Australia Post and Toll Group workers are pushing to deliver South Aussies’ parcels this Christmas

With South Australia recording a 40 per cent increase in online shopping orders for the first three weeks of December, posties are pushing hard to deliver this Christmas.

Toll courier drivers Pritpal Singh and Stacey Huddleston at the Toll Adelaide Airport dispatch centre. Toll SA have noticed a massive rise in air freight orders this year. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

Couriers are seeing record numbers of online orders due to the pandemic in South Australia this year, with employees working around the clock to ensure people’s parcels are at their doors by Christmas.

An Australia Post spokesman said they received a record number of parcel orders in November, as they attempt to deliver about 13 million parcels every week in December across the country.

“Online shopping was up 42.2 pre cent in South Australia in the first three weeks of December compared to 2019, while nationally it was up 37.7 per cent,” the spokesman said.

“The last posting dates for parcel post and express post for delivery by Christmas were 12 and 19 December respectively, and we began promoting these dates in September to encourage people to get in early and have plenty of time to plan.

Australia Post has hired an additional 5000 people across the country recently, and delivery drivers will work to deliver all parcels to those who ordered in time.

“We will continue to deliver right up until Christmas Eve, including twilight deliveries up until 8pm when and where we need to.”

People seemed to be buying online Christmas presents early this year in SA, with the Cyber Weekend sales, including Black Friday and Cyber Monday from November 27-30, recording a 58 per cent year on year increase.

Toll Group freight parcel delivery has also observed record numbers of orders this year, Bill Rolf, general manager for express parcels for Toll Group said.

“Toll Group is seeing record volumes across its air network and is delivering six days a week to help ensure everyone gets their gifts in time for Christmas.”