With food costs continuing to skyrocket and the holidays at our heels, celebrating with friends and family over lavish dinners and gifts can become overwhelming when you're racking up all those receipts. Fortunately, shoppers everywhere can count on Walmart to help them find quality goods and groceries at affordable prices.
But this year, the superstore retailer is shaking up the way customers shop for the holidays. From offering more discounts to improving the online experience, here are six changes Walmart is making to bring you everything you need this season.
Related: This Local Fast-Food Chain Is Opening Up Inside Walmart
Walmart is starting holiday sales early.
This time last year Walmart kept the crowds to a minimum by putting a twist on the usual post-Thanksgiving mad dash. Instead of offering deep discounts on Black Friday alone, the superstore opted for a multi-day celebration of deals. It worked so well that they're bringing back early Black Friday sales this holiday season to let you enjoy more savings and fewer lines.
The price-drop event started in early November and takes place over three days, each with different featured categories. The rollout for each day will start online 4 hours early for Walmart+ subscription members then open to the public, both online and in stores.
Nov. 3 was the first chance to snag toys and electronics, while Nov. 10 bought markdowns to apparel, appliances, and home goods. The final day's details are still under wraps, but if past years are any indication, you should keep your eyes peeled—you might find that perfect gift with some room to spare.
Walmart is upgrading its holiday delivery services.
You can cross going to the store off your to-do list because you'll be covered by Walmart's new delivery service changes for all of your gift-giving needs. The expansion of their ship-to-home program includes extending store delivery hours to 10 p.m., as well as adding delivery windows and more eligible delivery items including oversized products (think a whole Christmas tree shipped straight to your door) and alcohol. Now you can spend more time designing your ideal holiday decor and less time figuring out how to get it into your home.
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The layaway options are being replaced.
Those who have a hard time staying within their budget will either love or hate this updated Walmart policy. Customers will no longer be able to partake in a usual holiday payment option, which previously allowed shoppers to put their purchase on hold for a small deposit at the register and pay the total down in increments.
The layaway program was discontinued this year, as the store opted for payment alternative Affirm in September 2021. The way it works: apply online to buy with Affirm, confirm the purchase by scanning a barcode at the cashier and pay monthly installments with a 10 – 30% APR (based on your credit history). That means it'll cost you a bit more if you can't pay in full upfront.
Need a way to save up for the holiday spree? You can try some of these tips at Walmart to make your dollar stretch.
Walmart is providing healthier groceries.
It's not out of the ordinary to indulge in all the festive eating that takes place over the cold winter months, but you can try to avoid the New Year's regrets altogether by putting the big-box retailer's latest initiative to use.
Last month Walmart launched the "Built for Better" program, a way of verifying foods and household products for health and sustainability. By adding "For You" and "For the Planet" labeled items to your cart, you can make more nutritious and eco-friendly choices without ever reading a long list of ingredients.
According to a statement by Senior Vice President of Sustainability, Jane Ewing, this is just one step in the high-impact chain's commitment to "source responsibly, eliminate waste and emissions, sell sustainable products and protect and restore nature" across their 10,000-plus stores worldwide. If you needed something to be grateful for on turkey day, this is it.
Related: 7 Healthy Eating Habits for the Holidays, Say Dietitians
It is curating holiday recipes.
Another way Walmart is making the holidays a little simpler is by taking the guesswork out of cooking up a festive feast. With the "Taste. Fully" marketing campaign the company launched to help consumers connect with suppliers, you can find "shoppable recipes": a Pinterest board of meal ideas designed to make impressive dinners a cinch.
When you find the one that whets your appetite, you can drop all the necessary ingredients into your virtual cart with the press of a button. No more lengthy grocery lists to track—so you can just keep an eye on the oven.
Walmart is introducing virtual holiday gift shopping.
Walmart is extending partnerships to social media platforms to drum up excitement and brand awareness for holiday shoppers, according to a newsroom statement on their website.
The "Holiday Shoppable Livestreams" are a way to engage consumers by enabling them to interact with their favorite influencers on TikTok. This marketing model was launched successfully back in March 2021 and has been an effective tool for increasing sales.
A brand-new holiday initiative is the "first-to-market AR lens retail experience." In the statement, Marketing Vice President Kara Rosseau wrote that this innovation will use Facebook technology to help shoppers find the products they love. The augmented reality lens can watch consumers' facial expressions as they browse for that perfect present to "identify which items spark joy for them."
For more info about what's happening at the Walmart in your area, check out:
- Walmart Just Announced Details About This Huge Sale
- Walmart Is Recalling This Item After Two Deaths Were Reported
- 9 Best Walmart Snacks Employees Say They Love the Most
- Walmart Is Facing These 5 Shortages Right Now
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