There is No Such Thing as Free Shipping

The Truth Behind “Free Shipping”.
As a shopper, you probably focus on the price of your purchase before you think about shipping costs. You may not pay attention to the total price and only see the difference between the two numbers. Shipping, like most other things in life, is subject to supply and demand.
But that doesn’t mean free shipping isn’t accessible. In fact, there are many ways to save money on shipping costs without compromising customer service or the quality of your online shopping experience. Take a look at these tips below so you can find out how to get your products shipped for less without breaking the bank!

What Is “Free Shipping”?
A lot of people misunderstand what “free shipping” means. It’s not often the case where you can get free shipping on any purchase from a business. In most cases, it requires a minimum spend to qualify for it.
In order to get free shipping on your purchase, you’ll need to meet your retailer’s minimum order amount. If you don’t, then it’ll be at least $5 – $20 more for the company to ship the product. Some retailers will require a large minimum purchase in order to qualify for free shipping.

Why do Businesses Have Order Minimums?
Shipping is not free, businesses have to pay for the parcels they ship to customers for “free”. In order for them to be able to afford to do this, they have to make sure that their markup will more than cover the shipping costs. This is why they have a minimum spend for free shipping.
Some businesses lose money on many orders they send out but they rely on massive volume and lower cost in-house delivery systems to squeeze out a profit.

Find the Best Shipping Deals
Before you purchase a product, you should always look at the shipping costs. There are plenty of sites that offer free shipping but not all shipping is the same. If you want faster delivery you will usually have to pay more. It’s important to compare the overall cost before making your final purchase.

Consider Options for Shipping
The first step in saving money on shipping is to consider the options you have for getting your products shipped. There are several ways to qualify for discounted shipping rates, so it pays to take a look.
What service level do you need – this can affect just how much you pay for shipping?

Our Gift Shop gives you a choice of:

Special Rate: Same as regular but discounted
Regular Parcel: Parcels are still tracked but can take longer to be delivered, however, if you are not in a hurry this can save you a lot of money.
Expedited Parcel: Faster delivery but more expensive.
Priority Parcel: Very fast but can be expensive.

If the item is unique or the seller has managed to get a really good deal they will sometimes include all or part of the shipping in the cost of the item. Remember, there is no such thing as free shipping, somebody pays for it.