If you think it's too late to order something online for Christmas, think again.
That's because two hot trends redefining e-commerce—mobile apps and same-day delivery—have made it possible for you to order gifts at what's truly the last minute, not just FedEx and UPS's shipping cutoff dates.
Same-day delivery is very limited in scope. Right now, San Francisco and New York are the main markets with delivery services which can get you your shopping in as little as an hour.
So far, startups rule the roost. But eBay has entered the same-day delivery market with eBay Now, and Google and Amazon are rumored to be thinking about similar moves.
eBay Now
eBay Now delivers items from retail partners like Macy's, Target, Best Buy, and Office Depot. (Read our review of the service.)
"We're anticipating extreme demand for eBay Now on Christmas Eve and are doing our best to be prepared to deliver (pun intended! ;) as many orders as we can then," Jack Abraham, eBay's director of local, tells us. Deliveries take an hour and are available normally from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Check eBay Now's Twitter account for extended holiday hours—including possible Christmas Day availability.
Because of high demand, the service has set a minimum order of $40.
Where: San Francisco and parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn in New York City
Price: $5 per delivery
TaskRabbit
TaskRabbit lets you put tasks up for bid with independent contractors. The company has seen shopping tasks posted up to Christmas Day in past holidays seasons, says Johnny Brackett, the San Francisco startup's marketing and communications manager.
Where: Austin, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Orange County, Portland, San Francisco Bay Area, San Antonio, Seattle
Price: Negotiable, but TaskRabbit says average pricing on holiday-shopping tasks comes to $150 to $200
Get It Now by Postmates
This startup is pulling out the stops for Christmas 2012, with a special shopping guide and extended holiday hours. Operations director Ashley Brown tells us the service will operate from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve and 11 a.m. to midnight on Christmas Day. Use the Get It Now app to have a Postmate courier deliver anything from earrings from Tiffany's to bras from True & Co.; food gifts from specialty shops like Bi-Rite are also a solid last-minute shopping option.
Where: San Francisco
Price: $6.99 and up per delivery; use code "XMAS" for 50% off normal delivery charges
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