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If you frequently shop online, which is increasingly the trend, you probably want to make buying your online merchandise as easy as possible.
And if you can receive your items as quickly as possible, that’s an extra bonus, too. In fact, one of the biggest reasons to shop at Amazon is its signature lightning-fast shipping times.
But if the items you’re buying aren’t available on Amazon, you might have another way to unlock fast, free shipping: through ShopRunner.
American Express has a partnership with ShopRunner, a Chicago-based company owned by FedEx, to make that happen.
Let’s get into the ins and outs of ShopRunner!
What Is ShopRunner?
Image Credit: ShopRunner
ShopRunner is a subscription that allows members to enjoy free 2-day shipping, free returns, and special offers when shopping at specific online merchants or retailers.
Normally, you’ll pay a membership fee of $79 per year, but there are many ways to get ShopRunner for free, whether it’s through existing credit cards or other platforms.
How Do I Get ShopRunner?
The easiest way to get ShopRunner is by enrolling with your eligible American Express card. Although it’s possible to get a free ShopRunner membership for a year from Chase, Mastercard, PayPal, or Yahoo, none of those other options offer membership for as long as you remain an eligible cardmember, as Amex does.
And even though ShopRunner has been offered by American Express for many years, it’s still not a well-known perk.
Prepaid Amex cards (such as gift cards), American Express Corporate Cards, or other accounts issued by other companies aren’t eligible for the ShopRunner benefit.
Amex Cards That Offer Complimentary ShopRunner
As mentioned above, you can get a complimentary ShopRunner membership, upon enrollment, with any of these Amex cards:
Hot Tip: Amex Platinum cardholders are also eligible for a complimentary monthly Walmart+ credit that offers free 2-day shipping on items purchased through Walmart.com, free grocery delivery, discounts on prescriptions, and discounts on gas, plus early access to special promotions and events.
Enter your email address, complete the CAPTCHA, and click Continue.
You’ll be prompted to enter your Amex card details into the registration box. After that, click Enroll now.Image Credit: ShopRunner
You’ll then be redirected to a ShopQuiz, which will inform ShopRunner of your favorite stores and your common purchases.
Image Credit: ShopRunner
After completing the quiz, you’ll be redirected to your account dashboard.
Image Credit: ShopRunner
From your account dashboard, you can browse for items directly on the ShopRunner website from participating retailers.
When you’re ready to make a purchase, you should see a small ShopRunner button on the checkout or shopping cart page, which means you will qualify for ShopRunner benefits on this purchase.
Image Credit: Neiman Marcus
After that, simply pay for your purchase, activate your ShopRunner benefit, and you’re good to go!
There’s usually a minimum shopping cart size of $25 before taxes and fees to qualify — and some items don’t qualify for ShopRunner benefits.
Additionally, while ShopRunner offers free returns, the original merchant (e.g. Neiman Marcus or Bloomingdale’s) may have a restocking fee on returns, so just keep that in mind.
ShopRunner Offers
ShopRunner always has promotions or special offers going on, which can help you save a bundle of money, sometimes even up to 50%!
Maximizing Your Purchases From ShopRunner
ShopRunner applies mostly to shipping benefits, but if you’re making a big-ticket purchase at a participating merchant like Cole Haan, you’ll want to make sure you’re putting it on the right card.
One of Amex’s best shopping perks is Amex Offers, which can help you either get discounts or bonus Membership Rewards points on purchases.
For example, if you were looking to make a $200 purchase at Cole Haan, it’s worth checking your Amex online account for offers from Cole Haan, Rakuten (or another cash-back website), and ShopRunner so you can effectively triple-stack your benefits.
You might see a fantastic Amex Offer like this:
Image Credit: American Express
And you might also see a Rakuten cash-back offer like this:
Image Credit: Rakuten
By activating that Amex Offer (and paying for your purchase using that Amex card), clicking through Rakuten’s website to get to Cole Haan’s website, and then using your ShopRunner account to get shipping benefits, you can get a ton of savings!
That’s how you maximize ShopRunner and everything else available!
Final Thoughts
Overall, if you can get ShopRunner for free, it’s a no-brainer. Chances are that you currently have or could easily get a card with a complimentary ShopRunner membership.
Certain Amex cards have a ShopRunner membership that you can easily activate and enjoy for as long as you remain an eligible cardmember — other cards from Chase and Mastercard may have limited 1-year memberships.
Overall, if you find yourself frequently shopping at merchants including Bloomingdale’s, Bergdorf Goodman, or Tommy Hilfiger, you can leverage ShopRunner to get your items shipped to you more quickly!
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here. For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday® from American Express, click here. For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, click here. For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® card, click here. For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
Featured Image Credit: Sticker Mule via Unsplash
Frequently Asked Questions
Express is not a participating merchant of ShopRunner.
Normally, ShopRunner costs $79 per year. But if you have an eligible Amex card, Chase card, or Mastercard, you can get it for free.
You can enable ShopRunner by clicking this link here, signing up for an account, and entering your card information.
You can get ShopRunner for free if you have an eligible Amex card, Chase card, or Mastercard. You can also get free membership if you are a PayPal member.
ShopRunner isn’t available as a monthly membership, but you can pay $79 per year for an annual membership if you don’t have a credit card that offers a complimentary membership.
Stephen is an established voice in the credit card space, with over 70 to his name. His work has been in publications like The Washington Post, and his Au Points and Awards Consulting Services is used by hundreds of clients.
Disclaimer: Any comments listed below are not from the bank advertiser, nor have they been reviewed or approved by them. No responsibility will be taken by the bank advertiser for these comments.
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