Canadians still searching for the perfect Christmas gift, at the perfect price, can turn to their computers Wednesday, for an event called Free Shipping Day, when hundreds of retailers offer free shipping and other deals for purchases made online.
This is the second year the event is being held in Canada, and more than 200 retailers including big names like Best Buy, Toys R Us, Sears, SportChek, The Source, and Simons, are participating.
“There’s going to be a lot of merchants participating that shoppers will really like to shop with and get free shipping,” Luke Knowles, founder of Free Shipping Day, tells CTV News on Tuesday.
Some retailers set a minimum purchase before shoppers can be eligible for free shipping but Knowles says there are many merchants who have no set minimum.
“We allow them to put a minimum but we push them to not have a minimum and currently over 55 per cent who are participating are offering free shipping with no minimum at all,” he said.
Some retailers even go further and offer one-day deals beyond the delivery.
For example Roots will ship any item to Canada or the U.S. for free and give you at least 25 per cent off your purchase.
In addition to free shipping at Sears, shoppers can save an additional 12 per cent of many sale items in honour of the Free Shipping Day date: 12-12-12.
Knowles says the event has gotten bigger and better each year, in Canada and the U.S.
“It was all across Canada that people were taking advantage of this. It was a very big day for us… Every year we’ve run the event, the offers just keep getting better,” he said.
He adds with more shoppers buying and more awareness spread about Free Shipping Day, there are also more retailers wanting to sign on.
“They see the success that it’s had in the United States. Last year it was a billion dollar shopping day. If we can do something similar in Canada, the retailers just salivate at this,” Knowles said said.
This will be the fifth year Free Shipping Day runs in the United States.
There, more than 1,000 retailers are participating and about 85 per cent of participating retailers offer free shipping with no minimum.
Free Shipping Day in the U.S. does not coincide with Canada’s – the U.S. event will be on Dec. 17.
“We try to make it as late as we possibly can while still giving retailers enough breathing room to get the orders by Christmas Eve,” Knowles said.
“Our real goal was to try to get shoppers to keep shopping online later into December instead of heading into the malls.”
It’s something online shopper Cindy Crawford is waiting for.
Crawford is an avid online shopper. She’s bought a few items online for the holiday season already, but has been looking for a new digital camera and is waiting for Free Shipping Day to make that purchase.
“I possibly can get two items that I’m missing for Christmas,” she said.
Shoppers are encouraged to go to www.freeshippingday.ca for the full list of participating retailers. Coupon codes for free shipping will be posted on Dec. 12.
Free Shipping Day operates on Eastern Time so Albertans can begin cashing in beginning at 10 p.m. MST. Tuesday night.
With files from Laura Lowe
