A year ago, Amazon hiked its free shipping minimum for non-Prime customers from $35 to $49. Naturally, many customers weren't happy with that move. Meanwhile, Walmart recently adopted free 2-day shipping with a $35 minimum purchase requirement.

Now, it seems Amazon has changed up its shipping again in a bid to hang on to customers.

Amazon was known for its low-minimum free standard shipping, which undercut many retailers that required purchases $50 or more. It was one of the best deals online --- until Amazon bumped the requirement up to $49 last year. Customers were understandably unhappy with the increase, but Amazon likely needed it to combat the cost of logistics.

And Walmart's free 2-day shipping policy is pretty tempting: it doesn't require a membership fee and applies to most items on the site, as long the order total is over $35.

Amazon has walked back its shipping increase now, likely due to the appeal of Walmart's new policy. Non-Prime customers can once again earn free standard shipping on orders over $35. As Engadget notes, "That won't deliver your goods any sooner ... but it could tip the balance if you're more interested in avoiding fees than getting your order in a hurry."

Julie Ramhold is a staff writer at dealnews. Republished with permission.