Researchers say
online sales are already set to grow this holiday shopping season, and a new plan could push sales even higher. More than 200 big online retailers -- including American Eagle, Eddie Bauer, Nordstrom and FAO Schwarz -- have banded together to create a "Free Shipping Day" on Dec. 17.
Consumers who place an order that day can get free shipping and guaranteed delivery before Christmas.
FreeShippingDay.com said the day could become as big of a shopping holiday as Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It provided this background:
"In 2007 online shopping peaked on December 10th, fifteen days before Christmas. Seeing this as a bad thing for online shopping, Luke Knowles of the popular money-saving website
FreeShipping.org had the idea to create a day late in December when merchants would offer free shipping to shoppers with guaranteed delivery by Christmas Eve. He hoped that over time this would convince shoppers that they can shop later into December and have their orders arrive in time for the big day, thus benefiting all involved with online shopping. The first annual Free Shipping Day was Thursday, December 18, 2008."