As someone new to Spain, I’ve recently been looking into the most cost-effective way to shop on Amazon.es and discovered there’s quite a bit to know about ‘Envío Gratis’ (free shipping). I’m sharing what I’ve learned for other newcomers to help you avoid unnecessary costs.
As many of you probably know, the most straightforward way to get free shipping is by subscribing to Amazon Prime. Prime members get free shipping on almost all items sold or fulfilled by Amazon, with no minimum spend, and the delivery is super fast. In major cities like Madrid and Barcelona, many items can be delivered the same or next day. However, a Prime membership has a fee. It currently costs €49.90 per year (though there are ways to get free items on Amazon). Although it includes services like Prime Video and Photos, it can feel a bit steep if you’re not a frequent online shopper.
How Can Non-Prime Members Get Free Delivery?
If you’re not a Prime member, don’t worry—Amazon still offers free delivery options. The two key factors are order total and item category.
- For book purchases: You get free standard delivery if your order includes over €19 worth of books.
- For other categories: For all other non-book items, your order total must be at least €29 to qualify for free shipping.
It’s important to note that this applies only to items sold and dispatched by Amazon. If an item is sold and shipped by a third-party seller, their own shipping policies will apply, and Amazon’s free shipping rules do not cover it.
Tips for Meeting the Minimum Spend and Things to Note
It can be really frustrating when you’re just a few euros short of the free shipping threshold. Here are a few tips for topping up your order. You can search for inexpensive yet useful small items, like kitchen sponges, toothpaste, socks, or stationery. Amazon has many of these so-called ‘Add-on Items’ (or ‘Productos Plus’ in Spanish) that are perfect for this purpose. Below I’ve put together a simple table to help you figure out your order:
| User Type | Order Contents | Free Shipping Threshold |
|---|
| Prime Member | Items dispatched by Amazon | €0 |
| Non-Prime User | Books only | €19 |
| Non-Prime User | Includes non-book items | €29 |
| Non-Prime User | Mixed order | €29 |
Finally, a quick reminder that standard delivery usually takes about 3 working days. It might be slower if you live on the islands or in a remote area. If you need something urgently, you should consider the delivery timeframe. In short, always double-check the shipping fee information in your cart before placing an order to avoid any surprises. Hope this information helps!
