Free shipping: 48 retailers' policies

Online shopping helps you nab the best deals by making price comparisons a lot easier. But those shipping fees can be downright painful!

Thankfully, a lot of online stores will ship your orders for free, but those bargains often come with limitations. To help you navigate, we've put together a list of 48 retailers that offer free shipping, plus some tips on how these deals work.

Know the Facts About Free Shipping

While some retailers offer slightly better (or worse) deals, here's how free shipping typically works:

It will be offered for the slowest shipping option. If you need your items faster, you'll have to pay.

It only covers domestic shipping, sometimes within the continental United States only.

It's typically not available for bulky items. Some retailers have a specific weight limitation for free shipping.

The minimum you'll need to spend to bag free shipping is usually calculated after any discounts and before taxes.

Some retailers only offer free shipping promotions at select times of the year. You're most likely to see these offers during the holiday season, but you shouldn't always count on it: while its competitors provided free holiday shipping last year, Walmart stuck with its usual $50 minimum purchase requirement.

SEE ALSO: 50 Retailers That Let You Buy Online and Return In-Store

50 Retailers That Offer Free Shipping

The list below covers retailers that offer free shipping, typically after a minimum purchase, on all items except for those that are large or bulky. Click on the "more details" links to check the exact shipping policies for each store.

6pm: Free shipping on orders totaling $50 or more. More details

Adidas: Free shipping for all orders. More details

Advance Auto Parts: Free shipping on orders over $75. More details

Amazon: Free shipping for all orders of $49 or more; free shipping on book orders of at least $25; free two-day shipping on all items for Prime members ($99 per year or $10.99 per month). More details

Apple: Free shipping for all orders. Two-day shipping for most items; next-day shipping foriPhones. More details

B&H Photo Video: Free shipping on orders over $49. More details

Barnes & Noble: Free shipping for orders of at least $25; free shipping on all orders for members ($25 per year). More details

Bed Bath & Beyond: Free shipping on orders over $49. More details

Belk: Free shipping on orders of $99 or more; free shipping for all beauty products; free shipping if you pay with your Belk Elite Rewards credit card. More details

Best Buy: Free shipping on orders of at least $35; Best Buy Elite members get free shipping for all orders. More details

Burlington: Free shipping on orders of $50 or more. More details

Crutchfield: Free shipping on orders of at least $35. More details

CVS: Free shipping on orders over $49; prescriptions always ship free. More details

Dell: Free shipping for all orders. More details

DSW: Free shipping on orders of $35 or more. More details

DX: Free shipping for all orders. More details

Free People: Free shipping on orders over $100. More details

Gap/Old Navy/Banana Republic/Athleta: Free shipping on orders of $50 or more. More details

Home Depot: Free shipping on orders of $45 or more. More details

J.Crew: Free shipping on orders of $150 and up. More details

JCPenney: Free shipping on orders of $75 or more. More details

Kohl's: Free shipping on orders of $75 or more. More details

L.L.Bean: Free shipping for all orders. More details

LEGO: Free shipping on orders over $75. More details

Lowe's: Free shipping on orders of $49 or more. More details

Lululemon Athletica: Free shipping for all orders. More details

Macy's: Free shipping on orders of $99 and above; free shipping for all beauty orders. More details

Marks and Spencer: Free shipping on orders over $50. More details

ModCloth: Free shipping on orders over $75. More details

Musician's Friend: Free shipping for all orders. More details

Nike: Free shipping for orders of $150 or more; free shipping on all orders for Nike+ members (free). More details

Nordstrom: Free shipping for all orders. More details

O'Reilly Auto Parts: Free shipping on orders of $75 or more. More details

Office Depot: Free shipping on orders of $35 and above. More details

Overstock.com: Free shipping for orders over $45; free shipping on all orders for Club O Gold members ($19.95 per year). More details

REI: Free shipping on orders of $50 or more. More details

Rite Aid: Free shipping on orders of $34.99 or more. More details

Sephora: Free shipping for orders of $50 or more; free shipping on all orders for Sephora Flash members ($10 per year). More details

Staples: Free shipping for orders of $49.99 or more; free shipping on orders over $14.99 for Staples Rewards members (free). More details

Sunglass Hut: Free shipping for all orders. More details

T.J.Maxx: Free shipping on orders of $75 or more. More details

Target: Free shipping on orders of $25 and above. More details

Toys"R"Us: Free shipping on orders of $19 or more. More details

Urban Outfitters: Free shipping on orders of $50 or more. More details

Walgreens: Free shipping on orders of $35 or more that are under 20 pounds. More details

Walmart: Free shipping on orders of $50 or more. More details

Wayfair: Free shipping on orders of $49 and above. More details

Zappos: Free shipping for all orders. More details

Of course this list doesn't cover every retailer that ships for free. In addition to the above retailers that offer free shipping on all (or almost all) items, you'll find some — Sears being a prime example — that offer free shipping on select items. If your preferred retailer is not listed here, look out for free shipping on particular items, or coupons that will give you free shipping on occasion.

This article first appeared in DealNews.