When business is booming, you can rely on DHL for stable performance, transparent shipping processes, and flexible solutions for your customers.
Together, we'll keep your holiday business running reliably throughout the season.
Fall e-commerce highlights:
Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and more: Get ready for peak season with DHL.
A strong holiday season:
Reliable shipping and flexible delivery options for satisfied customers.
Under the Christmas tree on time:
Check our domestic and international posting deadlines and stay up to date.
Fall e-commerce highlights:
Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and more: Get ready for peak season with DHL.
A strong holiday season:
Reliable shipping and flexible delivery options for satisfied customers.
Under the Christmas tree on time:
Check our domestic and international posting deadlines and stay up to date.
Source: *E-Commerce Trends Report 2026
Align Your Holiday Business with Customer Expectations:
The DHL E-Commerce Trends Report reveals what online shoppers value most when making a purchase, from a trusted shipping partner and flexible delivery options to hassle-free returns. Use these insights to tailor your offering and prepare your business for the most important sales season of the year.
Looking for a strong partner for your holiday business?
Even with high shipping volumes, we deliver your goods reliably, transparently, and predictably.
Plan ahead for the year-end rush!
The busiest sales season of the year starts well before December. October and November already feature major e-commerce events such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday:
How to prepare your shipping operations
5 peak-season tips for e-commerce professionals
- Give your customers realistic order and delivery deadlines.
- Submit complete recipient data to enable transparent status updates. See the note on EDI data transmission below.
- Highlight flexible delivery options at checkout, such as a preferred drop-off location or delivery to a Packstation in Germany.
- The right packaging helps goods arrive safely: Match the packaging and cushioning to your products for better protection and fewer returns.
- Extend your customers' return periods into January.
Important note on EDI data transmission
Please note that EDI data must be transmitted to DHL in good time before posting, including electronic customs data where required. This is particularly important during the holiday season to support delivery before Christmas when shipments are posted by the communicated deadlines.
It is also essential to include the recipient's contact details, such as an email address and/or mobile phone number, in the shipment data. This information enables us and our delivery partners abroad to provide recipient services and ensure a customer-friendly delivery experience.
Discover the right shipping solutions!
Reliable delivery is especially important during this busy time of year. Tailor your shipping to your customers' needs to reduce return rates and customer inquiries while increasing customer satisfaction.
Ship securely and transparently: DHL Paket includes online shipment tracking and liability coverage of up to EUR 500 per parcel. Proactive status updates give your customers greater transparency and can reduce inquiries to your customer service team.
Sell internationally: 70% of consumers shop across borders, and Germany is popular with online shoppers abroad.* Trust, reliable delivery, and return options are key purchase drivers. With DHL Paket International, you can ship reliably to more than 220 countries and territories, with transport insurance of up to EUR 500 per parcel included.
Ship smaller goods cost-effectively: With DHL Kleinpaket, you can ship small and lightweight products such as accessories, books, or small Christmas gifts cost-effectively, with shipment tracking, documented delivery, and liability coverage. For worldwide shipping, choose Warenpost International (Premium).
Make returns easy and customer-friendly: With DHL Retoure, you benefit from Germany's largest drop-off network. DHL Retoure International enables flexible returns from 29 European countries, with customer-friendly return-label options and convenient drop-off at postal retail outlets abroad. This creates a positive returns experience and strengthens customer loyalty.
Complete delivery successfully: Retail outlet routing is ideal when a domestic shipment cannot be delivered directly. Forwarding it to a retail outlet can help prevent additional delivery attempts or returns, increasing reliability through final delivery.
Protect gift delivery right at the doorstep: With Visual check of age, Named person only, or No neighbor delivery, high-value, sensitive, or age-restricted Christmas gifts can be delivered to the intended recipient throughout Germany, helping reduce complaints.
Offer greater convenience: With Delivery day, the delivery date becomes part of your customer experience, giving customers in Germany greater planning flexibility and convenience during the holiday season.
Choose the right shipping solution today: Book directly in the Post & DHL Business Customer Portal, or become a new DHL business customer to secure attractive rates.
Ship your goods on time!
Even during the demanding run-up to Christmas and the holiday season itself, we are your reliable shipping partner. Our exceptionally stable peak-season performance gives you confidence in your shipping operations and customer communications.
To help ensure your shipments arrive in time for Christmas, please note the following posting deadlines for domestic and international shipping:
Parcels within Germany
Parcels posted up to and including Tuesday, December 22, for regular pickup will normally be delivered by Thursday, December 24.1)
On December 24, there are generally no collections.
Parcels to International Destinations
Parcels posted for regular pickup up to and including the specified cutoff days will normally be delivered by Thursday, December 24.
The specified cutoff days are valid for DHL Paket International with the Premium service and DHL Europaket.2)
| Shipping to | Posting Deadline |
|---|---|
selected neighboring countries
nearby EU-countries
| Monday, December 21 Austria, Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Switzerland Saturday, December 19 Czech Republic, Denmark, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden |
| other European countries | Friday, December 18 Bulgaria, Croatia, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal, Romania, Spain Thursday, December 17 Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Norway and all other European countries |
| worldwide | Monday, December 7 All other countries worldwide |
1 The cutoff times apply to DHL Paket. DHL Kleinpaket (small parcels) and bulky goods are not part of the service commitment. We recommend posting 1-3 days earlier.
2 When shipping DHL Paket International Economy, Warenpost International or bulky goods as well as when shipping to islands or rural areas, we recommend posting 2-3 days earlier.
All key information at a glance – download the PDF now
Source: *E-Commerce Trends Report 2026