Online Shopping - Cost-Effective, Convenient, And Helps The Environment

Imagine if just 25 percent of the Americans who own automobiles chose to conduct their shopping online instead of driving to bricks-and-mortar stores. Especially during the holidays. There would be a dramatic decrease in traffic and emissions, which would benefit the environment.

As founders of FreeShipping.org, a one-stop destination for consumers to find online retailers that offer free shipping deals, husband-and-wife entrepreneurs Luke and Maisie Knowles make it easier for consumers to save money on items purchased via the Internet. The couple lives in Fort Collins, Colorado – where green living is a way of life – so it is appropriate that their business also encourages Americans to help the environment by staying home to shop.

"It makes sense that it is more cost-effective and environmentally-friendly to shop online instead of driving to bricks-and-mortar stores," Luke Knowles said. "It's better for the environment if the retailer just ships the product to the consumer's home rather than the consumer driving to different stores to find the product. It's also easier to conduct product research online instead of driving from one store to another, as people often do during the holidays."

According to a 2008 online shopping survey conducted by the GfK Group, an international market research company, about 70 percent of participants think that shopping online is good for the environment because it helps reduce the carbon footprint. This relates to a typical scenario across America on a Saturday afternoon, when millions of drivers clog the parking lots of malls.

Shopping online can be as much as 27 times more environmentally-friendly than shopping at the mall, according to Dr. Julia Edwards of the IMRG Online Green Awards 2008, who said, "The carbon emission of each item bought online and delivered to the customer is 132 grams of CO2. A staggering 27 items need to be bought on a dedicated car journey to the shops to achieve the same level of efficiency."

"Online shopping is becoming commonplace," Luke Knowles added. "People are getting into the habit of making online purchases, and it will only become more popular because of the tough economy and the high gas prices.

"Once consumers shop online once, they tend to do so more often because of the convenience and cost savings," he said. "You can always find cheaper prices online than in stores because there is more competition on the Internet, and since the cost for a retailer to operate an online store is significantly lower than a bricks-and-mortar location."

The Knowles launched FreeShipping.org, which includes more than 800 name-brand stores and allows visitors to search by brand or category, in December 2007. Among the major retailers on FreeShipping.org are JCPenney, Target, Bloomingdale's, Kohl's, Sears, Best Buy, Old Navy, and Nordstrom.

The couple leads an environmentally-friendly lifestyle. Not only do they work at home, but they also use subcontractors who are telecommuters and don't drive to work. They just hired their first employee, and he rides to the Knowles' home office on his bike. Luke and Maisie are even having a new house built that will be built according to the latest green home building standards.

"We encourage others to shop online, so we feel it is important for us to live an environmentally-friendly lifestyle," Luke Knowles said. "It's the rule rather than the exception where we live (in Fort Collins, Colorado)."

Here are practices that businesses can implement to help the environment:

• Allow your employees and contractors to work from home. Instant messaging and video conferencing have made telecommuting an effective reality that also helps the environment.
• Use energy efficient computers and monitors, and make sure to turn them off when not in use.
• Use recycled paper and envelopes, and switch to soy-based inks for your ink jet printer.
• Only print when it is absolutely necessary. The average US worker uses 12,000 sheets of paper per year. Paper accounts for almost 40 percent of all municipal solid waste in the United States.
• Recyclable all paper and plastic materials you use.
• Buy energy efficient light bulbs to replace incandescent bulbs.
• Use incentives to encourage employees to be environmentally-friendly. Offer to pay up to $200 towards a new bicycle for employees willing to switch from driving to work to riding to work.

FreeShipping.org is the Internet's premiere destination for online shoppers to find free shipping deals offered by more than 800 online retailers, including JCPenney, Target, Bloomingdale's, Kohl's, Sears, Best Buy, Old Navy, Nordstrom and Macy's. For more information, visit www.freeshipping.org.

SOURCE: FreeShipping.org