Free Shipping, No Strings Attached — Because You Shouldn't Have to Pay to Shop Small
You've seen it everywhere. "Free shipping!" — in bold, bright letters across the biggest retail sites on the internet. It sounds wonderful. It feels like a gift.
But here's what they don't tell you: that "free" shipping costs you $139 a year. Or $98. Or whatever the membership fee is this season. The shipping was never free. You just paid for it upfront — whether you shopped or not.
At Malika Bourne Legacy, I do things differently.
No membership. No annual fee. No fine print.
When you spend $50 or more in my shop, your shipping is *free. Genuinely, honestly, no-strings-attached free. And if your order is under $50, you'll pay a flat $8.99 — a real rate that reflects what it actually costs to get your order safely to your door.
*Free shipping Malika Bourne Legacy means Malika pays the shipping carrier - that saves you money.
Before I seal the box and run it over to the UPS drop-off at Staples, I'll send you a photo of exactly what you'll receive — so you can see your order with your own eyes before it even leaves my hands. And once it's on its way, you'll have tracking so you can follow it home.
This solopreneur has a confession to make: I cannot resist telling a story with a photographic image. I grew up in a well-known photographic studio in the 1950s. I learned the art of photography from my father, who had a camera just like this one in the AI image. I have adapted to the 'new fangled inventions' as times change - and I'm loving learning graphic design using AI... I now use my cell phone to snap a few quick shots and send the images to my customers.
Note: photos of your order only apply to gifts sent from the home office in Iowa City, Iowa. Print-on-Demand products are not photographed, but they are carefully inspected as each item is only printed when you order.
A little something extra — on a whim, just because.
My blogs are free. I have been blogging for 15 years as NoNon-centsNanna. Sometimes my blogs intertwine. The short version appears on Malika Bourne Legacy.
And if you want to further check my credibility as an ecommerce boutique merchant, check out: MalikaBourne.com
From time to time, I'll offer free downloads right here in the shop — coloring pages for little ones, child growth and development tips that parents can actually use, and other small gifts that don't cost you a thing. No hoops. No email capture required. Just something lovely, whenever the mood strikes me to share it.
I will have coloring books and children's books for sale ...coming soon. For those who time it right, you get sneak peeks at the images and/or some pages.)
And if you'd rather not stuff your inbox with newsletters, I completely understand. Instead, I'd love for you to follow me on Pinterest — that's where I share new additions, parenting tips, and gift suggestions by age, whenever you're in the mood for leisurely dreaming and pinning. No pressure. Just beauty and ideas, at your own pace.
Some of my products support MA4MS — Martial Arts for Multiple Sclerosis — founded by my son David, who was a martial artist before his MS diagnosis and continues to build community and resources despite everything. When you shop here, you're part of something bigger than a transaction.
Free Shipping Was Never Free
Big retailers can afford to absorb shipping into a membership model because they're moving millions of packages a day. I'm not trying to be them. I'm trying to be something better — a shop small enough to care, transparent enough to be honest, and passionate enough to keep showing up for you.
So shop freely. Download freely. Dream freely. No membership required. Ever.
With love and gratitude,
Malika
Founder, Malika Bourne Legacy
*Thanks to AI, Malika Bourne, story weaver, can paint an exaggerated word picture. She can't even climb on a horse anymore, LOL. But if I had to for my kids, I would find a way to get back up on a horse...I take a van to the UPS drop-off.
This image was created with the magic of AI. An old lady on horseback in the middle of a busy street is more of a scroll-stopper, don't you think?