Best Buy takes on Amazon Prime with a new free shipping perk

My Best Buy members get an added benefit starting now. Starting January 9, free shipping will be available on all orders, with no minimum purchase required, for those who join the Best Buy membership program. Previously, an order had to be $35 or more to qualify for free shipping.

My Best Buy is Best Buy’s version of a membership program for repeat shoppers, and it competes with the likes of Amazon Premier and Walmart Plus. Unlike those services, however, My Best Buy is free to join, meaning Best Buy doesn’t put its free shipping advantage behind a monthly or annual paywall.

In 2022, Amazon increased the price of its Prime service at $139 per year, though it does bundle extra features like Prime Video, ad-free music and podcast streaming, cloud storage, and more. WalmartMore costs $98 per year and includes free shipping on all orders, exclusive offers, rewards on qualifying purchases, and fuel savings. Walmart also includes Paramount More diffusion.

However, not all of the changes are positive for My Best Buy members. While regular members will continue to have access to member-only offers, the My Best Buy rewards program will become an exclusive benefit for My Best Buy credit cardholders. This change takes effect on February 14. Previously, all My Best Buy members could earn 0.5 points per dollar spent in-store and online and get a $5 credit for every 250 points earned.