Hoping to finish all of your holiday shopping early this year? Walmart is counting on consumers to start spending their hard-earned money as quickly as possible, so the retailer is rolling out early Black Friday deals not just on Thanksgiving, but weeks before the biggest shopping day of the year.
Walmart’s pre-Black Friday deals started this weekend, with special pricing on thousands of items, including game systems, toys, flat screen TVs, and more. Not only will Walmart be lowering the prices of many items in the weeks leading up to their big 2014 Black Friday sale, the company is offering free shipping — with no minimum purchase — on items that are on their “Top 100” gift list.
CBS News reports that the early bird deals are part of Walmart’s strategy to come out on top among other big box stores who will be trying to grab the attention, and wallets, of holiday shoppers across the nation.
Steve Bratspies, the executive vice president of general merchandise for Walmart, tells CBS News that the company expects to see a “highly competitive environment throughout the season.” The powers-that-be at the popular retailer are prepared for victory saying, “We are going to win the holiday season.”
If you are a comparison shopper, Walmart states that it may be offering price matching for purchases made online during the holiday season. The details of the offer have not been released yet, but CBS News reports that if the program is implemented, shoppers would be able to pay the same price for items purchased on Walmart’s online site that they would from their retail rivals, including Amazon.
For those who love the thrill of finding bargains in an over-crowded store during the holidays, Walmart will be adding more cashiers to their stores prior to Black Friday . Long check-out lines are usually the worst part of shopping for holiday gifts, so Walmart plans to keep every line will be open from noon to 6 p.m. during weekends that fall between November 22 and Christmas Eve.
Black Friday everybody pic.twitter.com/vJGMcPIHHl
— Chriss (@LaDajeVu) October 27, 2014
Shorter lines will be a big plus, considering a recent report from Consumers Affairs that states consumers will be spending more on holiday gifts this year. More money being spent will mean more people crowding the stores, unless everyone stays in their pajamas and shops online this year.
The survey, done by Accenture, shows that 25 percent of U.S. consumers plan to spend an estimated $718 on gifts this year, with two-thirds of those who responded stating that they plan to start their shopping on Black Friday, up from 55 percent in 2013.
Will you start your holiday shopping early or wait until Black Friday to make most of your purchases?