Can I use free shipping instead of a discount as my incentive?

Free shipping is no longer an effective incentive because customer expectations have changed—thanks largely to services like Amazon, free shipping is now expected rather than special. When you offer a percentage discount, customers can calculate the exact dollar value they’re saving, which has real impact. For example, 20% off a $1,000 piece means a clear $200 savings. But free shipping? Maybe $24? The value is unclear and feels minimal. While free shipping is good to offer as a baseline service, it won’t drive purchasing behavior the way a meaningful price discount will during key selling periods.

Asked by an artist considering alternatives to discounting · Answered by Nick · art-marketing-podcast · 2020-09-03