Copyright Newsweek
Walmart on Monday unveiled the schedule for its Black Friday promotional events, at which it says customers will be able to enjoy “up to 60 percent off top brands” and “thousands of deals under $20.” The retail giant will be hosting two shopping events in November and one in December. The first will take place from November 14-16, followed by a second from November 25-30 and an online-only Cyber Monday sale on December 1. Why It Matters America’s major retailers have already rolled out a number of early holiday deals and placed heavy emphasis on the discounts they are offering this year, amid fears over a more muted shopping season due to inflation and declines in consumer confidence. For companies like Walmart, experts have said deal promotions will be especially crucial if they hope to draw in this year’s cost-conscious shoppers. What To Know Walmart’s first Black Friday event, beginning November 14, will be available online and in stores. The second event will be online-only November 25-27, and both online and in-store November 28-30. For all three events, the company said that its Walmart+ members will be able to access the deals online five hours before other customers—at 7 p.m. ET the night before the events are scheduled to commence. Walmart also provided an early glimpse into the deals that will feature at the first event running from November 14-16. These include a 98-inch TCL QLED 4K Google TV that will be marked down to $998.00 from $1,798.00, a $12 Barbie Malibu Travel Playset also discounted 45 percent, and Calvin Klein Obsession 3 Perfume available for one-third of its original price at $31.50. What People Are Saying Retail Expert Nicole Leinbach Hoffman told Newsweek previously: “Inflation, cost pressures, tariff challenges and other stressors such as debt and high interest rates have consumers budget minded going into the holidays. E-commerce I suspect will continue to grow positively in sales, but I predict at a slower pace than 2024 during the holiday season. Whether in-store or online, however, I think consumers will be seeking deals and shopping early—stretching out their spending and ultimately, pacing with 2024 but not exceeding total holiday sales by much if any." Walmart CEO Doug McMillon, in an earnings call in August, said: "Back-to-school is usually something of an indicator of how the holidays will go, and we feel good about how it went for us in terms of units and dollars sold and inventory sell-through at both Walmart and Sam’s Club." What Happens Next Following on from its second-quarter results—in which it reported a 4.8 percent year-over-year increase in revenue—Walmart upgraded its outlook for the remainder of the fiscal year ending February 1. The company now expects annual net sales to grow between 3.75 percent and 4.75 percent, compared to its prior guidance of 3 percent to 4 percent.
