Shipping costs a deciding factor when shopping online

If given the choice of receiving a discount on an item purchased online or getting free shipping, most customers would select the free shipping, says a survey from the market research firm, Lab42. Information like this may guide more offerings from online retailers this holiday season.

The advantages of online shopping are well documented. The 24-hour appeal continues to draw record numbers of shoppers, and the ease with which prices can be compared is attractive to bargain hunters. Also, shopping online allows customers to find items they might not be able to find at a local brick-and-mortar retailer.

According to a survey from Nielsen Online, most people who shop online during the holidays do it to save time. The survey of 1,000 online shoppers found that 81 percent shop online because they can shop any time of the day. In addition, 77 percent said they like to save time while 61 percent said they like to comparison shop and 56 percent said they like it because they can easily find items.

Although convenience is a major factor, online shoppers prefer free shipping promotions more than any other offers. In 2007, a survey conducted for Shop.org found that free shipping is a big draw. About 61 percent of respondents said that free shipping without conditions was one of the promotions they would most like to see. The popularity of such offers has only grown.

Lab42 surveyed surveyed men and women ages 25 to 44, and 96 percent of respondents said they'd be more likely to shop at a site offering a free shipping promotion. Almost as many (87 percent) said they'd be swayed by free returns.

The same survey uncovered some additional insight into the mind of the online shopper.

* Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of those surveyed said they shopped online more now than even two years ago, and just 5 percent said they shopped less.

* Nearly 75 percent of the group said they do at least half of their shopping online, while 66 percent said they preferred to shop online rather than in a store.

* About 95 percent of respondents do their shopping at home from a personal computer. Just under 4 percent use a smartphone or a tablet.

* Eighty-one percent of respondents said that customer reviews played a big role in the purchases they made as well as those they did not make.

Online shopping has many advantages. Deterrents like not being able to see or feel the quality of the item and difficulty returning items may be overlooked when retailers offer free shipping to prospective customers.