What a free item is and how it differs from a discount

A free item instead of a discount means that, above a certain order value or when you buy a particular product, a shop adds an extra item to your order at no additional cost, rather than lowering the price of your order directly. The total you pay stays exactly the same. What changes is what ends up in your parcel.

That makes a free item fundamentally different from a percentage or fixed-amount discount, where the amount you pay actually goes down. A free item is an extra, not a price reduction, even though advertising often presents both in a similar way as a benefit.

Why the stated value is not automatically what you gain

Shops often give a value for a free item, for example in brackets after the product description. But that figure only tells you what the item costs according to the shop, not how useful it is to you personally. An item you would have bought anyway is a saving for you in full. An item you would never have bought on its own, on the other hand, is worth very little, even if the stated amount looks high.

When you compare it with a standard discount, your own needs therefore matter more than the number the shop attaches to the free item.

A helpful question is whether you would be prepared to buy the item separately at a price of its own. If the answer is a clear no, the stated value remains nothing more than a figure in the shop's calculation, and it does not reflect what you actually gain.

A worked example: free item versus percentage discount

Say your order comes to 60 euros. From this amount, a shop offers either a free item with a stated value of 8 euros or, alternatively, a discount code for 10 per cent off the whole order. The discount code brings your total down from 60 to 54 euros, a guaranteed saving of 6 euros.

The free item only gets you more if you really would have bought it for more than 6 euros. If you do not need it at all, what you actually gain is zero, even though the stated value is higher than the discount saving.

When the threshold tempts you into spending more

Many free item promotions are tied to a minimum order value that is higher than what you actually meant to buy. Say your basket is at 45 euros, but the free item only unlocks at 60 euros. To make up the 15-euro difference, you add another item you would not otherwise have bought.

In the end you have spent 15 euros more to get an item with a stated value of perhaps 8 euros. On the numbers, that is not a saving but an extra outlay of 7 euros, even if the promotion sounds like a good deal in the advertising.

When a free item really does give you something

A free item is mainly worth it if you would have needed the item regardless of the promotion, for example a smaller version of a product you use regularly anyway. In that case, the benefit roughly equals what you would otherwise have paid for that item separately, whatever value the shop itself puts on it.

It is also worth it if you reach the minimum order value anyway because you have already put enough in your basket. Then the free item is a genuine extra with no additional spending.

What happens to the free item if you return something

If you send back the item the free gift was tied to, some shops ask you to return the free item too, or they deduct its stated value from your refund. This is usually set out in the terms of the promotion in question. If you keep the free item while returning the main product, you may end up paying for an extra you never really wanted.

Before you plan a larger return, it is therefore worth checking whether a free item was part of the order and what the terms say about it.

Before you go for the free item

• Ask yourself whether you would have bought the item separately without the promotion.
• Where possible, compare the free item with a discount code offered as an alternative, in euros.
• If the threshold is higher than your original basket, work out how much you are really spending on the extra order value.
• Check the return terms before you send back the main item.

How a 3 for 2 deal affects the real price per item is explained in the article 3 for 2 deals: the real price per item. You can read how discounts on the cheapest item are calculated in the article Working out a discount on the cheapest item. What you need to know about minimum spend and exclusions on discount codes is covered in the article Minimum order value, exclusions, combinability. You can find current promotions by category on the categories page.

Frequently asked questions

Is a free item always worth less than a discount of the same amount?

Not necessarily; it depends on what you actually need. If you really need the item, the benefit roughly equals what you would otherwise have paid for it. If you do not need it, a straightforward discount in euros is the safer saving.

Do I have to send the free item back if I make a return?

That depends on the terms of the shop in question. Often you do, or its stated value is deducted from your refund. Checking the promotion terms before you send anything back makes things clear.

Why does a free item often seem more generous than it is?

Because the stated value is set by the shop and does not necessarily match what the item is worth to you personally. A high stated amount on an item you do not need still brings you no real benefit.

Is it worth topping up your basket to get a free item?

Only if the extra items are worth something to you in their own right. Otherwise you end up spending more than the free item actually saves you.