By Kelly Anne Fitzpatrick on December 3, 2012 in
We Americans are so pro-procrastination there's actually a "holiday" for it. Oh yeah, nearly 1,000 retailers are expected to participate in "Free Shipping Day" on December, 17. Teasers suggest it may actually be in your favor to hold out for Free Shipping Day, as participating merchants will feature free shipping by Christmas Eve and "other discounts."
However, all the offers won't be revealed until midnight on the 17th. The FAQ page at the Free Shipping Day website reveals some retailers may have minimums for free shipping while others may not even reveal that they're offering free shipping until the day of. With the deals hidden until the last minute, we checked with a few major retailers to see what shipping details they are publishing.
Note: Some shipping offers may not apply to large, bulky, or high-demand items. Most offers apply to the continental United States only. Where retailers did not offer their holiday shipping deadline, we made our best guess based on their listed delivery times--double-check before placing your order, though.
Retailer | Minimum for free shipping (excludes any Free Shipping Day offers) | Shipping deadline for Christmas Eve |
| Amazon.com | $25 for Free Super Saver Shipping (see shipping deadlines) | Dec. 18 for Standard Shipping; Dec. 16 for Free Super Saver Shipping; Dec. 22 for 1-day shipping (not available on all products) |
| Overstock.com | None for new customers; no free shipping offers for existing customers | Dec. 17; Dec. 19 for gift cards |
| Zappos.com | None | Dec. 23, 1pm ET (only if the order contains clothing) |
| Walmart | $45, not available on all products | N/A (probably Dec. 17) |
| Sears and Kmart | $59 | Dec. 19, 1pm |
| Best Buy | None, some exclusions | Dec. 19, 1pm |
| Barnes and Noble | $25, some exclusions | Dec. 18 for items that usually ship within 24 hours; Dec. 14 for most other items |
| Toys R Us | $49, not available on all products | Dec. 19 for standard shipping for items that usually ship within 1-2 days; Dec. 20 for expedited shipping; Dec. 21 for express shipping |
| Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, Athleta, Piperlime | $50; no minimum for Piperlime | Dec. 19 |
| Office Depot | None, some exclusions | Dec. 21 within local delivery areas; no deadline listed outside of those areas |
| Cooking.com | $79 for Free Super Saver Shipping | N/A (probably Dec. 12 for Free Super Saver Shipping; Dec. 17 for standard shipping) |
| Pottery Barn, West Elm | None on select "gift items" only | Dec. 20 for standard shipping; Dec. 19 for monogramming; Dec. 21 for rush shipping |
| Apple | None through Dec. 21 | Dec. 5 for iPad Mini; Dec. 11 for iPhone 5; Dec. 14 for customized Macs; Dec. 17 for all other engraved items; Dec. 18 for all other non-engraved items; Dec. 21 with next day shipping, select products only |
| Target | None on "top toys" only | N/A (probably Dec. 15) |
| Staples | None | N/A (delivery date is estimated per item) |
| OfficeMax | $20 | Dec. 19 |
| J Crew | $175, some exclusions | Dec. 20 for standard shipping; Dec. 12 for personalized items; Dec. 22 for expedited shipping |
| Kohl's | $50; all gift cards ship free | N/A (probably Dec. 12) |
| JCPenney | $50; no minimum for shipping to store | Dec. 19 for standard shipping; Dec. 20 for express delivery; Dec. 17 for in-store pick-up |
| L.L.Bean | None | N/A (probably Dec. 17) |
| Bed, Bath & Beyond | $99, through Dec. 17 | Dec. 17 for standard delivery; Dec. 19 for expedited delivery; Dec. 20 for express delivery |
| Crate & Barrel | No free shipping available; $4.95 flat fee on some items | Dec. 20 for standard shipping; Dec. 21 for next-day express shipping |
| Williams Sonoma | No free shipping listed | Dec. 20 for standard shipping; Dec. 19 for monogramming; Dec. 21 for rush shipping |
