Websites That Say They Have Free Shipping and Those That Actually Do
Online ordering and free shipping and free returns are a shopper’s dream. But many online retailers simply inflate prices by passing on these “perks” to you. Here is a list of retailers offering free shipping and returns and how they compare to the competition.
Ashford.com
Ashford sells watches through its website and offers free shipping and free returns on all online orders. Free shipping is Free Ground and all customers are eligible for a free return.
Are shipping and returns free? Mixed bag. I compared the prices of five watches sold by Ashford and Amazon and three were cheaper on Amazon. Less expensive brands like Seiko were cheaper on Amazon, while more expensive brands like Movado were cheaper in Ashford. So if you are looking to buy an expensive new watch, buying from Ashford makes sense in terms of price and benefits.
Barneys new york
Barneys sells high-end designer bags, clothing and footwear. They offer free round trip shipping. They actually ship a prepaid return shipping label with every online purchase, just in case you’re not satisfied.
Unfortunately, it was difficult to find a good price comparison with Barneys’ products to determine if they really make you pay for free returns and free shipping. Although, if you shop regularly at Barneys, I assume you are not overly price sensitive.
Casa.com
Casa.com specializes in home decor and home furnishings. They offer free two-day shipping for orders over $ 49, as well as free returns on all orders. They will accept returns within 365 days of the original purchase date if the product is in new condition.
As for whether their shipping and returns are really free? Well, Casa.com beat Amazon for the Keurig K45 coffee maker, $ 119.99 for Casa, and $ 124.95 for Amazon. But Amazon was the clear winner in the Cuisinart portable gas grill space – $ 137.99 versus $ 155.29. Most likely, they don’t raise prices just to compensate for available shipping and returns.
Neiman Marcus
Neiman Marcus will ship your order free of charge via 3-5 days FedEx service and give you 15 days to return unwanted items free of charge. To complete your return, you simply use the prepaid label found on the packing slip that came with your purchase.
Are shipping and returns free? No. They got the nickname “Needless Markup” for a reason. When they have such a large mark-up, it’s easy to avoid additional shipping and return costs.
Nordstrom
Nordstrom was one of the first online retailers to allow shoppers to shop risk- free and receive free standard shipping and returns on all items. No restocking fees, no questions asked.
However, shipping and returns are not entirely free here. You pay for it with higher prices. I pick six random garments sold by both Nordstrom and Amazon and Amazon wins at least 15% each time. However, since Nordstrom offers a variety of products not found on Amazon, shopping elsewhere is not always possible.
Online Shoes Shoes.com
Online Shoes.com will deliver your order free of charge through 5-8 days economy purchases and give you 365 days to return it to them free of charge . Shoes must be in new condition with no visible signs of wear.
Shipping and returns are not free here either. I searched for brands like Keen, Born, New Balance and Nine West on Amazon and Online Shoes.com and Amazon won every time. The only exception was a pair of Keen sandals sold by a third party on Amazon for a ridiculously high price tag. In this case, there is definitely a surcharge to cover costs such as shipping and returns.
Shoebuy.com
Shoebuy.com is another online shoe retailer that offers free shipping (via UPS) and returns on all purchases. They also offer no sales tax (except New York State), which helps keep the final price down.
Without sales tax and a coupon code that gives 25% off my order (which they regularly receive), I was able to beat Amazon about half the time. Unfortunately, there is always a long list of excluded brands in their coupons. But if you know you will return items due to ordering items in more than one size, Shoebuy.com is a great option. Their price fluctuations are likely to be more due to other factors than just a mark-up to cover their travel costs.
Shopbop.com
Shopbop sells designer fashion clothes, shoes and bags, and offers free three-day shipping and free returns . They sell expensive, high-end products. For example, the cheapest pair of jeans I could find cost over $ 100.
With regard to “free” returns and “free” shipping, you are betting that you pay for them with the purchase price of your item. With its high mark-up, Shopbop easily defers shipping and return costs to the customer. There is nothing “free” at high-end stores like Shopbop.
Sunglass hut
Sunglass Hut offers free UPS ground shipping on all orders as well as a free return home fitting program. The program allows you to select four pairs of sunglasses to try for five days, and you only get paid for the remaining pair. You can mail your unwanted glasses free of charge, or simply drop them off at the store.
Are shipping and returns free? Yes. I compared Oakley, Rayban, and Maui Jim on Sunglass Hut and Amazon and the prices were pretty consistent. Consistent enough to make a home fitting program a great option if you’re looking to buy a new pair of shades.
UGG Australia
UGG Australia will deliver the items free of charge and take them back free of charge if you are not completely satisfied. They give you a year to return an item in a new condition or in the event of a manufacturer defect.
Fortunately, shipping and returns are free here. UGGs are rarely discounted and tend to be very consistent in pricing from one retailer to the next. Because of this, it pays to shop directly at UGG and get free shipping and returns. Moreover, UGG boots are unusual in size and may require you to order a pair of pairs to determine your fit.
Zappos
In recent years, Zappos has become the gold standard in terms of delivering flawless customer service. Much of this is their policy of offering free shipping and free returns for one year from the date of purchase.
As for what shipping and these proceeds are really free of charge? When it comes to pricing, it really depends on the brand. For example, Converse Chuck Taylor is always cheaper on Zappos compared to Amazon, while Walmart.com is significantly cheaper than both. It’s worth noting that loyal Zappos shoppers are often willing to pay more for a great service.
When shopping online, things like clothes, shoes, and sunglasses are often difficult to buy as sizes can vary greatly from one brand to the next. For this reason, some of these websites offer a great “no risk” workaround. Just keep in mind that something is rarely completely free, and the cost of offering these benefits often pays off with higher overall prices.