Wal Mart reset the way retailing was done when it offered goods at rock bottom prices at its stores. And once again, it is changing the way things are done in retailing. Wal-Mart Stores is now offering free shipping on its Web site, with no minimum purchase, on almost 60,000 gift items, including many toys and electronics. The offer runs through Dec. 20, when Wal-Mart said it might consider other free-shipping deals.

Already there were such online deals on offer by other cost conscious retailers like Target , J. C. Penney, Toys "R" Us, Williams-Sonoma who are offering aggressive free shipping programs. Amazon is also offering unlimited two-day shipping for an annual fee. But this offer from Wal-Mart tips the scales completely. Wal-Mart has unleashed a fear in the field of e-commerce that free shipping, with no minimum purchase will henceforth become the norm and customers will expect this from every online retailer. For Wal-Mart it may not cost much as its volumes are huge and that gives a low-price contracting advantage and warehouses spread all over but for smaller retailers, this may become a major deterrent.

In India, e-commerce is slowly but surely picking and we are yet to wake up to shipping costs. But its interesting to see how in the developed countries, retailers are coming up with new and cost effective ways to get more customers. We here still believe in the touch-feel shopping but soon, with most of us becoming prisoners of the computer and internet, e-commerce will be the way to go.