Black Friday Free Shipping Thresholds: What Counts as Free?
Learn what counts toward $35 free-shipping minimums and how to avoid delivery fees at checkout.
Free shipping on Black Friday means you pay no delivery fee once your order reaches a set minimum. A free-shipping threshold is the minimum order value where delivery fees stop. PPC Land describes below-threshold orders as paying a fee while qualifying orders ship free.
That line decides whether checkout adds a charge. This season many headline offers set that line at $35.
Verification note: Program terms and availability can change. This page was checked against linked sources on November 02, 2026.
Why Free Still Has Rules
Federal rules shape how stores can use the word free. The FTC Guide Concerning Use of the Word Free, published through the U.S. Government Publishing Office, says all terms must appear clearly and conspicuously at the outset, close to the offer, according to the FTC guide on use of the word free.
Shoppers should see limits beside the promise, not buried later. According to FTC staff guidance for online ads, any needed disclosure must be clear and conspicuous on every device. A $35 limit cannot stay hidden until checkout.
If the minimum applies, it should be visible with the sale message.
What Does $35 Get You?
Target Corporation advertised a clear example for its Nov. 23-29, 2025 weeklong event. Orders above $35 shipped free with Next-Day or 2-Day shipping during that week, according to the Target announcement for its November weeklong event.
That week tied faster service to the same basket line. Walmart uses the same $35 line for free two-day home shipping with no membership. Walmart corporate news notes the minimum was lowered from $50 in January 2017, according to the Walmart announcement on free two-day shipping.
Shoppers cross the line without joining a paid plan. The pattern is simple across these examples. Below $35, a delivery fee can apply.
Above $35, the delivery fee drops away for the covered shipping method.
What Counts Toward the Minimum?
Best Buy measures its $35 line after coupons and before taxes. Marketplace items, gift cards, and scheduled-delivery items fall outside free standard shipping unless the buyer joins free My Best Buy, according to the Best Buy Help page on free shipping. The cart total that matters is not always the first number shown.
That math can surprise shoppers. A $38 cart can drop below $35 after a $5 coupon. Taxes do not help you cross the line.
How to Avoid a Fee at Checkout
Read the shipping note next to the sale price before adding items. Look for the minimum, the speed, and any excluded items. Take a screenshot of that offer for your records.
Use this quick check before you pay. Compare the after-coupon subtotal to the $35 line. If the total is short, add only a needed item that keeps the order eligible.
If an item is excluded, split the order so the eligible items still clear $35 together. Save the product page showing the threshold until delivery arrives.
- Check the cart subtotal after coupons and before tax
- Remove gift cards and marketplace items from your estimate
- Confirm which delivery speed the offer covers