How to holiday shop at the last minute ahead of Christmas

Delivery delays on account of high demand, sold-out merchandise, empty shelves, hefty shipping fees, threat of inflation, are some of the many complications working against most of us worldwide when shopping last minute during this holiday season.

And despite warnings to shop early because of pandemic-related delays, some of us didn't prioritise holiday shopping in October and November. But all hope isn't lost. Here's what to do if you still have gifts left to purchase this month.

Keep checking back with retailers – both online and in stores – over the next few weeks, and you could be pleasantly surprised.

“Typically retailers get multiple deliveries in throughout a holiday season, so even if something is sold out earlier in the season, there's always a chance that it could come back in stock in December,” said Katherine Cullen, senior director of industry and consumer insights for US-based NRF, the world's largest retail trade association.

And remember all of those deliveries that were supposed to arrive weeks ago? Well, they may finally make their way onto your country – and onto store shelves in the weeks ahead.

“With some of these delays that are impacting retailers at ports, we need to consider those holiday shipments they've scheduled for November. Maybe they'll be coming in December,” Cullen added.

Besides physically visiting stores or manually checking websites for product availability, you can also let technology do the work for you. On many retail sites, you can enter your email address and sign up to be notified when a particular item comes back in stock.

Once you find something you want to buy, make sure you'll get it in time for holiday gatherings. If you're unsure if something will arrive when you need it, Cullen recommended checking a retailer's website and social media accounts, or calling your local store.

Cullen says retailers typically advertise order-by deadlines on their websites. These are the last days to order if you want your online purchases to come by Christmas. If you pass the deadline, you may have to pay extra for expedited shipping. Or, you could miss Christmas delivery altogether.

Most courier services have already announced its holiday shipping deadlines. In most countries, December 15 is the cut-off for retail ground shipping for deliveries before Christmas. You can expect major retailers to advertise a similar date worldwide.

Sometimes, specific products are backordered or have shipping estimates that differ from the overall website. Always pay attention to notes about the product as well as the estimated delivery date when you're navigating the online checkout process.

If you don't want to cut it too close, you could always shop in person at a small business in your area instead. And if something you ordered doesn't arrive when expected, consider taking a picture of the gift and giving that as a place holder for the forthcoming physical product.

While gift cards aren't the most personal gift, they may be the most practical gift of 2021. If there's any year to give a gift card, it’s this year, opine retail and other matter experts.

Gift cards allow for digital delivery, which can circumvent shipping logistics completely. And there's little to no risk of a gift card being out of stock.

But while gift cards and certificates will be less of a headache for the gift giver, they could present limitations for the recipient – particularly if empty shelves persist into January. Those you give gift cards to might have to hang onto them for a while before cashing them in.

Consumers are going to have to be patient in terms of redeeming their gift cards, experts further reiterate.

It's easy to go overboard on gifts for the holidays, but the result could be a drained bank account and an overstuffed gift bin come January.

It's hard to resist the holiday messaging to buy gifts – and lots of them – to make the season brighter and more fulfilling.

However, delivery delays may make this year's shopping stressful. Delays aside, going overboard on gifts could create budget stress and unintentionally set unrealistic expectations for years to come, experts evaluate.

This year's added pressures could offer many a chance to rethink their holiday shopping and budget strategies.

These four tips from budgeting experts can help you cut through the noise and find what works for you and your family.

A budget is crucial to keeping spending in check. If you're struggling to figure out a realistic holiday budget, review previous years' spending.

“You can literally pull up your credit card statements from last November and December if you want to get a general sense of where your money went,” said Andrea Woroch, a US-based money-saving expert. Contemplate whether you want to repeat that spending pattern or if it left you stressed when January rolled around.

Budgets change from year to year. “Things can change in a year dramatically,'” Woroch added. “Did you have another kid? Did you get divorced or married, bought a house, get a new job, lost your job? Whatever it is, you kind of have to reassess based on your current situation.”

Things get lost in overflowing boxes. Taking inventory of what you already have is a great way to figure out what you need and an opportunity to set aside items you don’t.

Items in good condition can be donated or sold in online marketplaces to others looking to catch a deal.

Gifts bought weeks or even months ago may have fallen off your radar – especially if you've hidden them well. Before hitting the stores, make a list of previous purchases.

“If you're not writing down what you bought, you're going to forget what you had,” said Woroch, who suggests using an app called Santa's Bag – although a note on your phone or old-fashioned pen and paper can work just as well. Tracking purchases throughout the season can help prevent overspending.

“Something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to read,” is a popular phrase, and for good reason: It sets parameters on gift-giving and works no matter who it is.

Another strategy is buying fewer gifts and focusing on what supports the person’s wider development, which is especially important. Kathryn Humphreys, a US-based professor of Psychology and Human Development, suggests finding items that allow collaboration and open-ended communication.

“Fewer well-selected items is likely better than a large number of gifts that would be difficult for anyone, especially children, to keep track of through a busy day of present opening,” Humphreys wrote. “I find with my own kids that anything over two to three presents is quickly forgotten given that Christmas is already quite exciting.”