How to get Free Shipping on Online Purchases

You’ve seen the ads for “Free Shipping”, but figure there has to be some sort of catch.  Well, there probably is, but don’t let that stop you from taking a closer look at the offer.  

Online shopping continues to increase its share of the market, and will only grow as more and more people discover the ease of purchasing gifts and other goods and having them delivered directly to your home.  The delivery, however, has sometimes been a barrier for people, as they discover high shipping costs may outweigh the convenience.  Fortunately there are several ways to save money when you are shopping online.

Many sites offer free shipping with a minimum purchase.  Often this is as low as $25, but can be as much as $60-100 or even more.  However, depending on the purchase this may turn out to be a great bargain.  The minimum purchase required is often based on average purchase amounts on a site, and adding an extra item to the shopping cart instead of paying for the shipping benefits you and the seller.

Sometimes shoppers can receive free shipping by entering in a coupon code on the checkout page.  These offers may be found in emails, mailers, and searching online for websites that track offers for various companies.  Signing up for a company’s email newsletter is often the best way to find out about free shipping offers.

A more recent method for offering free shipping is through membership clubs that require an annual fee but have no limits on the number of free items that are shipped.  Amazon is one of the more prominent companies that has the offer, and for people who make a significant number of purchases from the same store will find that the membership pays for itself over the course of the year.

For the occasional shopper, this may not be the best option, and it could turn out to save you money just to pay the shipping charges if you only buy once or twice a year, rather than spending more to get the membership.