Target made it easier for customers to shop early and often for the holidays with the announcement of free shipping on the majority of Target.com orders through Dec. 20. According to the fine print (http://bit.ly/1wlCcsr), caveats to the offer are few, with handling fees applicable to oversized items and free shipping restricted to the 48 contiguous states and APO/FPO addresses. We tested the offer on a $14.99 scarf and shipping for our order was free, with a 75-cent REDcard discount, to boot. Another enticement to make customers shop Target for the holidays includes a Wish List app available Oct. 31 that can be shared with friends and family, it said. Customers can save 10 percent on wish list items on one day of their choosing prior to Nov. 26. Wish list apps are available for Android and iOS smartphones and tablets, and customers can print out lists at registry kiosks in Target stores, it said. New Target shopping apps re-launching for the holiday season are designed to make it easier to find items in stores through interactive maps. The apps also include streamlined checkout, including Apple Pay, Target said. The retailer has not set an opening time for Black Friday shopping in stores. The website cites only “The Main Event” for Black Friday shopping as Nov. 27-29.

Amazon will create 80,000 seasonal jobs for its 65 U.S. fulfillment and sorting centers this holiday season and expects, like last year, to convert thousands of them into "regular, full-time roles" after the holidays, the company said Thursday (http://bit.ly/1vAKFrt). The sorting centers, which are new, are "fueling a range of innovations like Sunday delivery, later cut-off ordering times for customers and the ability to control packages deeper into the delivery process," Amazon said in a news release.