Black Friday sales items on display at the Walmart in Port Covington.
With Christmas around the corner, shoppers are looking to find ways to stretch their holiday budgets as far as they can go. In an attempt to better serve customers this holiday season, Walmart has extended their Black Friday sales period from Thursday through Monday, with various sales on different days to help those holiday dollars go further.
The U.S. Dept. of Commerce recently revised it’s economic growth figures for the third quarter, announcing a 3.9 percent increase in gross domestic product, up four points from its advance estimate of 3.5. Gallup reports that U.S. adults are planning on spending an average of $720 on holiday gifts this year, up slightly from the $704 average from last year’s survey.
Shoppers at the Port Covington Walmart, however, were in search of savings. With many telling the AFRO that they were looking to spend less this year, not more.
“I’m hoping to spend less. Way much less,” said Monique Gilliam, who stopped to share her holiday spending plans with the AFRO. “That’s why I’m doing Black Friday, so I don’t have to do it after the holidays or before the holidays, because (prices) tend to go up.”
“I think this year I’m going to spend a little less,” said Lisa Alves at she stopped to speak with us at Walmart’s Port Covington location. “I spent a lot last year so I’m spending a lot less this year.”
Alves says that she comes out for Black Friday sales every year, despite the infamous frenzy that generally accompanies the event.
“I”m going to come out at 6 (p.m.) but if I don’t get what I need I’m going to get the ticket—you know they give you the voucher, the guarantee—and I will get the guarantee.”
Walmart is looking to extend Black Friday deals to those shoppers who are less committed to getting to the store on one of the busiest shopping days of the year. Not only will ‘Black Friday’ extend from Thanksgiving Thursday through Monday, Dec. 1, Walmart has increased its inventory of Black Friday sales items as well using their logistical advantage to guarantee stock, including a one-hour guarantee for any customer in the store between 6 p.m and 7 p.m. on Thanksgiving day who is looking to purchase Black Friday sales items.
“Black Friday is no longer about waking up at the crack of dawn to stand in long lins and hope for the best,” said Duncan Mac Naughton, chief merchandising officer of Walmart U.S., adding later, “We’re using our entire supply chain to deliver for our customers in a way no other retailer can.”
That will be a relief for Carlene Lewis, who says she has avoided Black Fridays in the past because of a distaste for being trampled.
“I don’t like the chaos, the controversy of getting knocked over for something that’s still going to be on sale,” said Lewis.