Free shipping shapes where shoppers buy, what they put in the cart and whether they come back. The figures below come from retailer surveys, consumer studies and store data published for 2024 through 2026.
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Key highlights
- 94% of consumers say free shipping affects their purchase decisions, per Alixpartners.
- Over 71% of North America's top 1,000 retailers offered free shipping in 2024, per Shopify.
- Two in three shoppers abandon their cart when shipping fees exceed approximately $10, per Alixpartners.
- 81% of shoppers are willing to increase their spending to meet a free shipping threshold, per Newsroom.
- Nearly 70% of cart abandonment rates comes from additional costs at checkout, per Ryder.
- $96 vs $116 are the two weighted average order values in Metorik's free shipping data, with free-shipping orders at the lower figure, per Metorik.
How common free shipping is
The numbers below show how many retailers offer free shipping and how many attach conditions to it. For a wider view of carrier costs and delivery, see the ecommerce shipping statistics page.
Over 71% of North America's top 1,000 retailers offered free shipping in 2024, according to Digital Commerce 360 as reported by Shopify. The figure covers the top 1,000 retailers in North America.
56% of retailers require a minimum order value for free shipping, according to AlixPartners as reported by Shopify. The figure is the AlixPartners share of retailers requiring a minimum order value.
Above $50 is the threshold level Bizrate flags: retailers who set the free shipping threshold above $50 are likely triggering abandonment, and those who set it well above that are almost certainly losing customers who feel their expectation isn't met (Bizrateinsights). The statement concerns thresholds set above $50.
Shipping costs and cart abandonment
The table shows how shipping costs and checkout surprises connect to abandoned carts. Shoppers also want to see costs early, which the last row covers. The cart abandonment statistics page has more on why carts are left.
| Metric | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Online shoppers citing extra costs, including shipping, as the reason they abandon carts (Baymard, 2026 report) | 40% | Shopify |
| Shoppers who abandon their cart entirely when shipping fees exceed approximately $10 | Two in three | Alixpartners |
| Share of cart abandonment rates made up by additional costs at the checkout stage (Ryder study) | Nearly 70% | Ryder |
| Consumers who expect to see shipping costs before deciding on a purchase (Ryder study) | 77% | Ryder |
What shoppers expect
The statistics here cover how much free shipping weighs on buying decisions and what consumers expect as a baseline.
94% of consumers say free shipping impacts their purchase decisions, with nearly 70% saying it has a "great impact." More than 25% expect $0 shipping as a baseline (Alixpartners). These come from the AlixPartners 2026 home delivery survey.
More than 76% of consumers say free shipping is near the top of the list when deciding where to shop, valuing it far above those who cite same or next-day delivery (Ryder). The finding comes from the 2025 Ryder E-commerce Consumer Study.
81.34% of consumers consider free shipping their top priority for order delivery (Woocommerce). The figure comes from Digital Commerce 360's 2024 survey on shipping and fulfillment.
65% wanted free or faster shipping in a 2026 Attentive survey of 600 US consumers (Shopify). The answer bundles free and faster shipping together.
45% of 1,000 US adults surveyed in August 2025 expected free shipping on every order, and 16% of those shoppers said they wouldn't make a purchase if they had to pay for shipping (Shopify). The 16% is a share of the 45%, not of all respondents.
Delivery speed and delivery economics
Free delivery comes with timing expectations and cost pressure for the retailer.
| Metric | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Average days consumers expect free delivery to take | 2.7 days | Alixpartners |
| Expected free delivery time for grocery and food | 0.9 days | Alixpartners |
| Expected free delivery time for large general merchandise | 3.2 days | Alixpartners |
| Consumers who will boycott a retailer after just one or two botched deliveries | 52% | Alixpartners |
| Executives who say home delivery is not yet profitable | 64% | Alixpartners |
Loyalty, spend and order value
The last group looks at what free shipping does after the first purchase: repeat shopping, perceived quality and basket size. The average order value statistics page covers basket size in more depth.
38% of shoppers say free and fast shipping options are most likely to bring them back to shop again with a new brand (Shopify). The figure is from Attentive's 2026 State of Loyalty report.
54% of shoppers said free shipping or returns was a factor that made them consider a product high quality and high value (Shopify). The finding is from Salsify's 2026 consumer research report.
81% of shoppers are willing to increase their spending to meet a retailer's free shipping threshold (Newsroom). The statistic is about shoppers' stated willingness.
$96 vs $116 are the two weighted average order values in Metorik's free shipping data, with free-shipping orders at the lower figure (Metorik). Metorik says the democratization of free shipping means stores absorb a long tail of small, low-value orders.
What this means for Shopify brands
Most of North America's top 1,000 retailers offered free shipping in 2024, and 56% of retailers require a minimum order value for it. A store choosing a threshold can read the data on both sides: shoppers say they are willing to increase spending to reach one, while Bizrate says thresholds set above $50 are likely triggering abandonment. Showing shipping costs early is also worth considering, because 77% of consumers in the Ryder study expect to see them before deciding on a purchase. The shipping statistics page covers the delivery side in more detail.
Delivery promises need as much care as the price. A store that offers free delivery should set a realistic delivery window and track orders so that late or botched deliveries are caught fast. The order tracking statistics page covers that side of the experience, and the customer loyalty statistics page covers what keeps buyers returning.
Frequently asked questions
How many retailers offer free shipping?
Over 71% of North America's top 1,000 retailers offered free shipping in 2024, per Digital Commerce 360. AlixPartners found that 56% of retailers require a minimum order value for it.
Does shipping cost cause cart abandonment?
Baymard found 40% of online shoppers cite extra costs, including shipping costs, as the reason they abandon carts. AlixPartners found two in three shoppers abandon their cart when shipping fees exceed approximately $10.
How fast do shoppers expect free delivery?
AlixPartners reports an average expectation of 2.7 days. Expectations range from 0.9 days for grocery and food to 3.2 days for large general merchandise.
Will shoppers spend more to qualify for free shipping?
A FedEx newsroom report says 81% of shoppers are willing to increase their spending to meet a retailer's free shipping threshold. Bizrate adds that thresholds set above $50 are likely triggering abandonment.
Is free shipping a factor in loyalty and perceived quality?
Attentive's 2026 State of Loyalty report found 38% of shoppers say free and fast shipping options are most likely to bring them back to shop again with a new brand. Salsify's 2026 report found 54% of shoppers said free shipping or returns made them consider a product high quality and high value.
