How to set up free shipping offer?

We want to offer free shipping on all orders for a limited time -- an introductory offer for our new store. I have several questions about this:

(1) What is the best way to set it up? Just turn on the FREE SHIPPING! module and turn all other shipping modules off? (Ordinarily we will be offering UPS, FedEx, and USPS shipping options, with free shipping on orders over a certain amount.) Set it up as a coupon? Set it up as a Special?

(More generally, can specials be used for this purpose, or are they only available for discounted prices on the products themselves?)

(2) We'd like to feature this as a special offer on the home page -- preferably as a graphic in a sidebox. Can we add a custom sidebox to the home page only for this purpose?

These questions have probably been asked before, but I can't find them. Thanks in advance.

xlawdog

Just enabling free shipping and then turning off manually would be the simplest method.

Specials are for prices discounts only.

Download the Blank Sidebox contribution from the downloads section. I recall seeing something about being able to select which pages a box will appear on but can't remember where. May well have been on the Blank Sidebox contribution page. If not, search the forum specifically for this. It is possible.

Thanks. I'll try the blank sidebox idea.