Holiday shopping: 9 last-minute sites

1. Order as early as you can in the day. Hitting “submit” at 10 a.m. instead of 4 p.m. can mean a whole day’s difference.

2. “Free shipping” offers usually apply only to the cheapest, slowest shipping method.

3. Always check the shipping estimate for your order before submitting your purchase. The site may indicate if you can expect to receive your order before or after December 25, and you can make changes to your cart to speed things up, if necessary.

You might just be able to finish off your list at Mastermind Toys’ online shop. They have fashion and accessories for young fashionistas, water toys kids can save for the summer and a great selection of construction toys for mini engineers. Sort by brand, product type or by age to find what you need.

Shipping basics: Expect to receive in-stock items within three days across Canada. In “Major Centres” you can also pay for next-day delivery. Plus, you also get free gift wrap and tags on any order, so you can cross that off your to-do list, too. Yay!

Stuff those stockings with reading material! Not only does Indigo have a huge selection of books for every reading level but they have great gift items, too, including pretty keepsakes for babies and toddlers.

Shipping basics: Orders over $35 ship free, but this applies only to the cheapest shipping method. If you’re in a pinch, you can opt for “Quick Ship Courier Service” and receive items the same day (certain days of the week) if you live in the Greater Toronto Area. For everyone else, the fastest shipping is the “Premium” option. Your order will arrive two to four business days after it ships.

Whether you want to order a sweet new holiday outfit or some new duds to wrap up for under the tree, you can find clothes for kids, toddlers and infants (and yourself, too!) online from Gap Canada and Old Navy.

Shipping basics: Since they’re connected, you can add items from both stores to your shopping cart and only check out once. If you spend $50, you can get free shipping and expect your items in seven to nine business days. But if you’re in a rush, choose Standard shipping ($9 for four to five business days), Two-Day shipping ($17) or Priority ($25 for one to two business days).

Gadgets, games and electronics galore. You can cross any tech request off your list when you log on to FutureShop or BestBuy online. Best of all, if it’s not in stock at one store, you may luck out and find it at the other!

Shipping basics: Review your Shopping Cart on either site to find the Shipping Estimator and find out how quickly you can receive your items. Both companies offer Express/Air Shipping for last-minute requests and often have a pre-holiday guarantee. See their sites for more details.

Top brands, the hottest toys of the year and plenty of stock. If your kids have a number one item on their lists, Toys R Us is probably where you’ll find it.

Shipping basics: If you order before 2 PM EST, your order will ship that day. Orders placed after 2 PM will be shipped the next day.

You don’t have to have a coin collector (or aspiring collector) at home to find a great gift from the Royal Canadian Mint. A special coin is a great way to commemorate an achievement or life event. Mark 2012 with a shiny new coin, delivered right to your door in just a few days!

Shipping basics: The Mint ships with Canada Post. You can receive orders of available items in about four to five days in most major Canadian cities, but check your shipping estimate to be sure. You can also select shipping via FedEx for reduced transit times.

If you want to stock up on any kind of media – books, music, DVDs, Blu-ray – head to Amazon.ca. They have great gift sets and all of the year’s bestsellers.

Shipping basics: If you spend $35 or more, your order ships free – but is also sent via the slowest shipping option. If you need your items quickly, Amazon will price your shipping cost by the day. Need it tomorrow? Choose one-day shipping. Two days from now? They have that option. Have a couple days to spare? Choose three-day shipping.

Kitchen Stuff Plus is a treasure trove of great gifts for bakers and chefs, but it also has items for most rooms in the house: photo frames and décor items and some fun stocking stuffers, too.

Shipping basics: If you place your order by 2 PM., in-stock items from this site should be processed within one business day, then shipping via Canada Post takes about one to two business days in the Greater Toronto Area and up to five days for more rural areas across Canada.