Keeping up in the race to have the last word on the last mile, Target has rolled out a brand new e-commerce portal dedicated to providing its customers with same-day delivery through its partnership with e-commerce shipping specialists, Shipt.
The retailer announced said Thursday it would begin offering same-day delivery in most major urban areas in the United States (excluding Alaska, West Virginia and Wyoming). With the new service, most Target shoppers will have the option to skip shopping and, instead, scroll through their local store’s virtual aisles before requesting a delivery from Shipt at a time and place of their choosing.
“Our grocery delivery service is an easy and convenient way to save time and energy,” Target said in a statement. “Same Day Delivery is ideal for busy moms and dads and others with demanding schedules. It’s also a great option for those who simply dislike shopping. Whatever your needs, we have a grocery delivery service for you.”
For the time being, Target will offer same-day delivery without requiring a membership (something typically required from Shipt), a possible differentiating factor for the retailer’s program compared to Amazon Prime. Instead, users of the service will pay each time they wish to order, although Shipt still offers a $99 annual plan that includes unlimited same-day delivery on orders of $35 or more.
The service will include everything from beauty products to produce. Then, someone from Shipt’s “community of local shoppers” will do the shopping for the user and deliver their haul within a custom one-hour window— as long as the order does not include certain products like select clothing, footwear, furniture, electronics or any item that weighs more than 40 pounds, a sign of Target’s focus on grocery shoppers to start.
To some, the rollout of same-day delivery at Target has been a long time coming. In December 2017, the retailer acquired Shipt for $550 million. Three months later, Target launched a same-day delivery pilot program in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro, continuing to expand the program’s reach incrementally since.
In line with Target in the race to compete against Amazon Prime, Walmart also recently launched free, next-day delivery for select markets.