altNewsPagePublished Nov 23, 2010Christmas Presents Under the Tree.Photo Courtesy alancleaver_2000 Walmart, Amazon, thousands of online retailers are offering free shipping throughout the holiday season to boost sales. It is all-out war as the big guns of online merchants, Walmart and Amazon, have announced free shipping in advance of Cyber Monday on November 29, 2010.The aggressive marketing was unleashed just days after Forrester Research released its forecast that^$52 billion this holiday season, a 16 percent increase over last year's weak numbers."The annual Accenture Holiday Shopping Survey^(November 26, 2010) shopping tradition. More than half of consumers (53 percent) said that they were unlikely to shop on Black Friday, or they have not yet decided (48 percent in 2009). Conversely, the popularity of online shopping continues to grow, as 69 percent of respondents said they will be buying holiday gifts online this year, up from 64 percent in 2009."So, the battle to rope in those online shoppers is creating a frenzy as retailers battle for the bucks, and customers don't have to wait until Dec. 17 for Walmart Free To Home Shipping A press release at Walmart.com details^? with no minimum purchase requirement or subscription fees ? now through Dec. 20 at Walmart.com."This special holiday season promotion is in addition to Walmart's long-running Site-to-Store program, which allows customers to order, then pick the merchandise up at their nearest store.The special free shipping to home offer is just for the holiday season and the website states. Amazon's Counter Free Shipping Offer The gigantic Amazon returned fire by announcing it will according to a press release from Luke Knowles, the Free Shipping Day founder.The matching offer applies to a limited selection of items.At the Amazon.com website, information indicates that free shipping applies to orders over $25. Target Target has quadrupled the number of items eligible for free shipping and is offering an additional five percent off all online purchases when buyers use their REDcard at checkout, according to Steve Eastman, president, Target.com, in a press release at the website.When buyers spend $50 or more on Target.com now to Dec. 11, they will receive free shipping directly to their home on more than 800,000 items, from toys and appliances to bedding, furniture and home d�cor, according to the Target website.Estimated delivery dates are provided for all items. To ensure a Dec. 24 delivery, purchasers can order in-stock items via standard shipping up until Dec. 21 or 1-day shipping up until Dec. 22. Best Buy Best Buy, a major electronics retailer, is offering free shipping on according to Knowles. Toys Us The Toys Us website states:^$49 or more at Toysrus.com, making it the most extensive Cyber Monday ever offered by the company. Plus, new and current members of the company?s complimentary loyalty program, Rewards?R?Us?, can earn 10 percent back on their online purchases. L.L. Bean Television ads for L.L. Bean, Maine's well-known high-quality store, have begun appearing announcing free shipping with no minimum order, coupons or required. 4 of 5 Online Retailers To Offer Free Shipping According to Shop.org's eHoliday Survey, four out of five online retailers will offer free shipping at some point during the holiday season, and nearly one-third said they are beginning their 2010 offers earlier than a year ago.FreeShipping.org is the largest resource on the Internet linking shoppers to free-shipping deals offered by more than 3,800 online merchants, the website claims. Its sister site, FreeShippingDay.com, sponsors a one-day event on Friday, Dec. 17, during which an estimated 1,000 participating merchants will offer free shipping with delivery by Christmas Eve.For Free Shipping Day, retailers are not required to offer free shipping on all their merchandise, but must offer free shipping on some items. So far, though, 65 percent of participating retailers will offer free shipping on all their deals on that date, a press release from Knowles states.2010 is the year when online retailers will be battling for the billions of dollars that consumers are expected to spend during the holiday season.Already the giants of Walmart, Amazon and many others have announced free shipping plans to attract customers to their online stores. Shopping for that perfect holiday gift has never been easier.Copyright Velma Southerland. Contact the author to obtain permission for republication.��
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