Is Free Shipping Really Free?

Today we are going to talk about "Free Shipping".We all know that buying online can save you alot of money,Except when it comes to shipping.I don't know about anyone else,but shipping charges were really putting a dent in my shopping budget.So,I joined Amazon.com's Prime.Which for less than 50.00 a year you get free shipping on items that Amazon.com sells from their warehouse.There are other perks,but the free shipping,unlimited free shipping I might add,is what attracted me.I have been a member for about 5mos.and the savings in shipping charges have been remarkable.I get a lot of Gift Codes to Amazon.com from survey sites I belong to.Before signing up for Amazon.com's Prime,I would have to wait and build up my gift codes to cover the cost of shipping.A book might cost 2.99 but the shipping is going to be 4.99 or more.That just irked me.Now they have this sites of "Deal of the Day".Like Save More,Tippr,Groupon ect.And they offer free shipping.I have purchased items from these websites.And the shipping has not been too bad.I have purchased items from other sites that advertise free shipping.Most sites that offer free shipping with a certain amount spent,Wag.com is one of the fastest on shipping your order.I have order from this site on a Monday,and had my items by Thursday.That is the fastest yet.Kohls also ships fast,but you pay for that.Right now I have been waiting for a "free shipping"order from ONLINE GIFTS,it has been over 2 weeks since I made my purchase.I have sent emails asking what the problem is,when can I expect my order?,but nothing.It's been a week since that first email inquiry.I have made purchases from other sites and have already received my items.So,this just does not make since.I contacted the site that I purchased the 1/2 off voucher from and made a complaint.My point is:That just because it says "free shipping"does not mean that you will get your item any quicker,sometimes it takes twice as long to receive your purchase.Most online sites ship within a reasonable amount of time,send you email updates on the status of your order,but unfortunately some do not.I should have known when I went to the website in question,ONLINE GIFTS,and saw that the sum total of their inventory was 3 or 4 items.And the website did not come across as professional.It is amateurish at best.So,beware of the "free shipping"ploy.Unless you have done business with the site before,expect that your item will be delivered within 14 days.Which is not too bad.Sometimes,paying for shipping will save a lot of frustration.I'm still going to look for free shipping,but I will be looking at the site too and trying to find out everything I can about their Customer service.Amazon.com's Prime is a winner,if you do a lot of shopping on Amazon,make the investment of 48.00 for a year on Prime items.You will get your money back in 3 to 4 orders,tops.