Walmart is starting its holiday shopping season early, citing less shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The retailer is advertising deals for the season “earlier than ever,” and will begin on Friday (Oct. 25), CNBC reported. The company said shoppers will be able to find deals on its website, like $25 off a BouncePro 7-Foot My First Trampoline and $100 off a VIZIO 55-inch Class M-Series Quantum 4K Ultra HDR Smart TV.
Walmart said it would debut new deals regularly as the season progresses. Walmart is also offering free next-day delivery for the first time.
Best Buy also announced that it will be offering a similar shipping option for thousands of its items, and Target shoppers can get items shipped the same day by paying a flat fee of $9.99 an order.
In order to make things easier for shoppers, Walmart is also introducing a gift finder on its website, and it’s going to introduce a digital toy catalog on Nov. 1.
Walmart will have events based on popular culture as well, with Pokemon, Frozen and Star Wars on the roster.
The retailer said express checkout will be available for shoppers to help with lines, by an employee with a tablet. The company wants to attract more kids and parents to the store, so it’s trying to make the experience as enjoyable as possible.
People are most concerned with getting good deals around the holiday season, according to a recent study by Deloitte. Purchasing decisions are mostly driven by promotions, according to 81 percent of people surveyed. The study also showed that free shipping is more important than the speed at which an order arrives, with 85 percent of people saying they prefer it.
The National Retail Federation said it expects a bump in sales for November and December, from somewhere between 3.8 and 4.2 percent. It also said “uncertainty over trade” could potentially harm sales.
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