Walmart to stay open until 8pm on Christmas Eve

More than 900 retailers are taking part this year including Wal-Mart and Target.

You can see the entire list of participating merchants here, along with free shipping codes. They may also be missing out on some of the holiday deals available online now, he said. The mid-December date is no accident, either. Here’s what you need to know: UPS says today is the deadline for 3-Day Select service. There are also several small retailers, including Etsy, offering deals. “Be aware of the return policy of the online retailers, as you don’t want to be hit with hefty return charges that will easily mitigate your savings”, James says.

Of course, the start of the holiday shopping season was given by Thanksgiving. Free Shipping Day was started eight years ago, and first generated $1 billion in 2011, according to the site.

Walmart is doing no-cost delivery with no upfront fees on Friday, Dec. 18, for Free Shipping Day 2015.

The Bentonville, Ark.-based retail giant is one of thousands of retailers to participate in the promotion, which began in 2007 as a coordinated event online to spur more shopping.

Delivery is usually guaranteed for Christmas Eve, ensuring presents arrive just in time.