rogerd - 1:30 pm on Feb 4, 2004 (gmt 0)

I really like the "this offer expires on ----" to establish a sense of immediacy, but repeat visitors will see through the ruse and may feel you are a bit dishonest. That's the kind of thing I'd test before adopting, and is probably best for one-time purchases where developing repeat business and frequent visits isn't likely.

Of course, REAL sale expiration dates are good, too. I.e., if your sale prices are in effect until February 10, saying so will get some buyers to place an order.

"FREE" is one of the all-time winners, even though it has been abused by spammers. "Get ___ free with your order" still performs. In the online world, sometimes this can be something with no incremental cost, e.g., an e-book or special report in pdf format, etc. This suggests a combo - "Free with every order placed by February 10!" ;)