Walmart is stepping up its battle with Amazon.com as the bricks and clicks retailer struggles to wrest online sales from the e-commerce leader, adding a free-shipping feature to its online operation.
Walmart has announced free two-day shipping to home and stores on more than two million items, no membership fee required, while at the same time lowering the minimum purchase required for free home shipping to $35 from $50. Items being shipped to stores continue to have no price threshold.
Amazon’s free two-day shipping program falls under its Prime membership initiative, which provides the delivery and other benefits for $99 annually. Otherwise, consumers have to purchase at least $25 in books or $49 of other merchandise through Amazon for free shipping in five to eight days.
Free two-day delivery from Walmart.com began at 8 a.m. eastern time today. Among the merchandise categories Walmart is emphasizing in the free two-day shopping deal is the personal care category, with grooming, including electric shavers and related products, and hair care, including straighteners and associated items, as well as household essentials such as baby necessities, pet products, food, cleaning supplies, beauty favorites, top electronics and toys.
“Two-day free shipping is the first of many moves we will be making to enhance the customer experience and accelerate growth,” said Marc Lore, president and CEO of Walmart U.S. e-commerce.
