Local posties will bring the holiday cheer to more households across Cowra, with temporary weekend deliveries running through to Christmas.

The additional service has been confirmed in Cowra, along with metro centres and some regional cities, set to benefit from faster deliveries, to bring gifts get to their locations sooner.

Australia Post Executive General Manager Parcel, Post and eCommerce Services, Gary Starr emphasised the importance of weekend deliveries in ensuring customers receive their parcels before Christmas Day.

“With the holiday season just around the corner, we know how important it is for our customers to receive their parcels on time. By bringing back weekend deliveries, we’re not just meeting customer demand, but hopefully making holiday shopping easier for everyone,” he said.

“We’ve been preparing all year for another busy peak season, recruiting thousands of new team members to ensure operations run as smoothly as possible. Last year, we delivered nearly 100 million parcels. With the cost-of-living crunch, customers are expected to make the most of major shopping events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, so we anticipate early Christmas shopping will drive another record-breaking year,” Mr. Starr said.

But online shoppers are being warned against scams, with fake retailers and dodgy deals making the rounds during the holiday sale season.

“Scammers are opportunistic criminals who will try to take advantage of people doing their Christmas shopping online during the upcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday period,” Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said.

“We have seen an alarming increase in reports of fake online shopping website scams, which use the latest technology to look like genuine, well-known Australian fashion and footwear labels.”

Ms Lowe warned of scam sites using false addresses and encouraged shoppers to confirm where their products were being sold, and to support well-known and reputable retailers.

“A recent, disturbing development is that scammers are paying for their fake websites to appear at the top of your internet search. This means you can’t necessarily trust the first listing you see,” Ms Lowe said.

“Consumers should also be aware that scammers are using social media platforms to set up bogus stores and to advertise their fake websites.”

Australia Post has confirmed weekend deliveries will remain in place up until Christmas, depending on volumes.

To ensure items arrive on time, parcels should be sent by Friday 20 December for most destinations within Australia, or if sending via Express Post by Monday 23 December. People sending to or from Western Australia and the Northern Territory should allow a few extra days.

For a complete list of sending deadlines, including international destinations, consumers can visit auspost.com.au/christmas