What a cutoff time is
Every carrier drop-off location and pickup route has a last time it collects packages for the day. A package that misses it leaves on the next business day, so an overnight label bought today arrives one business day later.
Cutoff times are different at each location. A store inside a mall can close its counter hours before a carrier hub near the airport.
How to make tonight's cutoff
- Compare rates and buy the label early in the day in VinShips.
- Find the latest drop-off time at the location you plan to use. The location finders on ups.com and fedex.com list it for each store and drop box.
- If the carrier picks up from you, schedule the pickup with the carrier before its pickup cutoff.
- Hand the package over before that time and keep the receipt. The first carrier scan shows it is on its way.
Weekends
Overnight services deliver on the next business day. A package shipped on Friday usually arrives on Monday, unless the carrier offers weekend delivery for that service and address.
The estimated arrival date on the VinShips rates page skips Saturday and Sunday.
Carrier holidays
UPS and FedEx do not pick up or deliver on these U.S. holidays:
- New Year's Day
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
Around some other holidays, such as the day after Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve, carriers run a modified schedule. A package shipped the business day before a holiday arrives the business day after it.
The estimated arrival date on the VinShips rates page does not account for holidays. Check the carrier's holiday schedule before you ship close to one.
If a package is late
Track the package first: the carrier scans show where it is and any delay notice. Late deliveries and money-back guarantees are covered in our Refund & Cancellation Policy.