Mainstream publishers are queuing up to sign online shopping deals with e-tailers and price comparison sites in the run-up to Christmas - in the hope of boosting digital profits at the tail end of a year that’s seeing slowing growth for digital ad sales. In addition to any revenue-sharing or one-off payments that come with the white-label deals, partnerships like these have the added benefits of attracting increased numbers of cash-ready users, which always piques the interest of advertisers in a way that everyday online news content does not.

—Johnston Press free eMusic tracks: The regional publisher has signed to offer its online newspapers readers 25 of the music download store’s four million tracks for free in a trial offer. It must be a welcome digital revenue boost for a company that last week announced ad sales down 15.5 percent down year on year, with sectors like property down almost 50 percent. eMusic has been busy and has also signed similar deals with electronics retailer Goodman Industries and computer maker Elonex to cross-promote the service on mp3 player and laptop sales pages. Via NMA.

—Trinity launches MirrorCashback: Trinity Mirror (LSE: TNI) has launched consumer loyalty site MirrorCashback on Mirror.co.uk, offering readers cash incentives to buy goods online from 1,400 retailers. Anyone buying items through the site can get up to 10 percent of the purchase value back. Mirror is also seeking advertisers for the site, which is produced by consumer loyalty specialist VAC Media, operator of 180 similar sites.

—Sky’s price comparison site: Sky.com is threading a price comparison offering, Sky Shopping, in to its site. Powered by Digital Window, the site lists over 3.5 million items - HD-ready TVs will be promo’ed in Sky.com’s online TV guide, for example. Sky also launched a separate Christmas microsite sponsored by Marks and Spencer, including links to gift ideas on Sky Shopping.

—Newsquest’s price comparison site: Not to be left out, regional newspaper publisher Newsquest has joined the price comparison party in time for Christmas in a partnership with BeatThatQuote.com. A price comparison widget will be placed on all 132 of its websites, though a glance at some of the company’s biggest websites today shows that the service is either yet to be rolled out, or is very well hidden. From Media Week