2007.10.25
Free shipping!
Tis the season for deals on online shopping. Some online retailers already are advertising free shipping promotions, a sign that they are trying to entice holiday shopping business even before November.
If you have gifts to buy at Crate & Barrel, L.L. Bean or Target, this is as good a time as ever to make that purchase online. L.L. Bean’s free shipping offer has no strings attached. You can order any items, with no minimum purchase, through Dec. 21 and receive free shipping.
Several other offers are slapped with conditions, such as Crate & Barrel’s minimum order of $100 to receive free shipping through Dec. 20. Target is running some free shipping offers on select merchandise throughout parts of the season. The latest one ends on Oct. 27.
Keep looking for these free or discounted shipping offers through the end of the year. A report released Wednesday by the National Retail Federation tells consumers to expect to see these kinds of promotions throughout the season. The most common promotions offer free shipping with conditions. But other online shopping incentives may include early-bird sales and “refer a friend” promotions, according to the NRF survey.
These kinds of offers drive online retailing during the holidays, but remember, it’s not free to the retailers, who have to weigh the financial impact. That’s the reason that many of these shipping deals have conditions attached.
What are your holiday online shopping patterns? If you’ve taken advantage of any free shipping offers lately or in the past, tell us about the promotion and what you purchased.
