The Truth About “Free” Shipping — And Why It Often Isn’t

Free shipping sounds appealing — but in most cases, it isn’t actually free. For handmade and small Canadian businesses, shipping costs are almost always built into product prices, reducing transparency and limiting customer choice. This article explains how free and fixed-price shipping really work, why large retailers can offer it, and why Rustic and Renewed Decor chooses a different, more transparent approach.

Free shipping has become one of the most powerful marketing tools in online retail. Shoppers see it everywhere — banners, pop‑ups, and checkout prompts promising “Free Shipping” or “Flat Rate Shipping.” On the surface, it feels like a win.

But in most cases, especially outside of massive corporations, free or fixed‑price shipping isn’t actually free at all.

Why Large Corporations Can Offer Free Shipping

Large corporations like Amazon and national retailers can offer free shipping because of their sheer shipping volume. They move millions of parcels every month, negotiate deeply discounted carrier rates, operate large-scale fulfillment centres, and spread shipping costs across massive sales margins.

Companies like Amazon and large national retailers operate at a scale most small businesses simply cannot match. They ship millions of parcels, negotiate deeply discounted carrier rates, operate massive distribution networks, and absorb shipping costs as part of their overall pricing and margins.

In short, shipping is cheaper for them because of volume.

What “Free Shipping” Usually Means for Small Businesses

For small and medium-sized businesses — especially handmade and artisan brands — shipping still has a real, unavoidable cost. When free or flat-rate shipping is offered, that cost is built directly into the product price.

For small and medium‑sized businesses, including handmade and artisan brands, shipping still has to be paid for. When free or fixed‑price shipping is offered, the cost doesn’t disappear — it is embedded directly into the product price. Many products on Etsy and other online marketplaces appear more expensive, yet offer free or flat-rate shipping. This is usually because shipping costs and platform fees are included in the product price rather than shown separately.

That means:

• The product price is increased to cover average shipping costs and fees

• Customers lose visibility into what they are actually paying for the product versus the shipping

• Buyers in closer regions often subsidize shipping for those farther away

How Fixed Shipping Prices Can Be Unfair

Canada’s geography makes shipping costs highly variable. Distance, carrier choice, package size, and weight all play a major role in final shipping costs. Canada is a large country, and shipping costs vary significantly depending on distance, carrier, and delivery location.

With fixed shipping prices:

• Customers in Ontario, Quebec, and Manitoba often pay more than necessary since we are in Ontario.

• Those closer to the maker help cover higher shipping costs to the far west, east coast, or northern regions

• Customers lose the ability to choose the carrier that works best for their location
  

In effect, fixed pricing removes flexibility and fairness from the checkout process.

Giving Customers Choice at Checkout

At Rustic and Renewed Decor, we believe customers deserve choice, transparency, and fairness in shipping.

That’s why we use ClickShip, a Canadian shipping platform that provides real‑time rates from multiple carriers at checkout. ClickShip is part of Freightcom, a company with deep expertise in logistics and LTL (Less Than Truckload) freight shipping.

This matters — especially for wood products.

Why Shipping Transparency Matters for Wood Products

Handcrafted wood décor and furniture present unique shipping challenges.

Handcrafted wood décor and furniture are:

• Heavier than most retail items

• Often bulky or oversized

• More expensive to ship than mass‑produced goods
  

Offering accurate, carrier‑based shipping ensures:

• You see the true value of the product itself

• You only pay for the shipping required to get it to your location

• You can choose the carrier that best suits your needs and budget
  

Supporting Canadian Shipping Solutions

We intentionally chose Canadian shipping partners that understand the realities of shipping within Canada.

As a proud member of Ontario Made, Rustic and Renewed Decor has access to some of the best shipping rates available across Canada through ClickShip. Choosing Canadian logistics partners was intentional — it allows us to keep shipping costs as low and as fair as possible while continuing to produce high‑quality, handmade wood pieces.

Transparency Over Marketing Gimmicks

At Rustic and Renewed Decor, transparency matters more than marketing gimmicks.

When shipping is rolled into the product price, customers lose clarity:

• Are you paying more for the item itself?

• Are you overpaying for shipping?

• Is the price inflated to cover someone else’s delivery distance?
  

We prefer a different approach.

By offering calculated shipping, we ensure:

• Fair pricing for everyone

• Full visibility into costs

• The freedom to choose what works best for you
  

How We Price Our Products Fairly

At Rustic and Renewed Decor, our product pricing is set independently of shipping. Each piece is priced fairly and equitably based on:

• The cost of quality materials

• The time required to design, build, sand, and finish each item

• The skill and experience involved in handcrafted work

• Sustainable sourcing, including reclaimed wood when available
  

By separating product pricing from shipping, customers can clearly see the true value of the item they are purchasing — without inflated pricing to offset someone else’s shipping costs.

The Bottom Line

Free shipping is rarely free — unless you’re buying from a global retail giant with massive volume and leverage.

For handcrafted, Canadian‑made products, transparent shipping isn’t just honest — it’s fair.

At Rustic and Renewed Decor, we believe you should always know what you’re paying for, and why.

Shop With Confidence

When you shop with Rustic and Renewed Decor, you’re choosing:

• Fair, transparent pricing based on materials and craftsmanship

• Calculated shipping so you only pay what it actually costs to ship to you

• Handcrafted, Canadian-made wood décor built to last

If you value honesty, quality, and supporting small Canadian makers, we invite you to explore our collection of handmade wood décor and functional pieces.

👉 Shop Rustic and Renewed Decor and experience transparent pricing the way it should be.