Online shoppers count on free shipping Expect more promotions this holiday season than ever before This month, Kristen Roswell is planning to buy most of her Christmas presents online at her computer. She says one thing that really impresses her is: free shipping/Tree shipping is a huge bonus, 'said the 35-year-old mother. 'l will always choose a retailer that has free shipping when buying something.' According to a study released by Shop.org, an association of online retailers, this holiday season 83 percent of online retailers surveyed plan to provide free shipping promotions. Two years ago, only 64 percent of online retailers offered free shipping. Three-fourths of shoppers surveyed said free shipping offers are one of the most important factors when they decide where to buy online. Consumers are expected to spend as much as $32 billion online this holiday season, up 18 percent from 2005. 'Online retailers see free shipping as a necessary evil during the holidays/'said Ellen Davis, spokeswoman for Shop.org. 'They know it motivates customers.' Retailers also justify free shipping by imposing conditions for the deals, requiring customers to meet certain minimums to get the offer. Consequently people tend to spend more and make unplanned purchases to qualify for free shipping. Most free shipping offers end in mid-December, so people who want to take advantage of the discounts need to shop early, she said. What is one of Kristen Roswell's reasons to buy items online?