Walmart Vies for Holiday Retail Dollars with Black Friday Guarantees

With fewer shoppers expected to hit Black Friday sales and less time to vie for holiday dollars before Christmas, retailers are keen to get the attention of consumers.

According to the National Retail Federation, retailers are prepared to pull out all the stops for shoppers both in stores and online. Consumers can expect to be wooed with sweepstakes offering cash prizes, gifts with purchases, and exclusive access to the most-wanted gifts of the season.

The trade group estimates 140 million people plan to or will shop over the four-day weekend. But that’s about 7 million fewer than the 2012 estimate in a year with a holiday shopping season that falls as late on the calendar as it possibly can.

Despite that, Americans seem to be in a festive frame of mind. The annual rebroadcast of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” won the coveted top ratings spot Tuesday night with 11.8 million viewers, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Retailers hope that means we’re in the mood to buy.

“Though many people have already started to check off items from their holiday shopping lists, we fully expect to see many more come out on Thanksgiving Day and throughout the weekend to take in the festive sights and sounds—and to take advantage of unbeatable deals,” Matthew Shay, NRF president and CEO, said.

Last year, consumers spent an average of $423 over the Thanksgiving weekend. The NRF is predicting a 3.9 percent increase in holiday retail sales, and says the weekend’s biggest revenues will be seen on Black Friday.

So what do Black Friday shoppers want?

According to Walmart spokeswoman Rachel Wall, senior manager of community affairs, the company’s customers want to avoid queuing up for hours on end only to be disappointed to find the item they want has sold out.

“Black Friday shoppers are planners,” Wall said. “Most customers know exactly what they’re here for.”

One of Walmart’s holiday hooks is its 1-Hour In Stock Guarantee, which features 21 top-selling items they promise will be available during a one-hour period. Items range from 60-inch HDTVs and iPad minis to popular video games and a stroller/car seat combo. Select items are either deeply discounted or on special buy savings.

Wall says the Black Friday inventory is Walmart’s largest ever, and a wristband system will allow customers to shop the store instead of waiting in long lines for hot items, such as the new Sony PS4 and Xbox One.

There is also a store map and mobile app available for Apple and Android devices so shoppers can plan ahead and know exactly where the items they want are located.

“It cuts the frenzy out of the shopping experience,” Wall said.

To secure a wristband, which will guarantee the customer either gets the wanted item before leaving the store or gets a guarantee that it will arrive by delivery to their home before Christmas, shoppers need to go to the designated line within the store prior to the 6 and 8 p.m. Thanksgiving Day sale events. 

Wristbands will be distributed while supplies last. Customers can then shop throughout the store as they wait for the sales events to start. Customers with wristbands then return to their designated lines to pick up their product or get shipping information.

“Customers are free to walk around, and there’s no anxiety of being in a line,” Wall said.

Many Walmart stores will be open around the clock beginning Thanksgiving through Dec. 23, with extra sales staff on hand.

Andrea Barzen, who manages a San Diego store, says her people are ready and eager to help.

“My associates are amazing—and geared up!” Barzen said. “We’re looking forward to providing great, speedy service to customers.”