Is this new? My e-mailbox this morning is filled with advertising from almost every merchant with whom I've done business in the last year or two…messages with Subject Lines like "It's not too late" or "Still time to shop." Some say that if I order from them by Noon and pay some huge Saturday FedEx delivery fee, they'll get my last-minute gift to someone tomorrow so the person will have it before Christmas.
Okay, I think I remember a lot of similar e-mails last year. What I don't remember is this offer that a number of them are also making…
Place your order by Midnight on Saturday night and we'll e-mail your recipient and tell them your gift is on the way and that it will arrive shortly after Christmas.
Years ago, Saturday Night Live had a bogus commercial for a FedEx-type company that would take the blame for late packages. If you were two weeks late sending someone something, they'd deliver it and — presumably for a hefty price — swear you'd sent it three weeks earlier. We may be only one Christmas from such a service becoming available to us. You'll be able to order on December 26 and they'll deliver it on December 28 with their apology for delaying an order placed on December 18. Watch for it.