Black Friday Shoppers Have Spoken: Walmart Delivers Biggest Shopping Day of the Season

[bigjimslade]

What does this mean?  Same or earlier open times next year.  You heard it here first.

 

 

 

BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Nov. 29, 2013 – Walmart today announced record-breaking Black Friday results. Millions of customers, once again, took advantage of the retailer’s deals that began on Thanksgiving Day and last throughout the weekend.

 

“We said Black Friday is the Super Bowl of retail, we ran a play that only Walmart could deliver and our customers loved it,” said Bill Simon, president and CEO of Walmart U.S. “Our Black Friday events were bigger, better, faster, cheaper and safer than ever. More customers chose us, we had the prices and products they were looking for, and we’re not finished yet. Helping families get ready for a great Christmas – and get a lot of great deals while they’re at it – is exactly what we’re going to continue to do.”

Last year, Walmart served 22 million customers on Thanksgiving Day. This year, even more customers chose to shop Walmart:

• More than 5 million customers took advantage of Walmart’s One-Hour Guarantee which was expanded from three items last year to 21 items this year.
• From 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., Walmart processed more than 10 million register transactions in its stores.
• Walmart.com processed nearly 400 million page views on Thanksgiving Day, including customers who used mobile devices and tablets.

Walmart continued to set itself apart from its competition this holiday season. For the first time, customers were offered wristbands for popular products, allowing them to shop while they waited for deals. Customers also flocked to Black Friday savings that were only available at Walmart on the new Sony PS4, Microsoft Xbox One and other items. These offerings were in addition to the retailer’s expanded One-Hour Guarantee on hot electronics, toys, home goods and other items.

 

“Our success today and throughout the holiday season wouldn’t be possible without our dedicated associates. Every year, they exceed our expectations and this year, they really brought their A-game,” Simon continued. “It’s a lot of hard work, but our amazing team pulls it off every year.”

 

In appreciation for their hard work, Walmart will provide $70 million in holiday pay to hourly store associates. Walmart store associates who work on Thanksgiving Day will also receive a 25 percent discount on an entire purchase on Dec. 5 and Dec. 6, allowing associates to save millions of dollars on holiday gifts for their families. This is on top of the quarterly bonus full- and part-time store associate receive based on their stores’ third quarter performance.

 

“I think it’s great that Walmart is giving me a 25 percent discount on an entire purchase for working on Thanksgiving. I feel that my hard work is being recognized and rewarded,” said Ann Gilchrist, customer service manager in Escanaba, Mich. “Last year I saved $100 with the extra discount and I saw others save even more.”

Top Sellers Across The Country
From coast to coast, yesterday’s top sellers at Walmart – in stores and online – were big screen televisions, the iPad mini, laptops, XBOX ONE, PS4 and Call of Duty Ghosts. Customers also bought:

• 2.8 million towels,
• 2 million televisions,
• 1.4 million tablets, 
• 300,000 bicycles and 
• 1.9 million dolls. 

In addition, hand-held video games and SLR digital cameras were some of the most popular items on Walmart.com.

 

Ahead: A Weekend Full Of Savings In-Store and Online

 

The great deals aren’t over yet for Walmart customers. Starting at 8 a.m. Friday, Walmart customers can take advantage of deals across the store, including special pricing on the latest Apple iPhones, vehicle tires and the Keurig brewing system. Next up, customers can get “Manager’s Specials.” For the first time on Black Friday, Walmart store managers will drop prices on hot gifts in real-time from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.  

The holiday savings will continue online with Walmart’s Cyber Week beginning Saturday, Nov. 30. Walmart.com will release 200 new Cyber Week deals each day until Friday, Dec. 6. According to Walmart’s internal data, more than two-thirds of those who plan to shop on Black Friday this year also plan to shop online Cyber Monday. For more information on Walmart’s Cyber Week offerings, visit www.walmart.com/cybermonday.

 

 

 

 

[Brad]

They might have had more people last night compared to last year, but I wouldn't be surprised if they have less people today because of it, so it all evens out.

[rollingrock411]

Ugh... I don't know,as a long time black Friday shopper, last night was one of the worst I have seen at my Walmart. It was over packed, too many people, the lack of available parking was shocking. I guess I underestimated the time needed to be there. Walmart is single handedly re writing the rule book for black friday.

[speeddiva]

Went to WM last night and I thought it wasn't as full as in 2012. Stopped again today and it was just like an average day. I think that's just WMs PR machine doing its best to put positive spin out there.

[asenap01]

My Walmart last night was not as busy as last year. Even the associates were surprised. In face those sheet sets that I have only heard of but never seen because they are gone in 10 seconds, they still had them today.

[elena_398]

Oh great.... Probably 3 pm and 5 pm deals next year. LOL

[fabnsab]

They are trying to be sneaky, imo. I think a lot of those numbers are from online sales but they want to show they were right in opening early. There is NO way the in store sales were better!

 

Usually on BF at Walmart, 25 minutes into the sale you can't find a door buster anywhere- we went yesterday around 2pm and there were cheap pjs, socks, Rubbermaid, crockpots...there's no way their store numbers were better!

[Illinoismom]

The walmart that I went to was the most organized and busy I have ever seen it. You waited in line for the video games wrote down what you wanted and got one per customer no free for all, Movies were in Garden and they only let in between 50 and 100 people at a time and you could look at the movies and get what you wanted. Again no free for all. Wrist bands were the greatest thing. The only issue I saw was at the rachel Ray cooking set, were a guy pushed a cop into the pallet, and he was threatened to be arrested. more security and every register open, More people on the floor to help. 

[jade2002]

The walmart that I went to was the most organized and busy I have ever seen it. You waited in line for the video games wrote down what you wanted and got one per customer no free for all, Movies were in Garden and they only let in between 50 and 100 people at a time and you could look at the movies and get what you wanted. Again no free for all. Wrist bands were the greatest thing. The only issue I saw was at the rachel Ray cooking set, were a guy pushed a cop into the pallet, and he was threatened to be arrested. more security and every register open, More people on the floor to help. 

 This is how it should be everywhere, especially now that they open so early and all of the crazies come out.

[tinkrbel]

Our Walmart was better organized this year or maybe it seems that way because a) I wasn't alone and they didn't kick people out only to let them back in at sale time. I think we worked it out pretty well walking in w/o cart and going for the hottest item we wanted(sheet sets) and then hot footing it to the area with all the kids clothes and leaving blurays for last.

 

It was a bit of a mission to get to clothing from sheets since WM again insisted on putting items in main corridor leaving space for 1 shopping cart on either side so people coming from opposite sides would just stop cart to cart and look at each other blocking non cart traffic. It seems ridiculous they'd put the larger boxes in the smallest and main aisle of the store on BF but they did improve from last year so maybe I'll just kindly suggest that.

 

I was so lucky with WM I was able to walk in about 1pm today and pickup the wolverine bluray for 3.96 after stupidly leaving my copy Thursday thinking I already had it.

[berry1014]

We went to our local Walmart around 8:30 and I was shocked at the amount of parking spots left and once we got into the store I was stunned how empty it looked to compared to past BFs. Afterwards we went to Kmart and Toys r us. Again pretty empty as we got in, got most of what we were looking for and checked out with no wait.

[momlori]

Did not go to WM due to the overfilled parking lot.  Later heard that police had to be called.  Glad I skipped it

[Iliveforblckfri]

I wouldn't know how busy WalMart thinks they were.  I refused to shop there until later in the day on BF.  I wanted a set of sheets and I did get those.