Free Shipping on Cyber Monday: What Retailers Typically Offer
See the $35 thresholds, membership exceptions, and limited app offers that decide Cyber Monday delivery costs.
On Cyber Monday, free shipping typically means meeting a store minimum, using a membership, or claiming a limited delivery offer. Shoppers rarely get automatic free shipping on every single item. Cyber Monday is the online-focused Monday after Thanksgiving weekend.
The National Retail Federation projected a record 183.4 million shoppers for Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday in 2024. That forecast came from a November 1-7 survey of 8,135 adults. It placed Cyber Monday second at 39%, or 72.3 million shoppers.
Verification note: Program terms and availability can change. This page was checked against linked sources on November 05, 2026.
The usual $35 minimum
Target Help describes free shipping on orders of $35 or more with the fastest available home-delivery speed. Target Circle Card users and Target Circle 360 members are exempt from that minimum, while other orders below it pay $5.99 Target shipping help. The same policy notes exclusions by size, weight, quantity, address or vendor, possible surcharges for Alaska, Hawaii and protectorates, and extra charges for upgraded room-of-choice delivery and assembly.
Walmart states that customers can get free two-day shipping on millions of select online items on orders of $35 or more with no membership needed. Walmart+ members get free shipping without that minimum Walmart help information. The distinction matters because nonmembers must reach the threshold on select items.
Amazon's customer-service rule states that orders containing at least $35 of eligible items qualify for free shipping. Non-Prime Cyber Monday shoppers must therefore consolidate Amazon-fulfilled eligible items in one order Amazon shipping rule. A low cart total or a mix of ineligible items can leave a shipping charge in place.
Why minimums change behavior at checkout
The National Retail Federation reports that 47% of online shoppers typically back out when they do not qualify for free shipping. It also reports that 51% add items to meet a minimum. Those responses explain why thresholds shape carts more than headline discounts.
The same Federation research found that 51% of consumers not planning to shop the holiday weekend said a sale, free shipping, or family or friend invitation could convince them. For Cyber Monday, removing or lowering the shipping threshold can therefore shift a decision to buy. Shoppers can use that pattern by watching whether a store drops its minimum for the day.
When free delivery is capped or app-gated
For Cyber Monday, December 1, 2025, Dollar General offered free delivery to only the first 10,000 myDG customers who claimed the offer. The claim had to be made on the DG app or website Dollar General holiday announcement. The date, customer cap, account requirement, and app channel were all part of the benefit.
Capped offers reward early action rather than late browsing. An app requirement also adds a step before checkout. Readers should treat "free delivery" language as conditional until they see the cap, channel, and claim window.
How to avoid paying shipping on Cyber Monday
Check the minimum, eligible items, membership rule, and delivery exclusions before adding items. Small adjustments at the start prevent a fee surprise at payment. The National Retail Federation's findings suggest that meeting the threshold is often cheaper than paying the fee and abandoning the cart.
Claim app-based delivery early and verify the minimum before you pay.
- Confirm the $35 threshold and which items count toward it.
- Consolidate eligible items into one order when the rule requires it.
- Check whether a store card or paid membership removes the minimum.
- Claim app-based delivery early when a cap applies.
- Review address surcharges and large-item exclusions before checkout.