Target ups the ante in shipping wars — again

Target Corp. has made another move in the ongoing same-day delivery war involving the discounter, Walmart and Amazon.

The retailer announced that Target.com shoppers in 47 states will now be able to have items delivered the same day — in as soon as an hour in some instances. The service will be done through Shipt, the membership-based, same-day delivery platform Target acquired in 2017.

This is not Target’s first foray into same-day shipping. Previously, Target customers were able to get goods delivered on the same day by being members of Shipt, whose annual membership costs $99 per year. But the service is now being made available to customers who opt to pay a flat fee of $9.99 for each individual order without having to sign up for Shipt membership. (Target is also offering a free four-week trial for customers who want to try out Shipt.)

With this latest expansion, some 65,000 items are now available for same-day shipping, according to Target. The eligible items are all located in a dedicated area on the chain’s site.  Shoppers who use Target’s credit card will receive 5% off on purchases.

“With same-day delivery now available directly within the Target.com experience, we’ve made it even easier for our guests to shop at Target—while still getting the great value, curated product assortment and helpful guest service they’ve come to expect,” said Dawn Block, senior VP, digital.

Target’s same-day delivery expansion comes as Walmart and Amazon are also upping the ante on speedy shipping. Most recently,Walmart announced a new in-home delivery test whereby it will deliver groceries directly inside shoppers’ homes.