WHITING, Ind., Feb. 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- As they say, the best things in life are free. When shopping online, free shipping is one of them. With major shipping carriers recently announcing price increases of at least 5 percent in 2013, free shipping may be harder to come by this year. A new CouponCabin.com survey reveals that despite the possibly higher shipping costs they could be charged, 51 percent of U.S. adults indicate they are neither more or less likely to shop online. An additional 7 percent report they are more likely to shop online. This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of CouponCabin.com from February 11^th-13^th, 2013, among 2,191 U.S. adults ages 18 and older, among which 2,037 shop online at all.

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For those who still continue to click and buy, their typical online shopping behavior will shift to sites that offer free shipping. Nearly three-in-four (73 percent) U.S. adults are more likely to shop online at a website that offers free shipping as opposed to one that doesn't.

"Free shipping offers entice online consumers, but retailers may have more difficulty providing them as costs rise," said Jackie Warrick, senior savings advisor at CouponCabin.com. "To still present free shipping as an option, some stores may need to increase item prices to absorb the cost effectively. Regardless, budget-savvy consumers will seek out free shipping in as many ways as they can."

In addition to shopping on sites that automatically offer free shipping, most online shoppers search for free shipping coupon codes for their purchases. In fact, 77 percent of U.S. adults who shop online at all search for free shipping codes at least sometimes. Twenty-four percent indicate that they do so often, while 25 percent sometimes do. Twenty-three percent never or rarely search for free shipping codes when shopping online.

Warrick offers the following tips for online shoppers on the hunt for free shipping:

Seek out specials: Pay close attention to your favorite stores' or brands' promotion cycles, as many offer free shipping deals throughout the year. Sign up for email newsletters and follow stores on social media to stay on top of free shipping promotions.

Find free shipping codes: Before you decide what online store you're going to buy something from, head to a comprehensive savings site like CouponCabin.com (http://www.couponcabin.com/free-shipping/) to check for free shipping coupon codes to save money on your purchase.

Be aware of higher prices: As some stores will be forced to raise item prices to provide free shipping to their customers, be aware that some items may be more expensive than previously. Nearly seven-in-ten (68 percent) U.S. adults are unaware that shipping costs are set to rise nearly 5 percent this year, so keep an eye on your online shopping budget.

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Survey Methodology:
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Coupon Cabin from February 11^th-13^th 2013, among 2,191 adults ages 18 and older, among which 2,037 shop online at all. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Allison Kaplan, akaplan@couponcabin.com.

About CouponCabin.com
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SOURCE CouponCabin.com