Walmart announces its multi-part Black Friday plans

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Walmart is hosting a series of “Black Friday Deals” events in November, taking full advantage of the shopping holiday’s unusually late timing in 2024.

The company announced Monday the return of its staggered seasonal sales, which will involve extra early access for paid Walmart+ members, new surprise deal drops, and an expanded beta test of its new generative AI shopping assistant this year. Annual Walmart+ subscriptions are now just $49 (or 50% off) through Dec. 2 to entice shoppers who haven’t signed up yet.

The big-box store is the second major retailer to announce its 2024 Black Friday schedule, coming hot on Best Buy’s tail. (The electronics store will also offer Black Friday deals weeks in advance.)

When do Walmart’s Black Friday deals start?

Walmart’s first two Black Friday Deals events are scheduled for Monday, Nov. 11 and Monday, Nov. 25. They’ll both begin online at 12 p.m. ET for Walmart+ members before opening to the public at 5 p.m. ET. (Last holiday season, members only got a three-hour head start.) The events will make their way to stores four days later at 6 a.m. local time on Friday, Nov. 15 and Friday, Nov. 29, respectively; the latter is Black Friday proper.

The big-box store said it will drop deals online and on its app in the middle of these events — not just at the very start of them — which is a new twist to its programming.

Walmart will tie a bow on things with a Cyber Monday deals event that starts Sunday, Dec. 1 at 5 p.m. ET for Walmart+ members and at 8 p.m. ET for the laity. That sale will be held exclusively online and on the Walmart mobile app, and run through actual Cyber Monday on Dec. 2.

Wishlist looking sparse? Walmart is expanding the beta test of its new AI shopping assistant to more customers as part of its savings events. The company said its in-app tool will be able to answer questions “in natural, free-flowing conversations” to help shoppers find products and make purchasing decisions.

A Walmart rep told Mashable that the retailer won’t match pricing if an item purchased there during a Black Friday Deals event gets cheaper later on. (This is something Best Buy and Target both do during their holiday sales.) But if you wind up with buyer’s remorse, most items purchased at Walmart from now through Dec. 31 can be returned until Jan. 31, 2025 under its extended holiday return policy.

What are Walmart’s Black Friday hours?

For traditionalists, Walmart’s brick-and-mortar locations will be open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. local time on Black Friday. (As mentioned, that’s the day its second Black Friday Deals event makes its way to stores.)

All Walmart stores will be closed on Thanksgiving Day.