7 Free Shipping Deals for Last-Minute Online Shoppers

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By Kurt Wagner2013-12-13 11:04:03 UTC

Whether you're on a budget this holiday season or not, there's at least one offer no shopper can turn down: free shipping.

Going to brick-and-mortar retailers used to mean saving on shipping costs. Now, many online retailers are making it more cost effective to simply shop from your couch. (Consider money saved on gas and time waiting in long lines.)

See also: Amazon Raises Free Shipping Minimum for First Time in a Decade

We've all struggled through the last-minute mall excursion before. You spend more time looking for a parking space than you do shopping, and the store almost always has the perfect thing — at a different location "nearby." It's not like shopping in person helps with getting the right size, either. Unless of course, you're buying for yourself, in which case you should remember they call it the season of giving for a reason.

So before you spend your weekend trudging through the mall, consider these free shipping options for the U.S. and Canada this holiday season. They could save your sanity as much as your pocketbook.

Free Shipping Day: Dec. 18

In its sixth year of existence, Free Shipping Day marks a 24-hour stretch in which thousands of online retailers offer free shipping in the U.S. to customers with guaranteed delivery by Christmas Eve. Some of the offers and merchants won't be revealed on the Free Shipping Day website until 12:01 a.m. ET on Dec. 18, but 448 merchants have already signed up to participate, including REI, Sports Authority, and Neiman Marcus.

Free Shipping Day was the brainchild of Luke Knowles, the co-founder of FreeShipping.org. The day is something of a win-win, benefiting consumers but also driving sales and traffic to participating retailers. According to the website, Free Shipping Day helped produce more than $1 billion in online sales in 2011.

The site also includes Free Shipping Day in Canada, which takes place this year on Dec. 12 for those consumers looking to send gifts within the country.

Nordstrom

The upscale retail chain offers free standard shipping on all its orders in the United States, and not just around the holidays. Year-round free shipping delivers orders within three to six business days after processing. Known for having a stellar return policy — legend has it a customer in Alaska once returned a set of car tires to Nordstrom even though the retailer doesn't sell tires — Nordstrom allows users to ship returns back to the company free of charge. Buying an expensive piece of jewelry? Watch and jewelry orders over $1,500 are expedited in one or two days and insured at no additional cost.

The only bummer — free shipping doesn't apply to items purchased at Nordstrom Rack, the retailer's off-price chain.

Amazon

If you have an Amazon order totaling $35 or more, you may qualify for free shipping in the United States. Not all items on Amazon are included, and we've reached out to Amazon to see if there's a system for why some items are eligible for free shipping while others are not. Those items that are eligible — it will be clear at checkout whether or not you are receiving the deal — ship five to eight business days after the order is processed.

If this number seems higher than you remember, you're onto something. Amazon offered free shipping on orders of $25 or more for nearly a decade before bumping it up to $35 in October.

Best Buy and Target

Like Amazon, you have to spend money to save money with these retailers.

Best Buy has the best offer of the bunch, offering free, four to eight business day shipping year-round on orders of $25 or more. That's a pretty easy threshold to reach at Best Buy. A movie on Blu-ray (or two) should bump your shopping total over the necessary $25 limit.

Target offers free shipping on orders of $50 or more. If you use your Red Card at Target — also known as your Target credit or debit card — your shipping is free on all purchases.

The free shipping includes pre-orders on items like Xbox One games, which will automatically put you over the $50 total.

L.L. Bean

L.L. Bean, which sells clothing and outdoor gear, offers free shipping all the time, with no minimum on how much your purchase costs. The company even ships to Canada for free, a rarity for any type of international shipping. Items shipped to the lower 48 take two to five business days, according to the website.

Zappos

Zappos, the e-commerce shoe retailer, also offers free shipping on all orders shipped to the United States, regardless of total cost. Delivery takes four to five business days, and if you don't like your item, the company also offers free shipping on returns.

Barnes and Noble

For those who still love to curl up with a good book that isn't on a tablet, Barnes and Noble offers free shipping on orders of $25 or more anywhere in the United States. Of course, you can still get your Nook, the e-reader developed by Barnes and Noble, shipped for free, too. Shipping takes two to six business days.

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Image: Joe Raedle/Getty Images, Franco Folini/Flickr, Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Topics: amazon, best buy, free shipping, free shipping day, holidays 2013, Lifestyle, Marketing, nordstrom, Target, U.S., Wal-Mart