Restock is a direct competitor to Amazon Prime Pantry but offers free shipping with Redcard orders
Every day it seems the battle for online dominance gains a new battlefront, and it is Target that this week has upped the game. The company has announced that its Target Restock program will now be offered across the country, covering more than 75% of the U.S. population
Target Restock launched on a trial basis last year in select markets, but is now making the direct competitor to Amazon Prime Pantry free on all Redcard purchases and just $2.99 for all other orders. Prime Pantry charges $7.99 per order for shipping if customers do not pay a monthly $4.99 subscription price which enables free shipping over $40.
Restock orders are separate from general online orders made through target.com.
“Target Restock is another way we’re making life easier for our busy, budget-conscious guests,” said Dawn Block, Target’s senior vice president of digital. “Our guests love the speed and convenience of the service. And now that Target Restock is an even better value, we think the service will become increasingly popular.”
Target Restock offers household goods with more than 35,000 items in the program, from cleaning supplies to baby supplies, to paper towels and peanut butter, and more. Items from national brands and Target-owned brands are part of the program, which will deliver your Restock orders the next day if ordered before 7 p.m. on a Monday through Friday,
There is no membership fee.
According to Target, customers can place items into their “box,” which holds up to 45 pounds. An online tracker will tell the customer how much room is remaining in the box.
All Restock orders are filled direct from stores, which speeds the process, Target said in a release. Customers can also use Google Home or a smartphone with Google Assistant app to order items with their voice.
Target has also recently started offering free two-day shipping on hundreds of thousands of orders on Target.com. Many of these orders are shipped from stores, the company says. Walmart also offers free two-day shipping on orders over $35.
Last fall, Walmart acquired same-day delivery company Parcel. New York-based Parcel specializes in perishable and non-perishable delivery in New York City using technology and a fleet of leased vehicles to make deliveries. Delivery options include same-day, overnight, and a two-hour window timeframe.
Target responded to that with the acquisition of Shipt, a same-day delivery service. Earlier this year, Target said customers in Alabama and South Florida – 57 stores in all – would start receiving same-day delivery services on Feb. 1. The plan is to have Shipt rolled out to 160 markets by the end of the year.
Target did not say whether Restock would be part of that rollout, and a request for comment from the company has yet to be returned.
