Amazon Deliveries Are Often Delayed Around the Holidays, so Order Early

If you're an Amazon Prime member, you're probably used to getting online orders delivered to your home in about 48 hours or so. Of course, this depends on the business you're purchasing from and where you're located.

But one of the perks of paying for an annual membership for the online retailer is the ability to enjoy bundled-in, expedient shipping on a wide range of products.

However, some folks have noticed that there are times Amazon takes longer to deliver than others. But why is that the case?

Often, delivery slumps at Amazon occur during higher volume sales periods, which begin to pop up right around Thanksgiving and the holiday season. Due to the sheer number of folks getting their Christmas festivities underway, Amazon delivery workers are inundated with much more work.

Consequently, fulfilling shipments can take longer than anticipated. One Amazon employee who spoke with Business Insider in 2022 shared what it was like working for the massively popular retail chain during the holiday 2024 season.

He said that his workload around the holiday season increases by approximately 33 percent each day once December begins. Typically, the employee shared that he's on the hook to deliver about 200 boxes per shift. However, toward the end of the year, that figure climbs to 300 various parcels and boxes.

Furthermore, some areas he delivers to, due to the absence of adequate lighting in the winter months and shortened sunlight periods, make it harder to find addresses. He says that while he needs to strategically plan how he can complete all of his deliveries, and gets a lot of exercise in doing so, there are some benefits.

During the holiday season, the same Amazon employee told Business Insider that customers will leave drinks and snacks out for delivery drivers as a "thank you" for the work they complete during the holidays. He added that it's often frustrating when incomplete delivery instructions are appended to a customer's order, or if they don't respond when he attempts calling them so that they can accept a delivery, putting a damper on his pace.

Men's Journal writes that ahead of the 2025 Christmas season, Amazon sent out messaging to its customers about new policy changes for its deliveries. While shopping for items, customers will see clear messaging attached to a product that'll let them know if an item will arrive before Dec. 25.

Additionally, the retailer said that its customers will have access to "millions of popular items available for Same-Day Delivery through Christmas Eve." Which means that if you forgot a gift, or just learned an unexpected guest is showing up to the holiday party at your house, you might have some leeway to get a present before their arrival.

Moreover, folks can browse dedicated same-day delivery results on their Amazon account if getting a product as soon as possible is their top priority.

The policy is believed to have been a consequence of strengthened 2025 holiday sales that occurred in Black Friday and Cyber Monday's wake.

Reuters reported that average "spending rose 7.7 percent during the so-called Cyber Week" and that Thanksgiving weekend sales climbed to a whopping $44.2 billion.

Which means that there's an uptick in buying, which could also result in slower Amazon delivery times. So plan accordingly to ensure Christmas morning isn't ruined.