Target Launches New Next-Day Delivery Service Called Target Restock

You know you’ve reached a new point in your life when a rockin’ Friday night out involves a Target run. But hey – after one time comes another and these days, with a babe in arms, I find my joy in the little things. (The first time my baby boy rode around strapped in a Target store cart, grinning from ear to ear, legs kicking furiously with the pure joy of it, I thought my heart would explode all over the sheets right there in the bed and bath department.)

Target runs are always fun but given that I’m always running out of something for baby (how many diapers can one baby go through??), Target’s highly-anticipated new service is going to serve me well. And you too, I hope!  To offer customers an alternative to Amazon’s Prime service (which I love and use all the time), Target is launching Target Restock, a next-day home delivery service that will make shopping for household essentials a breeze. It’s only a pilot program at the moment in the test market of Minneapolis, where Target’s headquarters are, but with plans to expand, hopefully we’ll all be taking advantage of this new service soon.

Currently, early access is being given to REDcard holders. You can choose from over 10,000 household essentials (things like paper products, cleaning supplies, beauty products, personal care items and dry goods), fill your Restock box up to 45 lbs and have your goods delivered straight to your front door. If you order by 2pm between Monday and Thursday, you’ll get your items delivered the next business day for $4.99. And if you pay with your REDcard, you’ll get a 5% discount. Amazon’s comparable Prime Pantry service costs $5.99 for a 45 lb box, so Target’s pricing undercuts them by one dollar.

I currently do most of my shopping for household essentials online at Amazon or Walmart. As an Amazon Prime member, I love the free, two-day shipping but Walmart offers the same guarantee as well so it has opened up my options and I’m able to check both sites to find the best deals and better price. Adding Target to the mix will only help to do better comparison shopping and of course, to get items that only Target sells. And who knows – I may end up saving money this way since those Target runs always end up costing me more money than I ever intend on spending. Why is it that you go into Target to pick up toothpaste and come out with three bags of groceries, some new kitchen gadgets, a pair of pajamas and an ottoman? Or is that just me?