If you’re last-minute Christmas shopping, here are the best places that offer same-day delivery

February is supposed to be the shortest month, but that’s clearly not taking December into account. Before you know it, you’re halfway through the month with most of your shopping list still needing to be purchased.

Thankfully, you don’t have to go out and face the mad crush that is December shopping if you don’t want to. If you’re caught in the throes of last-minute shopping, there are plenty of retailers that not only offer next day delivery but can even deliver your items the very same day you order them, although you’ll need to make sure that you get your orders in before the Christmas shipping deadlines. If December is slipping by at a rate of knots, here are some of the best places that can offer same-day delivery.

Where to order last-minute tech gifts

Amazon

Amazon

Amazon offers same-day delivery for customers shipping to select ZIP codes, although there are some limitations. If you’re a Prime customer, it must be an order that’s eligible for same-day shipping, and you must be over the minimum qualified order amount that will be stated in your shopping cart. You’ll also need to order before same-day delivery order cut-off time that will be shown on the website. If you meet these criteria, same-day delivery is free. You can get a free trial of Prime that should see you through the holiday period if you’re not currently a Prime member.

If you’re a Prime customer, but your order is under the minimum qualified order amount as stated in your shopping cart, then you may be charged a fee of up to $2.99 per order. This doesn’t apply to Amazon gift cards, however; same-day shipping on Amazon gift cards for Prime members is always free. If you’re a non-Prime customer, you may be charged up to $9.99 per order for same-day delivery, although if you’re ordering Amazon gift cards, the maximum you’ll have to pay for same day delivery is $3.99 per gift card.

To find the products that are available with same-day delivery, check out the Same-Day Store on Amazon.

Target

If you’re ordering from Target, you can get some items with same-day delivery. The orders are delivered via the Shipt delivery service, which is owned by Target. In order to take advantage of the same-day delivery options, you can pay $9.99 at checkout, or alternatively, you can become a Shipt annual member for $99, after which you’ll get free same-day delivery. The numbers are pretty simple: if you’re going to make more than 10 same-day orders, a membership is more cost-effective, otherwise you’re better off paying the one-off fee.

To find Target products with same-day delivery, you can search for products on the same-day delivery page.

Walmart

If you’re shopping at Walmart, the Express delivery option can get your products to you in two hours or less, including pet supplies, electronics, and groceries. The service is subject to availability and is only available at selected stores. You’ll need to pay an Express fee, and the standard delivery may still apply too, although you won’t need to pay that if you have a Walmart+ subscription

To take advantage of Walmart Express delivery, all you need to do is add items to your shopping cart with the Delivery option available. Once you’ve made your selections, choose Express delivery, reserve a time slot, and you can have your items delivered in two hours or less.

Best Buy

Best Buy

You can place orders for the majority of products on Best Buy and get same-day delivery seven days a week, provided that you live in one of the eligible areas and ZIP codes. You can use Best Buy’s same-day delivery checker to see if your ZIP code offers same-day delivery.

If delivery is attempted and you’re not available, and there’s no safe place to leave your delivery, the order may be returned to the store, so it’s important to make sure that someone is home or that you have a safe place to leave your delivery.

There’s no fixed fee for same-day deliveries. Shipping costs are calculated on a per-order basis, depending on the shipping option that you select.

GameStop

As well as being at the centre of one of the most interesting financial incidents in recent history, GameStop also offers same-day delivery on eligible products. You can order up to three hours before the store closes, although the opening hours will vary from store to store. If you order before this time, your order can be delivered the same day, no later than 9 pm.

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All you need to do is select eligible items when shopping on the site. If the product is eligible for same-day delivery, you’ll see the time remaining for you to order before the cut-off. Once you’ve chosen your items, select Deliver Today in the shopping cart and you should receive your items the same day. The delivery fee you need to pay will be displayed during the checkout process.

Where to order last-minute beauty and fashion gifts

Macy’s

Macy’s is another retailer that offers both same-day and next-day delivery on selected items. You’ll need to look out for the same-day delivery icon when you’re shopping or filter your search results for Same-Day Delivery only. Once you’ve chosen the products you want, you can select the Same-Day delivery option in the checkout, provided that you order before 12 pm.

Once the order is placed, you have 15 minutes to change or cancel your order. After that, the products are out the door and on their way to you.

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Same-day delivery costs $15 for orders that usually qualify for free standard shipping. Any orders that wouldn’t qualify for free standard shipping have a $25.95 charge for same-day delivery.

You should be aware that your products will be delivered in a Macy’s shopping bag, so if you’re buying any surprise presents, you might want to intercept the delivery at the door.

Sephora

If you’re looking to order beauty products as gifts, then Sephora can offer same-day delivery in some locations. You’ll usually need to place your order before 3pm local time, although this can vary depending on your location. Same-day delivery starts from $6.95, or you can sign up to for a Same-Day Unlimited subscription that gives you unlimited free same-day delivery every time you shop.

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The subscription costs $49 per year plus tax, but you can get a free 30-day trial which could be all you need for your last-minute shopping.