Some Tips About 'Free Shipping Day'
CHICAGO (CBS) -- If you avoided Black Friday, slept through Cyber Monday but still aren't finished with your Christmas shopping, you're in luck.
CBS 2's Dorothy Tucker takes a look at "Free Shipping Day" and what you need to do to snag some good deals.
Erin Quereau's toddler was testing toy trains at Target. Mom wasn't buying, though. She was waiting until Friday, to take advantage of Free Shipping Day.
"If you get free shipping, you know you'll get it for less," she says.
Quereau is among millions expected to shop online Dec. 16, when nearly 2,000 merchants will be offering free shipping with guaranteed delivery before Christmas.
According to organizers at freeshipping.org, 75 percent of retailers will have free shipping on everything. The rest will have stipulations.
"Some may only offer free shipping on certain products, perhaps a product line or maybe just the TVs on that day, so read the fine print," Andrea Woroch, consumer advisor, says. "Make sure if there are any minimum orders required that you're meeting that threshold to get free shipping."
Also, read the fine print on returns.
"Find out if there's going to be a shipping fee associated with that return," Woroch adds. "Others will charge you a restocking fee. You want to see what the rules are."
And just because it's marked red doesn't means it's the lowest price, says Woroch. Compare prices, because some retailers will be offering 15 percent or 20 percent discounts in addition to free shipping.
Yushumic Moore saved a bundle last year and hopes to save more this year.
"Appliances, mixers, big box items, TVs -- it pays off. You save with the shipping, definitely," Moore says.
If you miss Free Shipping Day, all is not lost. As we get closer to Christmas, some merchants, desperate to unload products, will offer free two-day shipping, but you won't find nearly as many retailers offering that deal.
