Target launches free holiday shipping, Walmart disappoints

By Mike Flacy on October 27, 2016

Detailing plans for holiday shopping (both online and in-store), Target announced that free holiday shipping (and returns) started this week with plans to run through January 1, 2017.

Rather than limiting free shipping to just before Christmas like Best Buy, anyone that purchases an item at Target will be able to return it after the gift-giving holiday and get a new item shipping for free to their home.

Detailed in the fine print, free shipping will be standard shipping speeds to the 48 contiguous states as well as APO/FPO. In some cases, an over-sized handing fee may apply to large items that are purchased through Target’s site. Other promotion offering by Target in November will include promotional coupons for specific sections of the site as well as many Cartwheel deals.

This makes Target the second major retailer to announce free shipping for the holidays, following Best Buy earlier in the week. Best Buy’s free shipping period runs up until December 24, 2016.

Walmart also announced holiday plans this week, but without any free shipping promotion. Instead, Walmart is focusing on relocating existing staff to help customers get same-day pickup items faster as well as adding additional products to the catalog of same-day pickup items.

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About Mike Flacy

Editor-in-Chief for The CheckOut. During my free time, I love to write about pop culture, home theater, digital photography, social media, mobile technology and cool gadgets!

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