The Prime Effect: How Amazon’s 2-Day Shipping Is Disrupting Retail

The quest to offer fast, free delivery has triggered an arms race among the largest retailers

Alongside life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, you can now add another inalienable right: two-day shipping on practically everything.

Amazon.com Inc. has made its Prime program the gold standard for all other online retailers, according to surveys of consumers. The $119-a-year Prime program—which now includes more than 100 million...