Lastminute-Gifts.com has many gift ideas available within 24 hours throughout the United States and Canada. When it comes to the rest of the world however, really fast gift delivery has been a problem. Many products simply are not available outside the US, and items which ship worldwide must go by an international carrier. This is expensive and time-consuming, but there hasn’t an alternative.

Now there may be a solution. A site called Gifts n Ideas has teamed up with local shops in 184 countries. With this network in place, they can deliver gifts for you same day, overnight, or as fast as that that country’s transportation structure will allow.

Gifts n Ideas also offers service in the US and Canada but it is not impressive; prices aren’t competitive here. However, the other 180+ countries is where they shine. Using local establishments saves a lot of shipping, and the time savings can’t be duplicated.

There are a few countries where no local connection is available. In that case Gifts n Ideas uses an international carrier and the time and shipping advantages go away. But you are saved the inconvenience of having to ship internationally yourself.

When looking at delivery schedules, time on much of the planet is hours ahead of time zones in North America. It’s very possible that in the country of your choice, “tomorrow is today” - what looks like next-day shipping is actually same day shipping. In the description, look for the words “hand delivered” - that could be a tip-off to fast local shipping.

If you have a gift that’s that need to go outside the United States, it’s worth checking into Gifts n Ideas. They may have exactly what you need, when you need it.

What is a place like Office Depot doing in a blog about last minute gifts? Okay, they don’t offer gift twrapping and I wouldn’t shop there for perfume, but things like computers, cameras, and GPSs are very popular gift ideas. And there are many more products, gadgets, and craft supplies that are also suitable for gift-giving.

But the real reason Office Depot appears on the Lastminute-Gifts.com site is the speed feature. They offer free overnight delivery on most of their products. Yes, FREE.

And this free offer covers a lot of territory - much of the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico - wherever an Office Depot retail store is in range.

There is a $50.00 minimum for free delivery and you’ll want to check the fine print to make sure your items are eligible and in stock. Order by 5:00 PM M-F for next business day delivery.

This feature is actually designed for small businesses, but anyone in a “Gift Emergency” can take advantage of it. Next day delivery is expensive — over $30 on average. So if  Office Depot has an item on your gift list, free next-day delivery may be worth going without the gift card and bow. You can wrap it up when it arrives.

And if you’re shipping the item directly to your recipient, you will probably want to notify them that it’s coming. Free email gift announcements are available at Lastminute-Gifts.com .