How to Get Free Shipping on Amazon

Prime members receive a number of perks from Amazon, one of which is free shipping. But you don't have to be a Prime member to score free delivery from Amazon.

If you're not interested in paying for shipping at Amazon, and you're not interested in paying for Prime, then this guide is for you.

How to Get Free Shipping on Amazon

Any customer can shop on Amazon and receive free shipping. To do so, you just need to look for products that have "FREE Shipping" noted next to the price. (Yep, it's in all caps.) Then, add at least $25 worth of eligible items to your cart.

Select free shipping during checkout, complete your order, and wait for items to arrive in 5 to 8 business days. Of course, you can also choose Amazon Marketplace items that are available with free shipping.

During checkout, it's important to remember that you'll have to ship all your items to a single U.S. address. Also, choose "Group my items into as few shipments as possible" before choosing "FREE Shipping" as your speed.

Amazon Free Shipping Has Caveats

Wondering why your order doesn't qualify for free shipping? Here are three common reasons:

1. The order contains ineligible items.
   
2. A special handling fee applies to your order.
   
3. An eligible item was removed from your order, bringing the total below $25.

According to Amazon, any item with "FREE Shipping" on the product page is eligible and will contribute to the required $25 minimum — as long as it's fulfilled and shipped by Amazon.

However, if you cancel any items, combine your order with another, or change your shipping preferences, then your order's free shipping eligibility could change.

SEE ALSO: Amazon Prime Shipping Is the Perk We Love to Hate

Also, you can only ship to a U.S. delivery address, within the 50 states. If you want to ship to an APO/FPO address, it must have a U.S. ZIP code. Additionally, geographic shipping restrictions can apply; some products can't be shipped to Alaska or Hawaii, for example.

Can You Buy a Gift Card to Meet the $25 Minimum?

Unfortunately, no. Gift cards qualify for free 1-day shipping, and therefore don't contribute to the $25 minimum purchase required for Amazon free shipping.

SEE ALSO: Amazon Quietly Killed a Popular Prime Shipping Perk

How Is Prime Free Shipping Different?

Prime members receive free 2-day shipping on eligible items to addresses in the contiguous United States. They'll also receive other shipping benefits where available:

• Select ZIP codes are eligible for free same-day delivery.
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• Members in a Prime Now-eligible area can also receive free 2-hour delivery.
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• Prime shoppers can receive free release-date delivery on eligible pre-orders.
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• Prime members can select no-rush shipping and receive credits toward future purchases.

If you don't shop at Amazon very often, the perks above may not interest you. But if you want to give Prime a try, check out our guide to Amazon Prime free trials.