In the race to win consumers’ wallet share during the busiest shopping season of the year, Target is upping its delivery game.
The big-box retailer now offers nationwide, same-day shipping through retail delivery service Shipt. Target app users can load up their virtual carts with any of the store’s 65,000 available items (including groceries, toys, baby-care products, kitchenware and more), and Shipt will deliver the goods directly to their doorsteps. App users can also have goods delivered to offices, hotels and dorms, and place orders on behalf of others.
Last week, the retailer announced that it would be offering free, same-day shipping on orders worth $75 or more from Nov. 17-26, seeking to capitalize on the Thanksgiving shopping rush.
To use Shipt, Target shoppers pay a monthly fee of $14, an annual fee of $99, or a $9.99 fee on a per- order basis. The retailer is offering a free, four-week Shipt trial for new customers.
“Millions of guests love using the Target app to shop, save and get what they need quickly—and it’s a game-changer during the busy holiday season,” Target’s senior vice president of digital Dawn Block said in a statement.
“Adding same-day delivery to our app is another way we’re making it easier and faster for guests to get the same great value, curated products and top-notch guest service they’ve come to expect from Target, all while placing an order online or directly from their phone,” she added.
While consumers are undoubtedly looking for great value during the season’s most anticipated holiday sales, data shows that expedient and reliable shipping is also an important consideration. According to a report released last month by logistics firm Convey, more than half of shoppers (54 percent) are willing to pay local retailers for same-day delivery.
The data suggests that fast weighs out over free, and that retailers investing in speedy shipping solutions, especially during the lucrative holiday shopping season, stand to reap the benefits.