If you’re like most people, you hope that you’ll receive your online orders within a few days. Sure, a purchase might occasionally arrive later than expected. That’s just the reality of online shopping.

But, what if you need an item delivered quickly, without risk of delay?

Here are a few suggestions:

• Check if the product is in stock. That’s usually indicated on the web page, but you can also phone to confirm. In-stock items usually ship quickly.

• Avoid special orders. Those always take longer to ship.

• If possible, find out if the product is coming from overseas. The longer the supply chain, the higher the likelihood of delays.

• Find out if in-store pickup is available. Retailers ship to their stores faster than they do to their customer’s homes.

• Avoid ordering from a “bricks and mortar” store that doesn’t sell very much online. If online ordering and delivery is merely a sideline for them, delays will likely be common.

• If possible, order from companies that promise a specific date or date range for delivery. For example, “Arrives by May 5.”

Getting online orders delivered on time is especially important for items you need when preparing your home for sale. If that’s the case for you, call today for more ideas.