Retailers urge shoppers to buy early amid shipping crunch

A driver with FedEx carries a package away from a van, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020, in Seattle. Store are warning online shoppers that if holiday purchases aren't made soon, they may not be delivered in time for Christmas. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) (Ted S. Warren, Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

A number of retailers, including J.C. Penney, Lowe’s and Kohl’s, are telling shoppers they need to place their online orders soon or else pay expedited shipping fees if they want to get their packages delivered in time for the holidays.

The earlier-than-usual deadlines come as more people turn to online shopping during the pandemic, creating a logjam for shipping companies as well as delivery delays. For some retailers like H&M and Lego, the deadlines have already passed.  

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One expert estimates that a majority of retailers have pushed up deadlines by at least a day or two, with about a quarter moving them up at least a week or more.

Meanwhile, behemoths like Walmart, Target and Amazon haven’t had to make any major changes.