lorax - 5:35 pm on Nov 14, 2005 (gmt 0)

>> Free shipping may have some value, especially in clearing out junk inventory

LL Bean expects to lose 20 million by offering free shipping. Are you suggesting they're willing to spend that much money to unload their lower quality items?

Sure it's a promotional gimmick, but there are millions of dollars at stake and if the large merchants are using free shipping, what chance do smaller merchants have if they don't?