The retailer also is offering real-time customer support through a new Best Buy app chat feature called BlueAssist.

Consumer electronics retailer Best Buy Co. Inc. hopes to wind up on shoppers’ “nice” list this holiday season by offering them an early present.

Best Buy, No. 14 in the Internet Retailer 2015 Top 500 Guide, is offering free shipping on all online orders starting Sunday and running through Jan. 2. It’s not the first time the retailer has offered the promotion, although last year it set its free shipping threshold during the holidays at $35.

There is a catch though— Best Buy writes in the fine print in a blog post that “eligible items will have Standard Shipping automatically selected in the shopping cart.  Select Marketplace items, some scheduled delivery items and items displaying an ‘In Store Only’ message are not available for free shipping.”

Free shipping is one of several ways Best Buy will seek to entice shoppers during the holiday season. Another is a new live chat feature within its app for Apple and Android mobile devices called BlueAssist, which allows shoppers to get help and free setup of select technology products from the retailer’s Geek Squad technical support staff.

Last year, fellow Minnesota-based retail chain Target Corp. offered a similar free holiday shipping promotion, giving shoppers free shipping on all orders from late October through Dec.  20.  A Target spokeswoman wouldn’t say if the company will do so again this year, only saying “we have not announced our holiday plans yet” but will within the next few weeks. Target is No. 16 in the Top 500 Guide.

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