Amazon Extends Free Shipping Deadline To Woo Last-Minute Christmas Customers

If you’re not already shopping online, Amazon is trying to make sure that you do so with them this year, by extending their free shipping deadline by one day to Dec. 19. It’s not exactly the equivalent of heading out to find gifts Christmas Eve, but for online shopping, the clock is definitely ticking.

Many retailers offer low or free shipping but have to set a deadline for those who want gifts to arrive by Christmas. In this case, Amazon’s Free Super Saver Shipping applies for orders of $25 or more. If you’ve ordered less or wait until after Dec. 19, you’ll have to pay extra for shipping in time.

Reuters cites a survey by Big Research for the National Retail Federation that says 87 percent of retailers have a standard shipping deadline of December 20 at the latest for delivery by December 25, which could be how smaller retailers are trying to compete with Amazon’s hold on the online shopping world.

Others have been using tactics like free shipping with no conditions, as in the case of Nordstrom, or lowering the amount you have to spend before free shipping kicks in, as Macy’s did for Cyber Monday.

Amazon extends Christmas shipping deadline [Reuters]

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