This adjustment precedes the upcoming major sales event for Prime members. Amazon customers who are not subscribed to Amazon Prime will need to make larger purchases to qualify for free shipping.
In certain markets, Amazon has raised the minimum requirement for non-Prime customers to receive free shipping to $35, as reported earlier by CNBC. Previously, shoppers only needed to spend $25 to be eligible for free shipping.
An Amazon spokesperson mentioned in an email on Tuesday, “We continually assess our offerings and make adjustments accordingly. We are presently testing a $35 threshold for non-Prime customers to be eligible for free shipping. Prime members still benefit from complimentary delivery on over 300 million items, including tens of millions of items available for free Same or One-Day Delivery.”
ALSO READ: Apple’s newest rumours, product predictions, and more regarding the iPhone 15
Presently, Amazon Prime is priced at $15 per month or $139 annually. In 2021, the company announced that it had amassed over 200 million Prime subscribers.
This isn’t the first instance of Amazon altering its minimum requirements. In 2013, the e-commerce giant made a similar shift, transitioning from the long-standing $25 minimum for free shipping to $35. The threshold was then increased again in 2016 to $49. In 2017, Amazon reverted to the $25 minimum after other retailers began providing free shipping.
The heightened requirement for free shipping adjustments coincides with Amazon’s second Prime Day sale of the year, scheduled for sometime in October. The event is anticipated to bring widespread discounts across the platform.
