Amazon's free shipping minimum cost is now $49

If you want free shipping on your Amazon order, it’s going to cost you a little more. That’s because Amazon revealed it is raising the minimum amount you need to spend to $49—up from $35—in order to get the perk.

The only exception is for an order of $25 worth of “eligible” books, which should be welcome news to those who rely on Amazon for textbooks or for their pleasure-reading needs.

Along with boosting Prime subscriptions, such a move will help the bottom line by squeezing out some of the shipping costs the company has to pay out for all those free orders.

Why this matters: Amazon really wants you to subscribe to its Prime service, which at $99 per year offers free, two-day shipping and access to the company’s video and music streaming services. It’s a move that makes sense if you buy things on Amazon regularly, but it’s not as compelling if you don’t crave a bunch of TV shows or aren’t a heavy Amazon buyer. So get ready to pay out a little more, however, if you make occasional small purchases from the retail giant.

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here