An industry study of online purchasing habits revealed that 73% of all buyers listed free shipping as a critical component to making a decision to purchase online. Too many vendors these days offer some level of free shipping for you not to. Whether it’s free with a purchase of $25 or more, or free for standard shipping, it doesn't seem to matter.
People want free shipping. Another study found that people are more likely to purchase an item that comes with free shipping, than an item with a $10 discount and $6.99 shipping. 2BigFeet decided to give free shipping on orders over $100 and their conversions went up 50%! If free shipping cannot be figured into your business, then make sure the costs are up-front and clear. A Comscore study found that 47% of those surveyed said they would abandon their purchase if a surprise shipping fee showed up at the tail end of their checkout process.