Q3 2023 Data: For on-time delivery, what is the best day of the week to send your packages?

Authored by Matt Lessard

Since 2001, Matt Lessard has started numerous projects, from an E-commerce SaaS to an online store shipping to over 80 countries. Creator of Buster Fetcher®, a technology reducing shipping costs. Passionate about personal development and business growth.

If there's one thing that both online shoppers and businesses agree on, it's the joy of a package delivered right on schedule.

Getting a handle on the best days for sending parcels can make all the difference between a satisfied customer and a missed opportunity.

That's why we rolled up our sleeves and dug deep into the data in our Buster Fetcher Report Shipping Data!

Diving into 1.7 million deliveries gave us some pretty cool insights — think of it like finding the secret sauce for when to ship your packages. It's like we've got the inside scoop on the shipping world's rush hours and the quiet times.

Smart scheduling? Oh, it's like a hidden superpower for your business. It keeps those shipping costs in check and has your customers doing the happy dance when their package turns up right on time.

So, let's discover the days that could give your parcels wings and your business a high-five from your customers.

Ready to find out those golden days to drop your parcels off at the post? Let’s get into it!

Table of Contents

Canada Post: Navigating National and Regional Delivery Patterns

FedEx: Analyzing Weekday Performances and Regional Anomalies

Purolator: Unpacking Delivery Consistencies and Day-Specific Surges

UPS: Decoding the Highs and Lows of Daily Delivery Rates

FAQs on Optimal Days for Packages

The Strategic Approach to select the best day for your shipping

Observations of Canada Post Delivery Performance per Day of the Week Of Shipment

• Consistent Performance Mid-week: The days from Tuesday to Thursday show relatively consistent percentages of delays, hovering around 9-10% for Canada as a whole.
  
  
• Mondays Spike: Mondays see the highest delays across Canada at 11.19%. Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec also experience higher than their average delays on Mondays.
  
  
• Weekend Variability: While Friday generally experiences lower delays around 5.34% nationally, there's an interesting spike on Saturdays at 5.77% and Sundays at 4.12%. British Columbia notably bucks the trend with a significant spike in delays on Sundays at a whopping 27.93%.

Regional Insights:

• Nova Scotia's Hurdles: Nova Scotia experiences its peak delays at the beginning of the week, with Monday seeing 19.57% delays.
• Quebec's Consistency: Quebec maintains a tight range of delays throughout the week, fluctuating only slightly.
• Saskatchewan's Tuesday Troubles: Saskatchewan's delays peak on Tuesdays at 22.82%, which is notably high and warrants attention.

To sum up, businesses shipping with Canada Post should be wary of Mondays and, depending on the region, even Sundays. Tailoring shipping strategies around these insights can help enhance customer satisfaction and potentially cut costs.

Observations of FedEx Delivery Performance per Day of the Week Of Shipment

• Mid-week Performance: Tuesday to Thursday display marginally higher percentages of delays for Canada, with Wednesday slightly leading at 6.92%.

• Monday Beginnings: Mondays kick off the week with a national delay percentage of 6.42%, hinting at a possible carry-over from the weekend.

Regional Highlights:

• Alberta's Tuesday Peak: With a delay rate of 8.47% on Tuesdays, Alberta sees a substantial spike compared to other weekdays.

• Manitoba's Midweek Challenge: Manitoba's delay rate peaks on Wednesday at 10.29%, suggesting potential midweek logistical challenges.

• Quebec's Smooth Sailing: Quebec's delay rates remain fairly consistent throughout the week, only to experience an upward tick on Sunday with 9.70% delays.

• Ontario's Stability: Ontario maintains a pretty consistent delay rate throughout the week, ranging from 3.81% to 5.10%. Its performance remains close to the national average.

In essence, businesses utilizing FedEx for their shipping needs should exercise caution around the beginning of the week, particularly in regions like Alberta. Moreover, the unexpected Sunday delay rate suggests the need for strategy adjustments for weekend deliveries.

Observations of Purolator Performance Delivery Consistencies and Day-Specific Surges

• National Overview: Purolator's delay rates for Canada generally peak at the start of the week and progressively decrease as the week advances, with Monday seeing a delay rate of 6.05%.

• Alberta's Consistency: While starting strong with 7.20% delays on Monday, Alberta's delay rates stabilize throughout the week, hovering around 6.65% from Tuesday to 2.66% on Friday.

  
  

• New Brunswick's Spikes: New Brunswick shows significant delay rates on Wednesday (44.26%), from 6.67% on Tuesday.

• Newfoundland and Labrador: Although data is limited, Tuesday's delay rate is notably high at 17.05%, while Thursday also shows a spike at 10.89%.

• Ontario's Consistency: Ontario's delay rates are fairly uniform throughout the weekdays, ranging from 1.60% to 9.00%.

• Quebec's Trend: While Quebec displays consistency from Friday through the weekend, it experiences a rise on Tuesday at 6.58%.

• Saskatchewan's Low Thursday: Saskatchewan shows a notable dip on Thursday, with a mere 1.49% delay rate compared to other weekdays.

• Nova Scotia's Midweek Surge: Wednesday stands out for Nova Scotia, showing an elevated delay rate of 18.54%.

Observations of UPS Performance Delivery Consistencies Decoding the Highs and Lows

• National Overview: UPS displays a decreasing trend as the week progresses with Monday seeing the highest delay rate of 48.07% and the figure dipping to 7.50% by Saturday. Sunday, however, sees a sharp uptick with 18.36%.

• Alberta's Uniformity: Alberta's delay rates remain relatively consistent throughout the weekdays, hovering around the 56% range, with a slight decrease on Friday to 45.69%.

• British Columbia's Midweek Rise: British Columbia showed a noticeable spike on Wednesday and Thursday, both exceeding 53%.

• Ontario's Steady Rates: Ontario maintains delay rates close to 50% from Monday to Thursday, with a more notable drop on Friday to 38.91%.

• Quebec's Downtrend: Starting with 46.18% on Monday, Quebec's delay rates consistently decrease, hitting only 6.38% by Saturday. Interestingly, it then spikes on Sunday to 18.35%, indicating possible logistic challenges during the weekends.

• Weekend Insights: Canada's national average and Quebec specifically display a stark contrast compared to weekdays, also emphasizing that Monday might be a particularly challenging day for timely deliveries.

FAQs on Optimal Days for Packages

What is the best day to mail a package?

Best Mailing Days with Canada Post

• Mid-Week Efficiency: For Canada Post users, Tuesdays to Thursdays are ideal, with delay rates at a low of 9-10%.
  
  
• Monday Warning: Start-of-week shipments face an 11.19% spike in delays.
  
  
• Weekend Considerations: Fridays are promising with a 5.34% delay rate. However, Saturdays and Sundays vary, especially with notable delays in British Columbia on Sundays.

Timing FedEx Shipments

• Mid-Week Delivery Delays: FedEx sees a small increase in delays mid-week, with Wednesdays reaching a 6.92% delay rate.
  
  
• Monday Backlogs: A 6.42% delay rate on Mondays suggests a weekend backlog effect.
  
  
• Regional Variations: Expect inconsistency with higher delay rates on Alberta's Tuesdays and Manitoba's Wednesdays, while Quebec and Ontario maintain steadiness.

UPS Shipping Strategies

• Monday Peaks: UPS experiences the highest delays on Mondays at 48.07%.
  
  
• Weekend Delivery Dynamics: Delays decrease to 7.50% by Saturday but rise again on Sunday, hitting 18.35% in Quebec.

Purolator Delivery Consistency

• Week Start Slowdown: Mondays see the highest delay rates at 6.05%, but there is a steady decrease throughout the week.
  
  
• Mid-Week to Week-End Advantage: As the week progresses, Purolator generally becomes more reliable, with fewer delays.

Final Shipping Insights

• Mid-Week Magic: Across the board, mid-week days are generally more reliable for shipping in Canada.
  
  
• Avoiding the Monday Blues: Consider skipping Monday for FedEx and brace for potential UPS delays, while Purolator is best later in the week.

Does Canada Post deliver on weekends?

Canada Post's weekend activity is subtle but present, with national delay rates of 5.77% on Saturdays and a notable 4.12% on Sundays.

However, watch out for British Columbia where Sunday delays jump to 27.93%, indicating potential delivery disruptions.

While Canada Post doesn't officially claim regular Sunday delivery, the data suggests some parcels are indeed moving.

This insight is valuable for businesses planning their shipping strategies, as aligning with these subtle weekend activities could enhance customer satisfaction with timely deliveries.

How does FedEx handle weekend deliveries?

Weekends at FedEx? It's less about quiet downtime and more about setting the stage for the week ahead.

With a hint of Monday delays hinting at weekend carry-over, FedEx doesn’t press pause when Saturday rolls around.

In regions like Quebec, a slight Sunday uptick in delays at 9.70% suggests even weekends aren’t immune to the hustle of deliveries.

And while Alberta's Tuesday spike might raise eyebrows, it's possibly the weekend's last act before the curtain rises on a new week.

The gist for businesses and weekend shoppers: FedEx keeps the parcels moving, but it’s a regional rhythm, each playing its own tune.

Getting your packages en route earlier could sidestep those weekend surprises, and for those awaiting deliveries, patience could be a virtue rewarded with that Sunday parcel surprise.

So, FedEx takes no weekends off – and with a bit of planning, neither will your delivery strategy. Keep it savvy, and those weekend deliveries might just work in your favor.

Are there optimal days for UPS shipments?

When it comes to UPS, the early week might make you think twice. Monday's the headliner with the highest delay rate at a staggering 48.07%, so maybe let's not add to that number.

As the week chills out, so do the delays, dwindling down to a comfy 7.50% by Saturday. And then comes Sunday, leaping up to 18.36% - talk about an unexpected weekend plot twist!

For those eyeing the calendar for the best UPS ship day, you're looking at a mid-to-late week sweet spot.

It's the time when the delay rates take a dive, and chances are your packages will glide through with fewer hiccups.

How reliable is Purolator for timely deliveries?

Purolator's like that steady friend who's got your back as the week unfolds. Starting the week with a bit of Monday drama at 6.05%, things settle quickly, giving you more reliability as you head towards Friday.

Each day ticks down the delay rate, culminating in a Friday that’s as smooth as your weekend plans.

But then there’s Wednesday in New Brunswick, spiking up to 44.26%, and Nova Scotia’s own midweek hurdle at 18.54%. It's like Wednesday's their day to be in the limelight.

Outside these quirks, Purolator is pretty much the reliable buddy for your parcels, especially if you play it cool and avoid those few spike days.

For the best Purolator experience, aim for when the week's winding down – your deliveries are more likely to be punctual, leaving your customers smiling and your business breathing easy.

The Strategic Approach to select the best day for your shipping

Wrapping up our parcel journey, we've zigzagged through the maze of data to bring you the clearest path to shipping nirvana.

From the midweek steadiness to the weekend's wild cards, we've unpacked the patterns that could set your parcels—and your business—apart.

Here's the takeaway: in the e-commerce hustle, it's the swift, the smart, and the strategic that lead the pack!

As the final box is taped and the last label attached, remember that staying agile in your shipping strategies is essential. With the Buster Fetcher Report Shipping Data Q3-2023 as your partner, you're sure to step into the rhythm of success!

Ready for more than just a summary? To truly lead the pack, leap into the full Buster Fetcher Report Shipping Data!

Let's turn these insights into your action plan, one data point at a time. Here's to your next shipment making waves for all the right reasons—efficiency, satisfaction, and the sweet sound of a customer's "got it!"