Report: Online Shoppers More Likely To Respond To Free Shipping Offers Than Price Discounts

Based on data pulled from 100 million online transactions, 20 million user profiles and 100 email campaigns, marketing solution provider Retention Science discovered online shoppers are twice as likely to respond to free shipping offers versus price discounts.

According to Retention Science’s report, conversion rates for ‘Free Shipping’ offers ranged from .22 percent to 1.9 percent, while ‘Percentage-Off’ incentives garnered a .1 percent to .8 percent success rate.

Another key finding of the report revealed emails sent during the afternoon had the highest conversion rate at 38 percent, compared to 28.5 percent conversion rate for emails sent between 6:00 a.m. and noon, when most businesses send marketing emails.

Also, the data showed Tuesdays and Fridays were generally the best days of the week to send promotional emails, with Tuesdays earning a 28 percent conversion rate and Fridays a 26 percent conversion rate.

Women’s fashion retailer SwayChic claims they increased revenues by 300 percent three months after the company began sending promotional email campaigns on Tuesdays, based on Retention Science’s recommendation.

Retention Science also found that subscription email newsletter conversion rates “predominantly occur during the first 14 days of the subscription period” with the strongest conversion rates happening on the first day (23 percent) and third day (11 percent).

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About The Author

Amy Gesenhues

Amy Gesenhues was a senior editor for Third Door Media, covering the latest news and updates for Marketing Land, Search Engine Land and MarTech Today. From 2009 to 2012, she was an award-winning syndicated columnist for a number of daily newspapers from New York to Texas. With more than ten years of marketing management experience, she has contributed to a variety of traditional and online publications, including MarketingProfs, SoftwareCEO, and Sales and Marketing Management Magazine. Read more of Amy's articles.