FOX BUSINESS - Target is now offering same-day delivery on thousands of items for $9.99 per order, a move that indicates the retailer is joining the heated delivery war with Amazon and Walmart.
The retail giant incorporated Shipt, a delivery startup it purchased nearly two years ago, on its website. Before Thursday, Target shoppers who wanted to receive their items the same day had to go on Shipt's website and pay a $99 annual membership fee or $14 for a monthly membership (an option that is still available).
Target said the new same-day option will cover 65,000 items. Those who use Target's loyalty card will get a 5 percent discount. The retailer said in a press release that customers can receive their deliveries in "as soon as an hour" after placing their order.
"With same-day delivery now available directly within the Target.com experience, we've made it even easier for our guests to shop at Target--while still getting the great value, curated product assortment and helpful guest service they've come to expect," Dawn Block, Target's senior vice president of digital, said in a statement.
The announcement comes a month after Walmart rolled out its next-day delivery with a minimum order of $35 on its most popular items. The retail giant currently offers next-day delivery with no membership fee on its website for about 220,000 items for customers in Phoenix and Las Vegas. There are also plans to expand to about 75 percent of U.S. customers by the end of the year.
Meanwhile, Amazon has upgraded its free shipping option for Prime members who pay $119 a year to one-day delivery. The online shopping giant announced in April it was offering one-day shipping on a number of products and will continue to add millions of items. The company previously offered one-day shipping on select items and free same-day delivery for those whose orders were $35 or more.
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