Can Walmart restore sanity to Black Friday?

Walmart’s Thanksgiving weekend promotional strategy is taking a more digital, less promotional turn that may hurt sales but should lessen the scenes of customer chaos and conflict that find their way onto YouTube.



Walmart announced Thursday that for the first time ever, it won't offer the frenzied hourly deals called "doorbusters." Instead, the majority of its Black Friday deals will be available on Walmart.com beginning at 12:01 a.m. PST on Thanksgiving morning. Its brick-and-mortar stores will open at 6 p.m. Thanksgiving Day. And new this year, Walmart's mobile users can get a first look at the retailer's Black Friday circular, available today through the Walmart app.



“Our customers can count on us to deliver three things on Black Friday – we’re offering amazing prices, we bought deeper on the gifts they want, and we simplified the shopping experience in stores and online,” said Steve Bratspies, chief merchandising officer, Walmart U.S. “To bring it all to life, we have great associates. Delivering for our customers isn’t possible without their hard work throughout the weekend and all year long.”



Walmart says it focused its offerings on the items it knows shoppers are looking for during its Black Friday events based on customer feedback and sales data. For example, Walmart will have more than one million televisions, more than 15 million movies and more than 10 million pajamas for its Black Friday event.



“Walmart will never be the retailer that broadcasts a great price on Black Friday and then ends up only having a few in stock,” added Bratspies. “We bought deep on televisions, toys and more to ensure hundreds of customers in a store – not tens of customers – get the gift they want.”



According to Reuters, Walmart has boosted its holiday inventory for electronics, toys and other potentially popular products, betting that the promise of being in-stock will attract customers during this crucial shopping season.



"It's our commitment that we are going to have product and that is one of our key advantages," Steve Bratspies, chief merchandising officer, told Reuters reporters at a store in Secaucus, New Jersey.



Walmart officially announced its Black Friday plans Thursday after many other retailers had revealed their sales and hours. Some are skipping Thanksgiving while others are keeping the same Thanksgiving hours as last year.