Free Shipping is Preferred Promotion
Online retailers will offer free shipping and incentives to order early this holiday season, instead of sweepstakes, repeat customer discounts, and other types of sales promotions. A survey of 80 retailers by Shop.org and BizRate Research also found that 63 percent of the online retailers will begin holiday promotions before November 4. Free shipping often ranks first among offers that consumers say they look for when buying online. A recent survey from the Jewelry Consumer Opinion Council had it ranked at almost 90 percent, neck and neck with lower prices. If you have an online store, you might consider an early offer of free shipping on jewelry purchased online (you could also offer free in-store pick up) and promote it before Thanksgiving to your email mailing list. No email mailing list? Start collecting today!