2026 Guide to Holiday Shipping Prep for Property Managers

If you think you saw holiday decorations starting in July, you’re right. Well before November arrived, retailers and e-tailers launched early promotions to drive sales during the critical fourth quarter.  Now, the National Retail Federation predicts holiday retail sales will grow 4.2% this year to $1.013 trillion.¹ Given continued consumer preference for online holiday shopping, and with many already starting their shopping to save money (43% of holiday shoppers planned to start shopping before November), many multifamily properties across the country will soon become besieged by resident purchases and packages.

Parcel Pending by Quadient’s 2026 Holiday Shipping Preparation Guide will help property managers prepare for the holiday onslaught – all while keeping the community experience merry and bright.

Key Takeaways:

• Properties should expect a surge of resident packages, driven by early retailer sales and deal-seeking consumer behavior.
• Apartment residents are victims of package theft roughly 3.5 times more often than single-family homeowners, and seasonal sales like Black Friday increase the risk; smart lockers protect packages and help residents feel safer.
• Our “HOLIDAY” checklist helps property managers prepare with useful reminders including: Heads-up on travel tips, Outline guest and package policies, Look over the property, Inspect communal spaces, Double-check your package system, Anticipate peak periods, and Yes to Parcel Pending.
• Remind residents to register for Parcel Pending, and communicate retrieval protocols, office hours, late fees, and oversized package pickup policies early and often.

Tips for Protecting Residents and Their Packages This Holiday Season

Use our “HOLIDAY” checklist to get your property ready before the holiday busy season hits, so your residents can spend the season spreading cheer instead of chasing property maintenance teams or missing packages.

H: Heads-up on Travel Tips

Share travel tips with residents early, while the holiday spirit is still building. Overflowing mailboxes and packages piling up on doorsteps are dead giveaways that nobody’s home, so remind residents heading out of town to use Parcel Pending’s Vacation Mode feature for extended trips. Residents without locker access can enlist a trusted neighbor as a jolly holiday helper to collect mail and packages while they’re away.

O: Outline Guest and Package Policies

Remind residents of guest policies before their holiday visitors arrive. Entry codes, spare keys, and building access, for instance, should be kept with residents only, not shared. Review parking guidelines as well to ensure relatives and friends get a warm welcome at the property.

Also, be sure to tell residents about any changes to package pickup policies so everyone knows who can collect what – and all festivities can go off without a hitch. Send advance notices covering retrieval protocols, seasonal changes to office hours and/or closures (where a leasing office or concierge handles packages), late pickup fees, and any special process for collecting oversized packages. Communicate these reminders often through resident app posts, festive social posts, holiday bulletins, or seasonal email updates.

L: Look Over the Property

Perform a property inspection before the holiday rush begins. Have your maintenance team inspect heating systems, carbon monoxide detectors, snow removal equipment, and other seasonal essentials. Also remember to inspect water heaters and safety valves. For more winter weather survival tips, check out our Winter Property Preparation Guide.

I: Inspect Communal Spaces

Check communal spaces and ensure they are clear, welcoming, and ready for higher volume. Keep an eye out for frayed electrical cords, moisture issues, and mold that could spoil the festivities, as well as critters looking to escape the cold weather.

D: Double-Check Your Package System

Take an honest look at your existing delivery infrastructure and confirm it can handle the coming volume. Properties without smart package management solutions should treat Q3 and Q4 as the perfect time to install them. Smart package lockers give property teams the gift of time back and residents the gift of 24/7/365 secure access to their packages, which matters most when the season’s biggest wave of gifts arrives.

A: Anticipate Peak Periods

Competing retailer promotions, including major holiday sales, can stack volumes and catch even prepared teams off guard, so plan early for the busiest delivery days. Enforce expedited pickup policies and temporarily shorten or eliminate grace periods to keep storage areas from becoming bottlenecks. Be sure to designate space for bulky items and potential overflow in advance. When teams are prepared and these areas are tidy and uncluttered, even the busiest delivery days can feel as quiet as a mouse, with staff and resident activities moving smoothly.

Y: Yes to Parcel Pending

Remind residents to register for Parcel Pending now so their holiday purchases and gifts stay safe and secure until they’re ready to unwrap them. If you haven’t done so already, let residents know about any changes in pickup grace periods, storage fees, and any special process for collecting oversized packages. Encouraging registration and providing clear, joyful messaging before the rush means fewer panicked calls once the packages start piling up.

Deliver MORE for Staff and Residents with Parcel Pending

Parcel Pending smart lockers are the gift that keeps on giving, with benefits all year-round. They save property teams valuable time and consistently rank as a top amenity among residents who have used them previously. Here’s how we can deliver more for your team and residents:

• MORE Security: Apartment residents are victims of package theft roughly 3.5 times more often than single-family homeowners, and seasonal shopping spikes like Black Friday push that risk even higher.^2,3 Parcel Pending smart lockers keep packages safe from sticky fingers, and residents say they feel safer, too. Porch pirates may not care who’s naughty or nice, but a locker keeps every gift secure and out of sight until it’s time to unwrap it.
• MORE Efficiency: Managing packages by hand pulls staff away from higher-value work like leasing, tours, and resident support, and during the holidays, no one on the team should have to play Santa’s package-sorting elf. Smart lockers automate package management from acceptance to retrieval, saving teams at least 24 hours per week and freeing them up to focus on the work that keeps residents happy all season long.
• MORE Convenience: With 24/7/365 access, residents don’t need to rush home or build their day around a delivery window, even in the middle of the season’s busiest weeks. It’s no surprise that lockers rank as the top amenity among residents who use them, with 90% using them weekly.

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With a little preparation, your property can sleigh through the holidays and create a community experience that retains current residents and attracts new ones.

Ready to lock in your holiday package management solution? Speak with a Parcel Pending representative today.

Sources:

1. National Retail Federation. Winter Holiday Data and Trends. nrf.com. n.d. https://nrf.com/research-insights/holiday-data-and-trends/winter-holidays
2. Frew, Paul & Petrino, Gene. 2025 Package Theft Report and Statistics. www.security.org. November 6, 2025. https://www.security.org/package-theft/annual-report/
3. Vivint. Porch Pirates in the Hallway: 1 in 4 Renters Suspect a Neighbor Took Their Package. www.vivint.com. n.d. https://www.vivint.com/resources/article/apartment-porch-pirate-report-2025