Christmas time may not be too cheerful for those who wish to buy presents online, as the logistics sector is struggling with a labor shortage. National postal services and private couriers will hardly be able to keep up with deliveries, according to a report on online news portal napi.hu.

Last week a spokesperson for national postal services firm Magyar Posta cautioned that those planning to order Christmas gifts from abroad, especially from Chinese online stores, should do it as soon as possible. Regular letters – as orders usually sent from China – are delivered in 30-60 working days in peak periods. This means that orders must be made by mid-October in order to be sure to receive them by Christmas, notes napi.hu.

Logistics analysts warn that deliveries by courier will not be any better this year than before. Market players are trying to prepare for Christmas, but the problems are still there: while online orders are increasing by 20% this year, logistics are poorly financed and there is a shortage of couriers. Black Friday orders – made at the end of November – add to the year-end burden for delivery companies.

The problem is that courier firms are unable to finance all-year capacities that are only needed at the end of the year. Online stores are expected to significantly raise prices next year. This also means that free deliveries will be completely eliminated, notes napi.hu.