December 17, 2009, is Free Shipping Day. Some 500 retailers are expected to participate in the self-explanatory event: Duh, you get free shipping if you order something online that day. It’s Your Money talks with Free Shipping Day’s founder Luke Knowles to get more of the specifics.
In order to participate, a retailer must guarantee that orders placed on December 17 will arrive at their destination by December 24. There are no rules regarding minimum purchases to qualify for free shipping—consumers might have to spend $50 or $75 or whatever to qualify—but Knowles says the Free Shipping Day organizers encourage retailers to be generous. Check out FreeShippingDay.com for a list of retailers already in on the event—at last check, 322 stores and counting.
Listen in to my conversation with Luke Knowles for more details:
Not to poo-poo what is a cool event for consumers, but you should keep in mind that you often don’t have to wait for Free Shipping Day to get free shipping. There are all sorts of free-shipping promotions happening right now, though they typically come with minimum purchase requirements, or you may have to know a special promotional code. Finding those codes is generally as easy as Googling “free shipping” and the name of the retailer. (Personal finance and consumer blogs like It’s Your Money are also good resources for finding these deals.)
Also, be aware that free shipping, while certainly welcomed, is known to make shoppers behave irrationally, buying stuff (or more stuff) than logic would dictate. In other words, take free shipping for what it is: a nice little discount to figure into your overall purchase, not a reason to buy junk that’s not worth the price, even when you factor in free delivery to your door.
Anyway, it’s good to know that procrastinators have got a guaranteed free shipping option late in the game.
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