Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1226877
18 | SPRING 2020 ike any other time in history, consumers look for ways to cut costs on the goods they purchase. Savvy shoppers use technology to narrow in on special opportunities to buy more for less: "Big sale," "BOGO" and "free shipping" banners can entice buyers to shop when they don't need anything or buy more just to hit the price point that activates free shipping. For consumers, there's the obvious cost of free shipping: Amazon's Prime service comes with unlimited free same-day or two-day shipping on millions of items for $119 a year. And the not so obvious: Want to get free shipping from Target? You'll have to either be a loyalty cardmember (for a fee) or spend a specifi c amount of money, which consumers tend to hit so they don't have to pay for shipping. For national brick-and-mortar retailers — think Best Buy, Macy's and Walmart — the cost is more evident. There's a big price to pay with free shipping. To keep up with Amazon, the king of "free" shipping, traditional retailers have had to accept lower profi t margins on thousands of items as they underwrite shipping costs and absorb the costs of free returns. One study puts the annual cost of moving all that merchandise at a staggering $1.5 trillion. And that's not to mention the environmental price — a record number of delivery trucks hit the road each day to delivery everything from silverware to socks. The customer is always right According to FuturePay, a company that allows consumers to buy online without a credit card, 86% of online shoppers who abandon their shopping carts without making a purchase do so because they won't pay for shipping. A National Retail Federation (NRF) study in 2019 found that 75% of consumers now expect free shipping on online purchases, even when they are spending less than $50. To meet that consumer demand — or perhaps it would better be called a consumer command — retailers are coming up with new, innovative ways to get products to us for what, at least, appears to be free. Here are three of those ways and what they mean for online shoppers. ONE: Click and collect Traditional brick-and-mortar retailers have found new ways to use online sales to better leverage the value of their stores. Specifi cally, they're more frequently offering "buy online, pick up in-store" services. One advantage of "click-and-collect" for consumers is it's always free — no memberships or annual fees required. Another bonus: no more worrying about so-called "porch pirates" pilfering their purchases. Retailers also benefi t from click-and-collect. "Consumers want free delivery, and they're L