HOUSTON -- If you still have not tackled your Christmas shopping, merchants have a deal for you, and they will bring it right to your door.
It's Free Shipping Day, and it happens Thursday, December 17. The one-day event began last year in a move to boost online sales, which typically slump after the Monday following Black Friday.
This year almost 700 merchants are offering free shipping to customers who buy from them online.
That number is up significantly from last year, when 250 online merchants participated. Some online merchants, like Anne Klein, are offering one-day deals in conjunction with Free Shipping Day.
"A normal pick-up day for UPS is around 14 million packages a day across the country," said Brian Littlefield, UPS Director of Sales in Houston. "Free Shipping Day should increase volume to around 22 million packages for that one day."
Others, like Belt Outlet.com, require a minimum order to get free shipping.
And some, like Reebok, promise to keep paying for your shipping all season, even after Free Shipping Day.
Perhaps the biggest beneficiaries of the day are shipping giants FedEx and UPS.
And they guarantee your order will be delivered to you by Christmas Eve. To see the complete list of participating merchants, visit www.freeshippingday.com.
