High shipping costs are the leading cause of cart abandonment at checkout.  That’s why free shipping is so popular. People are more likely to shop at a store if it offers free shipping. They’re more willing to add an item to their carts in order to qualify for free shipping and they’re willing to for two more days for delivery if shipping is free. 93% of online shoppers would rather have free shipping than get a discount. 

So, if your business model, competitive landscape, pricing strategy, and profit margins allow for it, you should strongly consider offering free shipping.

 

Mention it in the header

As it is with anything else, awareness is everything. If you offer or plan to offer free shipping, you need to give it prominence on your site and mention it often. The header is an excellent place to start. Crutchfield provides a pretty good example of this:

 

The very first row of their header is dedicated to informing you about their free shipping in large bold letters with a good contrast. They also mention their delivery speed just to put you at ease. You know you won’t have to wait three weeks to receive your purchase just because shipping is free. The whole announcement is very hard to miss.

By mentioning your free shipping in the header, you clearly communicate to customers that they don’t have to worry about shipping costs. They can shop with confidence and receive their items in a reasonable time frame.

 

Reinforce your message

Don’t just mention your free shipping in the header and be done with it. You should reinforce that message by mentioning it again in the: