Merchants Flock to Third Annual Free Shipping Day

It is Luke Knowles’ vision for Free Shipping Day to become a household name in holiday shopping vernacular. With the response generated by retailers for the third annual Free Shipping Day – which is slated for Friday, December 17, 2010 – it appears that vision is taking shape. More than 240 merchants have signed up to participate, which is ahead of schedule compared to last year. Knowles projects that more than 1,000 retailers will be involved with the one-day shopping event when participating stores offer free shipping with delivery by Christmas Eve.


Free Shipping Day was created to extend the online holiday shopping season for merchants and give procrastinating consumers one final chance to surf the Internet for holiday deals. Merchants like the event because it extends the online holiday shopping season to almost a week before Christmas. Consumers relish the day because it allows them to procrastinate and still get the ideal gift to its intended destination on time. “This summer, we sent out an e-mail to merchants who were involved with Free Shipping Day last year and they were quick to sign up again,” Knowles said. “Since this will be our third year, there is more recognition and familiarity among retailers. They have seen a favorable response from being involved in the previous two events.

Knowles - who created the popular shopping web site FreeShipping.org with his wife, Maisie, in 2007 - hatched the idea for Free Shipping Day just two weeks before the event in December 2008. In an abrupt brainstorm, he thought that retailers would relish the opportunity to extend the online holiday shopping season, which typically peaks in early December because consumers are concerned about their gift orders arriving to their intended destination in time for Christmas.

Among the merchants who have signed up for this year’s Free Shipping Day include Dell, Nine West, Macy's, Cabela's, Overstock.com, Neiman Marcus, Disney Store, Crate & Barrel, DSW and Sierra Trading Post.

“Free Shipping Day encourages people to continue buying items online later into the month of December,” Knowles said. “It is a money-saving measure for consumers and a way to extend the online holiday shopping season for retailers, so everyone benefits.”

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Free Shipping Day is a one day shopping event when participating merchants offer free shipping with delivery by Christmas Eve. The third annual event will be held this year on Friday, December 17. For more information, visit www.freeshippingday.com.



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