Walmart Details “Black Friday Deals for Days” Events

Joining the ranks of retailers inviting customers to do their holiday shopping early, Walmart announced its 2021 “Black Friday Deals for Days” promotions, including special deals available starting Oct. 18.

Black Friday savings will be available on select items, including a 4-quart Ninja air fryer for $69 and a 55-inch TCL smart TV for $298, beginning at 8:15 p.m. ET on Monday. The Bentonville, Ark.-based retailer also will host two online and in-store promotional events in early November, weeks before actual Black Friday. The first will begin the evening of Wednesday, Nov. 3, exclusively at Walmart.com. It will continue in stores beginning Nov. 5. The second event will start online on Nov. 10, with deals continuing in stores on Nov. 12. 

For both events, paying Walmart members—not those participating in a free trial of the $98/year membership service that launched in September 2020—will get early access to online deals starting four hours before they're available to the general public. 

This year's Black Friday events are "even bigger and better with more ways to shop and more of every item," Walmart U.S. EVP and Chief Merchandising Officer Scott McCall said in a news release. "The team has worked hard to prepare for another outstanding holiday season, and no matter how or where our customers choose to shop ... they can depend on us for a safe and convenient shopping experience." Online Black Friday-event orders are available for contactless curbside pickup, and the retailer noted that all store associates are required to wear masks and that "associates are working hard to keep stores stocked and sanitized, every day." 

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Seeking to head off potential customer concern about product inventories as consumers find a steady stream of media stories about retailers' supply-chain woes heading into the holidays, Walmart said it will have "more of every event product available so as many customers as possible can take advantage of the season's best deals."

The retailer touted year-round perks available to Walmart members, including the Rx for Less prescription savings program and mobile Scan and Go shopping. Increased store traffic through the spring and summer as well as share gains in grocery boosted Walmart to comp sales gains of 5.2% in its second fiscal quarter, and the company raised Walmart stores' full-year comp guidance in August. Walmart is scheduled to announce its third-quarter earnings results on Nov. 16.