakes and taking advantage of MyUS member benefits, you can guarantee smoother, faster delivery all season long.
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Shop your favorite stores and ship worldwide with MyUS today!
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We always aim to bring our members the best shopping options available, but some of the products featured in this post may have purchase restrictions. Please visit the merchant's terms of sale, shipping guidelines, and terms and conditions to find more information.