Big tech giants’ late delivery might actually save Christmas
Later delivery times from tech giants could win them big business this year as shoppers feel the pinch as they pick up last minute Christmas gifts.
Technology companies may provide a saving grace for last-minute Christmas shoppers this year, with eCommerce giants being able to get out parcels faster and later than the likes of Australia Post.
Many tech companies have resorted to bringing on extra staff over the Christmas months to help pack and ship orders, allowing last-minute deadlines that allow customers to purchase gifts just days before the holiday and still arrive on time.
Australia Post has set its cut off date December 18 for regular post unless you live in Western Australia where it's the 15th or the Northern Territory where it is shortened again to the 14th.
When it comes to express post, West Australia and the Northern Territory have cut-offs on December 20 while everywhere else has up until the 21st.
For US tech giant Amazon, the deadline for Prime customers is Friday, December 22, if you live in either Sydney, Wollongong, Newcastle, Gosford, Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Bendigo, Toowoomba, Perth, Adelaide or Canberra.
However, for those without its Prime service – which includes its Prime Video streaming service, ad-free podcasts and free shipping and one-day delivery on select itmes – delivery times match that of Australia Post.
But Siddarth Yadwad, Amazon’s general manager of fulfilment centre operations still urged people to buy their Christmas presents early.
“While Amazon’s estimated shipping cut off dates aim to allow shoppers to grab any final buys, it doesn’t mean customers should leave their shopping until the last minute,” Mr Yadwad said.
“Customers can shop now to take advantage of great deals and receive their orders by Christmas.”
For Ebay, a spokeswoman provided the same cut-offs as Australia Post but advised that customers should check how long it takes a company to package an item before send off. “Keep in mind that sellers need to pick and pack your item before it can be sent to you. Information on a seller’s handling time can also be found under Postage and Payments on the listing,” she said.
Meanwhile, Sendle managing director Laura Hill said its cut-off for delivers to interstate were December 14 while same city deliveries in metro areas had a December 19 cut-off.
“With record numbers of Aussie consumers now shopping online, we’re predicting a spike of up to 25 per cent in parcel volumes in over the Q4 peak season. We know that roughly 90 per cent of the year’s best-selling days in e-commerce occur during this period,” she said.
For those still seeking ideas on what to buy a partner, family member or friend, The Australian has also compiled a list of five gifts that it has put to the test and believes are sure to impress anyone this Christmas.
Google Pixel Buds A-Series
$159
These are the buds you’d want to buy your dad. We’ve been playing around with a pair of these for near two years, and the one thing we can honestly say is that we’ve never found a device that they can’t connect to. Kudos to Google for also really having nailed the design, building buds that don’t sit outside the ear, which prevents them from falling out when removing a helmet or even after a small bump. Adding to that, they’re built for people who play sport or undertake rigorous activities, with a design which requires the user to twist them in. The last reason your dad will love them is thanks to adaptive sound, a feature when turned on can increase the volume enough to cover when the noise around him gets louder. While they do work with Google Assistant, that can be turned off.
Amazon Fire TV Cube
$219
Streaming devices are plentiful nowadays, and the prices vary wildly; on one end of the spectrum, you can get something to plug in that’ll cost you less than $50 and for the most part do a really good job. But for those who want the best quality and the fastest stream, this is the device for you. The Fire TV Cube is Wi-Fi 6E compatible but also has an ethernet port allowing a direct connection without the issues many face with Wi-Fi connection. For those with old video, DVD and Blu-ray players, there is a HDMI in (as well as out, of course), allowing you to use those old devices through a single connection to the TV. Being able to Alexa on demand to switch the TV on or turn on caption is great, as is the device being able to turn your TV as well as itself off.
Apple HomePod
$479
Ever wanted a soundbar that wasn’t unbearably long and took up too much space on the TV Cabinet? This is it. Apple’s new generation HomePod is built for those who love a device with more than one job. When paired with AppleTV it can double as a soundbar and play all sound through your TV and when the TV’s not in use it just works as a really nice speaker. When you’re racking your brain to answer something, you can ask it questions via Siri and when you’re not at home, the device can notify you of any dangers as with a built-in microphone that can recognise smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and notify a user’s iPhone.
Motorola Razr 40 Ultra
$1499
This is the kind of gift you buy for those who have been hanging onto their old phones for the last several years and could really do with an upgrade. Remember the Motorola Razr? It’s back in all its glory and more, now existing as a foldable smartphone with a 6.9-inch touch screen. The device is light (188.5 grams), folds up to a reasonable size that doesn’t stick out too much in a handbag or pocket and packs some pretty powerful features including a 32-megapixel front camera and a 12-megapixel exterior camera. If you’ve been tempted to return to a flip phone, you’ll certainly not be disappointed with this.
Samsung OLED S95C TV
$3999
How much do you love the person you’re buying this for? If the answer is a lot, and maybe they’ve spent the last decade with a TV that’s almost as bulky as the fridge, then this is one to consider. This is the smartest TV The Australian has ever used. What’s to love? Intelligent power and lighting modes which adjusts based on the light in your room allows you to watch a little Netflix before bed without a headache. The dad perk here is that he’ll never have to buy batteries for the remote, as this one’s solar charged and has a USB-C port to top it up. And those with Samsung phones can mirror what is being displayed on the TV, which means when the crickets on over the summer, and you’re stuck on BBQ duties, you won’t miss a thing and hopefully not burn a snag.
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