Walmart.com adds free shipping for 60,000 products

Starting today Walmart is offering free shipping on almost 60,000 items, including electronics, toys, and photos. Walmart's offer lasts through December 20, and doesn't require a minimum purchase price. Walmart's move is aimed squarely at competitors Amazon and Target - with which it started a price war earlier in the week when it slashed its toy prices. 

Target will also offer free shipping from Nov. 21 through Dec. 11, but only when customers spend $50 or more. However, its free shipping offer covers 800,000 items. Amazon offers free shipping on all orders over $25 year-round, except for those sold by third party merchants. And its Amazon Prime program, for which members pay $79 a year, offers unlimited two-day shipping on almost all purchases.

Retailers have been competing to offer free shipping in the early stage of this holiday season. According to a late-October survey by the National Retail Federation, 85% of online retailers plan to offer free shipping at some point during the holidays. And more traditional retailers are joining in to stay competitive. The NY Times reported today that beginning in October, J.C. Penney started offering free shipping year-round, with a minimum purchase of $69 for most of the year.  And in August L.L. Bean began offering free shipping with no minimum, through Dec. 20.

Other retailers, which want to remain competitive, but not eat the cost of free shipping on their own, have banded together to create ShopRunner, a site that offers free 2-day shipping for $79 annually - the same price as Amazon Prime. ShopRunner includes retailers such as PetSmart, Toys 'R' Us, The Sports Authority, and Borders.

—Chris Fichera