The e-commerce war continues as Target slashes its minimum requirement for free shipping by 50 percent.
The retailer has reduced the price requirement -- in order to avail of free shipping -- from $50 to $25 in a bid to undercut shipping prices from rivals like Amazon and Walmart.
"Lowering the free shipping threshold from $50 to $25 is one more way Target is putting guests first and making it easier for them to shop Target when and where they want," said Jason Goldberger, president of Target.com and Mobile. "We saw an enthusiastic response to our free shipping offer over the holidays. Now, whether guests are stocking up or doing fill-in shopping, we've enhanced our year-round shipping offer to be one of the best in all of retail."
Thanks to Target's aggressive business ploy, customers will now be able to avail of free shipping on online orders from Target.com for orders valued at $25 or more. The ordered products will take between three to five business days to arrive.
By comparison, Amazon offers the free shipping option to customers who make online purchases for a minimum of $35. The shipping time varies from seller to seller and is between three to five business days as well. Best Buy also offers free shipping for purchases worth $35 or more and provides the same time window for delivery.
The Target offer is even better than that of Wal-Mart, which requires users to spend a minimum of $50 to avail of free shipping. Target's price requirement is even cheaper than those of Macy's and J.C. Penney, where one needs to spend a minimum of $99 to enjoy free shipment.
Amazon Prime manages to stay ahead in this race as it offers members free two-day shipping and overnight shipping at subsidized rates. However, the membership charge is $99 per year, which basically amounts to a little over $8 each month. Considering how Amazon is open 24/7, it's not a bad deal.
Target is also trying to boost its presence in the market and claims that nearly 80 percent of the orders are readied in an hour at the most. The retailer also offers free in-store pick-up for products that are eligible. Moreover, customers who have the REDCard not only get discounts on products but also free shipping on virtually every online purchase.
