Most people assume that they need a Prime membership to get free shipping from Amazon. But this isn’t completely true—Amazon offers free shipping on most orders of $25 or more. Unfortunately, Amazon is now testing a $35 free shipping minimum for users in select regions. This may convince some users to become Prime subscribers, though you can still skip the delivery fees by saving items to your cart until you hit the free shipping threshold.
This test is already active for many Amazon users, including some of the staff at How-To Geek. If you aren’t a Prime member, your free shipping minimum will appear on the right side of any Amazon listing (assuming that the product is eligible for free shipping). The free shipping minimum also shows up during checkout.
Oddly, Amazon says that certain “ZIP code-grouped regions” were randomly chosen for this test. Everyone in your area will see the same free shipping minimum, whether it’s $25 or $35. Presumably, Amazon wants to see how a $35 free shipping minimum will affect revenue and operating costs. Some customers may choose not to order anything, while others will consolidate purchases into larger orders (which cuts logistics and labor costs on Amazon’s end). And, of course, some shoppers will join Prime.
For what it’s worth, Amazon’s free shipping minimum has fluctuated wildly over the past decade. The most notable change occurred between 2016 and 2017, when the free shipping minimum leaped to $49 but quickly tumbled down to $25. Today’s test appears to be part of a broader money-saving push by Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, who recently laid off over 200,000 employees and cut several of Amazon’s in-house brands.
Those who are concerned about this change should start consolidating their Amazon orders. Instead of buying a bunch of small stuff throughout the week, add it to your cart and check out when you reach $35. Recurring Subscribe and Save deliveries are also free. Of course, you could always join Amazon Prime (free trials are available for new and returning subscribers) or try an alternative like Walmart+.
Source: Amazon via EcommerceBytes, CNBC
