Who isn’t disappointed when an online shopping cart doesn’t qualify for free shipping? Or grumpy about a three- to five-day wait for delivery? Amazon has accustomed shoppers to free shipping and a two-day wait, so now other retailers are introducing ways for customers to get fast, free shipping.
Many are mimicking Amazon’s $99-a-year Prime program with their own membership plans. For example, Wal-Mart is testing an unlimited free shipping program that will cost $50 a year. Overstock.com and ShopRunner.com offer similar programs for $20 a year and $79 a year, respectively. So far, few merchants offer shipping as speedy as Amazon’s, or perks such as access to movies. But as companies continue to improve supply and shipping networks, look for faster arrivals.
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