Ok, I checked the website and tested multiple scenarios for you by adding items to my own cart.
Here is what I found:
The free shipping is based upon the final "ORDER TOTAL" number.
That is the actual amount your order costs and what you will be paying -- it is the order total -- the bottom line -- for the purchase.
For an order total of exactly $1000 before any discounts and before shipping charge -- there is not free shipping. The final ORDER TOTAL must meet the criteria.
For an order total of just slightly over $1000 (I picked smallest amount I could find to see if $1000 pre-discount needed to be exceeded) before any discounts and before shipping -- there is no free shipping. The final ORDER TOTAL must meet the criteria.
For an order total with a final "ORDER TOTAL" at $998.9 there was no free shipping.
For an order with a final "ORDER TOTAL" of $ 1002.8 (slightly over the $1000) but that is still with $20 shipping cost added, there is not free shipping because the final ORDER TOTAL must meet the criteria BEFORE shipping is added.
Finally, we can see for an order total of $1002.3 BEFORE shipping was added (with shipping it would have been $1022.3 final "ORDER TOTAL") there is free shipping.
This experiment and examples are on my own account with my discounts etc so actual figures prior to the final "ORDER TOTAL" may be different for different people.
Therefore, I have determined that:
The free shipping is based upon the final "ORDER TOTAL" number after cart/personal/crypto discounts etc and must meet the criteria before shipping charges.