Is free shipping really free when stores place difficult-to-meet restrictions on consumer purchases? While "Free Shipping" banners and ads are everywhere this year, so are the minimums required by many merchants.
The increase pushes many shoppers to spend more and that's exactly what happened last year. For the week ending Dec. 5, 2010, transactions using free shipping averaged $125.20, or 45-percent higher than those with paid shipping, according to ComScore.com.
Although some 93 percent of e-retailers plan to offer free shipping deals this year -- up from 85 percent last year -- free shipping will come to a cost for consumers.
Here are a few tips to help consumers find the REAL free shipping deals.
- Read the fine print. Free shipping may only be offered on select items or a minimum order value must be met to qualify for free delivery.
- Check exchange and return policies. Some e-Retailers will charge for returns and won't accept in-store exchanges.
- Seek alternative shipping. Opt for free site-to-store delivery offered among top online stores like Walmart and Best Buy.
- Look for free shipping codes. Sites like FreeShipping.org aggregate free shipping codes from thousands of merchants, or check a e-Retailer's Twitter/Facebook for exclusive delivery discounts.
- Register for trial memberships. ShopRunner has a 30-day trial membership with free 2-day delivery from thousands of top stores. Amazon Prime offers a trial membership with a similar shipping deal.
- Shop Free Shipping Day. Scheduled for Friday, Dec. 16, consumers can enjoy free shipping from over 2,000 online stores with delivery by Christmas Eve. Some merchants will offer free shipping with no minimums, while others may reduce their typical minimum for the one-day event. Check FreeShippingDay.com for participating retailers.
- Send gifts directly to recipients. Avoid double shipping charges or extra luggage fees for traveling with presents.
- Shop securely. Avoid shopping on public networks found at libraries, airports and coffee shops where hackers can easily steal your information. Look for the "s" in "https" and pay with a credit card when possible as it offers more consumer protection when disputing fraudulent charges.
This post was written by Andrea Woroch, a consumer and money-saving expert for Kinoli Inc. As a nationally recognized media source, Andrea has been featured among top news outlets such as Good Morning America, NBC's Today, MSNBC, New York Times, Kiplinger Personal Finance, CNNMoney and many more. To view recent interviews or for more savings tips visit AndreaWoroch.com or follow her on Facebook and Twitter.
You really ought to read the fine print, and check your shopping cart total before you make any final sales decision. I was just about to buy a rather simple item yesterday, and I was floored to find out that the shipping fee costs more than the item!
Posted by: Assisted Living | December 08, 2011 at 11:12 PM