Amazon extends free holiday shipping promotion

Online retail giant Amazon.com has extended its holiday free shipping promotion, giving customers more time to order for Christmas delivery, the company said December 13.

Amazon said all U.S. customers will get free shipping with no minimum purchase through December 18 for orders that will arrive in time for Christmas. In addition, the company expanded its Amazon Prime services; now, members in 10,000 U.S. cities and towns can get free one-day shipping up until December 23 and free same-day delivery up until December 24, the company said.

Amazon also said its Prime Now service will deliver up until 11: 59 p.m. on December 24, allowing Prime Now members free delivery on certain items ordered by 9: 15 p.m. local time or earlier. The two-hour delivery service is available to customers in 30 cities across the country, the company said.

Amazon announced its free shipping promotions in early November, just before the start of the holiday shopping rush.