Amazon raises free shipping minimum to $35 depending on zip code

BOSTON — It may cost you a little bit more for your Amazon.com order to qualify for free shipping.

According to Consumer World, the online giant this month quietly raised the free shipping threshold to $35 for some non-Prime customers based on where they live using their delivery zip code.

Historically, shoppers who did not buy an Amazon Prime membership for $139 in order to get free delivery for a year were charged for shipping unless their orders totaled at least $25 no matter where they lived. Now, the minimum purchase requirement for free shipping is variable based on location in a nationwide test.

“Amazon customers even in the same geographic area could be subject to different shipping charges if their zip codes are different,” Consumer World founder and longtime consumer advocate Edgar Dworsky said in a statement on Monday. “If you live in Manhattan, you get free shipping with a $25 purchase, but reside in Brooklyn and you have to meet a $35 minimum. That’s crazy!”

Metro Boston towns are $25 while adjacent North Shore communities like Salem or Lynn are now $35.

Other states’ close-by towns may face a similar disparity.

Seattle, for example, has a $25 minimum while Bellevue just across the lake is $35. Omaha is $25 while Lincoln is $35.  Beverly Hills is $25 while Westwood, right next door, is $35.

Amazon has made no formal announcement about the changes to its shipping charges. Only if a shopper checks the fine print on a product page is the minimum order size to receive free shipping first revealed. 

In a statement to Consumer World, a company spokesperson said, “We continually evaluate our offerings and make adjustments based on those assessments. We’re currently testing a $35 minimum for non-Prime customers to qualify for free shipping.”

The increase for some consumers is unfortunate, said Dworsky.

“It is unfortunate while consumers are still struggling with inflation and higher product prices that Amazon has chosen to pile on and charge for shipping that previously was free,” said Dworsky.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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