If you are like many savvy shoppers, you are great at finding bargains for the things you need online and so you have decided to place an order that way. This is a convenient method for many shoppers to find the items they need. Not only is it a good way to find hard to find items from retailers that may not be accessible in local shopping areas, but it saves a lot of time, money and energy to shop online. Retailers encourage people to try their online shopping method by offering lots of incentives, like discount coupons and free shipping. From shopping for clothing and accessories to finding outstanding bargains on office supplies, health and wellness needs, pet supplies or even grocery shopping; ordering online has become the very best way to shop nowadays.



Now that you've made the decision to shop for the items you need online, you are getting ready to place an order with a secure method. As you get to the shipping and handling section, you may be surprised to see that there are many different shipping options available to you, each costing differently based on the type of shipping method available for this purchase. What to choose? This can be a daunting experience, especially if you are ordering items that are for a specific date or occasion. So you must think carefully to determine the best type of shipping you will want to choose to meet your needs.

Generally, if you are shopping online you may be doing so to save money. Indeed, shopping online is the best way to do this. However, you will want to be careful that you don't get socked with expensive shipping and handling fees. If you are ordering ahead of time and or you are not in a hurry to receive the items you are buying, then best way to save money is by selecting “standard shipping” as the method of delivery. Standard delivery is the least expensive of the shipping rates as it is generally handled by the US Postal System in the US and the Canadian Post in Canada. If you choose this method, how can you be sure when you will receive the package(s)? Here are some ideas to help you determine when you will receive package sent by standard shipping.

In the US, postal service standard shipping generally takes between 7 to 10 business days for in-stock items. That's weekdays, not including weekends or holidays. The exception to this is when shipping to Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico as that will take an additional 2-3 business days for arrival. If you are ordering from a country outside the United States, you may need to allow for up to 14 business days for items to get through the US customs office. The shipping cost will be additional as well. If you are in a hurry for the items, you may want to use an alternative shipping method to expedite the shipment.

In the Canada, if you are ordering from a Canadian vendor, you can expect that shipments will arrive via Canadian post standard shipping within 2 to 4 business days. That's actually pretty fast when considering the rate that the US offers. The exception to this is when ordering from a US company or those located in other countries. You may have to allow for as many as three weeks for packages to pass through Canadian customs and you can expect that the shipping cost will be more as you will be responsible for taxes, duties and the rate of exchange.