All consumers want for Christmas is free shipping.
Ninety-three percent of online shoppers plan to take advantage of free shipping offers during the holidays this year, according to a new survey by the National Retail Federation (NRF).
Retailers are eager to oblige. Some are lowering their minimum requirements for free shipping, while Best Buy announced Oct. 22 it will offer free shipping on all orders through Jan. 2.
All of this could mean another busy season for the Postal Service, which delivered a record 524 million packages last December.
Not everyone wants their merchandise brought to them, however.
Approximately 46.5 percent of online shoppers plan to take advantage of retailers’ in-store pickup options, according to the NRF survey. These options are expected to be particularly popular among shoppers in their 20s and 30s.
“Young adults … are incredibly savvy when it comes to finding the right gift at the right price at the right place,” said industry researcher Pam Goodfellow.
Overall, almost half of all holiday shopping is expected to take place online this year, up from 44 percent in 2014, NRF reports.