Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is going for the jugular in the holiday retailing war, announcing Thursday that it will offer free shipping on nearly 60,000 online items — with no minimum purchase requirement.
The world’s biggest retailer, long known for its low prices, is raising the stakes just over two weeks before Black Friday, viewed as the official kickoff of holiday shopping. Wal-Mart’s free shipping offer, which includes electronics, jewelry and toys, will run through Dec. 20.
Items purchased from the company’s website will be delivered to customers’ homes within three to five business days from the order’s processing via standard shipping. Return shipping is also free, or items can be returned to a local Wal-Mart.
I had a bad experience with online Walmart. My credit card was used illegally after a Walmart online charge in the region where Walmart’s service center is. Fortunately, the Visa security staff caught the problem and I wasn’t charged for the illegal charges. Food for thought!