# CNBC: "The Hidden Cost Of Free Shipping" **URL:** \ **Category:** Uncategorized\ **Created:** [April 14, 2023, 6:09pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/cnbc-the-hidden-cost-of-free-shipping/2633 "2023-04-14T18:09:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PropofolMask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6f9a4e/32.png) [@PropofolMask](https://community.clark.com/u/PropofolMask)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2023, 6:09pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/cnbc-the-hidden-cost-of-free-shipping/2633/1 "2023-04-14T18:09:16Z")
For the record, Clark Howard [recently said](https://youtu.be/tPoe59FzZjQ?t=305) that “free shipping isn’t really free for any of us.” [![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/clark/original/2X/d/d8b8578210137e3bb65ef79b54027647190c593f.jpeg "The Hidden Cost Of Free Shipping") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBuds2vCgv4) ---
**Author:** ![rjratnip](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.clark.com/rjratnip/32/1821_2.png) [@rjratnip](https://community.clark.com/u/rjratnip)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2023, 6:27pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/cnbc-the-hidden-cost-of-free-shipping/2633/2 "2023-04-14T18:27:49Z")
This is obvious if you try to buy inexpensive things at Amazon. I’ve looked at some things on Amazon that should be only $3 but are $7+ with “free” shipping. And then you pay tax on the full $7. ---
**Author:** ![Lavarock](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.clark.com/lavarock/32/119_2.png) [@Lavarock](https://community.clark.com/u/Lavarock)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2023, 6:41pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/cnbc-the-hidden-cost-of-free-shipping/2633/3 "2023-04-14T18:41:30Z")
I always scratched my head when people thought that shipping was really free. SOMEBODY pays. I can tell you that Fedex, UPS, USPS and others do not carry items across town or the country for free. As a seller I would issue coupons which either had a percentage off the cost or free shipping. I encouraged people to decide which one was cheapest for them. Because I was shipping from off the mainland I also made sure that the shipping costs were calculated and displayed to the buyers. When I would buy an item from the mainland, I almost always chose free shipping and sometimes then found that shipping was not free to me (because of my location). There are popular companys who chose a default shipper and that shipper is crazy if I would pay their rate. For example, before Amazon, I could order a disk drive for $40 and be told it would cost $40 to ship it! I would call the company and see if they could put whatever item in a USPS flat-rate box or envelope for something like $10 at the time. One time a company agreed and sent someone specifically t othe post office for my shipment as they had no flat rate materials. I thanked them by sending a bag of freshly roasted coffee (naturally by flat-rate envelope) as a thank you. On Ebay you used to see (and may still see) that an item may be listed twice, once with free shipping at a higher price than the same item without free shipping. The two items would cost you the same amount. ---
**Author:** ![ole1845](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e495f1/32.png) [@ole1845](https://community.clark.com/u/ole1845)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2023, 3:05pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/cnbc-the-hidden-cost-of-free-shipping/2633/4 "2023-04-15T15:05:31Z")
What I like about free shipping is there are no surprises at end. I’ve tried to order a thirty dollar item and find out at the end that shipping is $18. ---
**Author:** ![M.GailW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@M.GailW](https://community.clark.com/u/M.GailW)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2025, 4:38pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/cnbc-the-hidden-cost-of-free-shipping/2633/5 "2025-12-09T16:38:56Z")
we know that the shipping is not free,but when you are on a fixed income that free shipping goes a long way to helping us to be able to purchase the items that we need or want. but helping the low income or the poor to be able to live a decent life. profit is a must I know but it is also a blessing to the poor and the downtrodden. I ship my products as well but it helps me to make a living. one that I wouldn’t I wont have if free shipping changes or get much higher.