What Is Black Friday?
Black Friday is one of the busiest shopping days of the year in the United States, and falls on the day after Thanksgiving Day. Black Friday is a public holiday in some states and is considered by many to kick off the US holiday shopping season.
For shippers wondering if mail and packages are delivered on Black Friday—yes, deliveries run on Black Friday because it is not a Federal holiday. Plus, post offices will be open during regular business hours.
Check out our blog on how to prepare your business for Black Friday sales with tips on creating flexibility during the holiday season by adding more carrier options and avoiding peak surcharges.
In this guide, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about whether the post office, FedEx, UPS, and USPS (United States Postal Service) will operate on Black Friday.
Does USPS Send Mail on Black Friday?
Since Black Friday is not a federal or USPS holiday, you can send your mail by visiting your nearest U.S. Postal Service office and also expect them to be delivered on Black Friday.
Typically USPS delivers mail and packages from 8 a.m. to as late as 9 p.m. This depends on certain factors, including mail volume, workforce shortage, local weather, etc. You can also pick up packages from the post office before the scheduled delivery time.
However, during a busy period like the peak season andBlack Friday, you can expect a slight delay in delivery times. Despite carriers and online retailers like Amazon being overloaded with deliveries on Black Friday due to eCommerce sales, they still deliver packages on Black Friday.
But before you send a package, take note of any changes in working hours or unavailability of specific services for Black Friday.
If your package has a delivery date that falls on Black Friday, it will likely get delivered to the customer by the scheduled delivery date. And since Thanksgiving is a Federal holiday, any mail or packages due on Thanksgiving Day will also be delivered on Black Friday.
Is the Post Office Open on Black Friday?
Post Offices and all other delivery services usually remain open on Black Friday.
You can quickly check local post office hours by visiting the USPS store locator page or contact the local post office directly to confirm if any changes will be applied to your delivery destination on Black Friday.
Alternatively, you can use USPS’s Informed Delivery service to track the delivery times of your packages.
Check the table below for a complete list of USPS holidays for 2022. The post office will remain closed during these holidays except for Priority Mail & Priority Mail Express deliveries.
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| Sunday, January 1 | New Year’s Day |
| Monday, January 17 | Martin Luther King Jr. Day |
| Monday, February 21 | President’s Day |
| Monday, May 30 | Memorial Day |
| Monday, June 19 | Juneteenth National Independence Day |
| Monday, July 4 | Independence Day |
| Monday, September 5 | Labor Day |
| Monday, October 10 | Columbus Day |
| Friday, November 11 | Veterans Day |
| Thursday, November 24 | Thanksgiving Day |
| Sunday, December 25 | Christmas Day |
Does UPS Deliver on Black Friday?
UPS will remain open on Black Friday and deliver mail and packages. However, you should expect delays due to the high volume of deliveries during the holiday season.
Easily manage customer expectations by shipping orders on time. Read our UPS holiday schedule guide for shipping deadlines and other holiday-related information.
According to the UPS holiday schedule, the following services are open or available on Black Friday:
| Service | Status |
|---|---|
| UPS Domestic Ground | Open |
| UPS Air | Open |
| UPS International | Open |
| The UPS Store Locations | Open |
| UPS Forwarding (Air and Ocean) | Open |
| UPS Express Critical | Open |
You can contact your local UPS store to ensure that it’s operating during regular hours for the holiday season.
Does FedEx Deliver on Black Friday?
FedEx is open for Black Friday and delivers mail and packages but may have modified business hours. With FedEx’s delivery service closed on Thanksgiving Day, delivery operations resume the following day, Black Friday.
Ensure on-time delivery to customers by shipping packages before FedEx deadlines. Read our FedEx holiday schedule guide for shipping cutoff dates and other holiday-related information.
The following table shows the status of FedEx services on Black Friday for 2022:
| Service | Status |
|---|---|
| FedEx Express | Modified service (Expect delayed delivery) |
| FedEx Ground | Open |
| FedEx Home Delivery | Open |
| FedEx Freight | Closed |
| FedEx Office | Open |
| FedEx Custom Critical | Open |
| FedEx Trade Networks | Open |
You can contact your local FedEx store to find out if there is a change in operating hours for specific holidays.
Check out the FedEx holiday schedule for more information.
Prepare for the Holiday Season with Sifted
Peak shipping season is stressful for many shippers due to volume order surges. However, shipping carriers and the post office give you plenty of options to deliver packages on some holidays, including Black Friday.
If you still feel frustrated with shipping congestion and higher surcharges, consider investing in a logistics management system to protect your business from shipping delays and rising delivery costs.
Sifted Logistics Intelligence gives you a 360-degree view of your shipping operations and data so you can make informed decisions faster. It offers tools for shippers that help them unlock cost-saving opportunities during the holiday season and beyond.
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