With only two weeks until Black Friday, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE:WMT) released its specials on Thursday and really should call it “Black Thursday.” The retailer’s deals will begin at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, and shoppers will find specials on electronics, tablets, TVs, gaming consoles, home appliances, and toys, reported CNN.
This isn’t the first time Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE:WMT) got things rolling on Thanksgiving. Last year, it launched Black Friday deals on the holiday at 10 p.m.; this year will mark the earliest start ever for Wal-Mart and its holiday sales.
Why start so early? Customer feedback. According to Duncan MacNaughton, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE:WMT)’s chief merchandising officer said via CNN, “Our customers told us they wanted to shop earlier this year, and go to bed earlier.”
MacNaughton added that the deals from Wal-Mart’s Black Friday will be “some of the most aggressive” the company has ever had for this day. It include the following three-phase rollout via CNN.
Phase 1 (starts at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving)
At this first leg, shoppers need to think about kids, cooking, and electronic as the the best in-store deals will be toys, games, home goods, and clothing. This will include Xbox 360 4GB with SkyLanders bundle ($149); Nintendo’s Wii console ($89); at $9.44, a Crock Pot 6-quart slow cooker and Mr. Coffee programmable 12-cup coffee maker; DVD and Blu-ray movies from $1.96 to $9.96 each; video games from $10 to $25 each; Barbie, Bratz, and Disney Princess dolls for $5 each.
Phase 2 (starts at 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving)
In the second leg, deals will predominately be found on electronics. This will include a Samsung 43-inch, 720p plasma HDTV for $378; HP 15.6 -inch laptop with 4GB and 320GB hard drive for $279; Beats by Dr. Dre headphones for $179.95, and Samsung Smart ST195 digital camera for $99.
From 10 p.m. to 11 p.m., Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE:WMT) will guarantee customers who are either inside the store or waiting online, the opportunity to purchase three unique deals: Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPad2 16GB with Wi-Fi for $399 plus a $75 Wal-Mart gift card; Emerson®32″ 720p LCD TV for $148 and LG Blu-ray Player for $38.
According to CNN, MacNaughton said the the company will offer the guarantee thanks to a large inventory in these three products.
Phase 3 Black Friday
Set the alarm, deals will begin at 5 a.m. and will emphasize home goods, jewelry, tires, and furniture.
For online shopperss, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE:WMT) will also offer unique Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday specials on electronics, TVs, and toys.
Along with the early specials, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE:WMT) announced back in September its layaway plan for a second consecutive year. This began on September 14 and also came from feedback received by customers.
