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Place Your Order by These Dates to Get Free Shipping in Time for Christmas

By: Brad Tuttle
Brad Tuttle, expert in Personal finance, shopping, consumer trends, and Senior Editor at Money
Brad Tuttle
Senior Editor | Joined January 2014
Brad Tuttle is a senior editor at Money with over 10 years’ experience covering a vast number of personal finance topics, including careers, cars, travel, budgeting, investing, insurance, credit cards, consumer psychology, real estate, banking, and shopping and deals.
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Originally Published: Dec 14, 2017
Originally Published: Dec 14, 2017 Last Updated: May 08, 2024 3 min read
Christmas gifts under tree
Ghislain & Marie David de Lossy—Getty Images/Cultura RF

Best Buy, Walmart, Target, and Toys R Us all make it easy for online shoppers to get free shipping on holiday purchases. But what's the last day you can qualify for free shipping that will be delivered in time for Christmas?

Here are the major shipping deadlines you need to know about:

Best Buy

Best Buy offers free standard shipping on orders of most items now through December 25. To ensure items arrive in time for Christmas with free shipping, place orders no later than 10:30 a.m. CST on Wednesday, December 20, for most items. If you're ordering after then, it's wise to pay extra for expedited shipping or arrange for free in-store pickup. Take note that Best Buy stores are open until 6 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 24.

You also might consider joining the My Best Buy membership program, which is free and comes with free two-day shipping on most orders.

Target

All customers get free standard shipping and free returns for Target orders now through Saturday, Dec. 23. But in order for orders to arrive in time for Christmas, Target says the deadline is 11:59 p.m. CST on Wednesday, December 20. Be sure to select "free holiday shipping" at checkout.

In-store pickup is available for online orders placed as late as Sunday, Dec. 24.

Toys R Us

Toys R Us is offering free shipping on orders of $29 or more, and Monday, Dec. 18, is the last day for placing orders that are assured to be delivered by Christmas.

Customers who pay extra for expedited shipping can make online purchases by 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 20, will also receive orders by Christmas, Toys R Us says. And if you place an order by noon on Sunday, Dec. 24, Toys R Us says that it will be ready that day for free in-store pickup.

Walmart

Most orders of $35 or more qualify for free two-day shipping at Walmart. Because Christmas 2017 falls on a Monday, it's best to arrange for items to be delivered by the Friday before (Dec. 22). And to ensure they arrive by then during this hectic time of year, our advice would be to place orders by Tuesday, Dec. 19. Alternately, select the in-store pickup option; Walmart stores are closed on Christmas Day but open (sometimes with limited hours) on Sunday, Dec. 24.

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