Walmart Turns Up Holiday Heat, Matches Competitors' Best Black Friday Deals One Week Early

BENTONVILLE, Ark., Nov. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Holiday shoppers don't have to wait until Black Friday to start shopping for deals at Walmart. At 8 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 22, Walmart will kick off a pre-Black Friday savings event in stores and online, lowering the prices on popular toys and electronics, to match select Black Friday offers from Target, Toys R' Us and Best Buy one week early.

Beginning today, the retailer also extends its Christmas Ad Match* to Walmart.com customers. Customers who purchase an item on Walmart.com, and find a lower price in a local brick and mortar competitor, can email christmasadmatch@walmart.com and receive the difference on a gift card. The same policy is in place for customers at Walmart stores for items purchased Nov. 1 through Dec. 24, excluding Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday.

"Black Friday is our Super Bowl and we plan to win," said Duncan Mac Naughton, chief merchandising and marketing officer, Walmart U.S. "With six fewer days from Thanksgiving to Christmas, the retail environment is more competitive than ever. Every opportunity to get a great deal – whether this weekend, on Thanksgiving Day or Black Friday weekend – matters for our customers. When it comes to price, we're going to deliver for them."

Examples of toys and electronics that are part of Walmart's pre-Black Friday saving event, while supplies last, include:  

• Toys:
  • LeapPad 2 – WAS: $79, NEW PRICE: $39.99
  • Little Tikes Cozy Coupe – WAS: $49.87, NEW PRICE: $34.99
  • Nerf Rebelle Crossbow – WAS: $19.88, NEW PRICE: $11.99
  • Monopoly Board Game – WAS: $7.77, NEW PRICE: $5
  • Hot Wheels Single Car – WAS: .97 cents, NEW PRICE: .60 cents
• Electronics:
  • LG 50-inch HDTV – WAS: $598, NEW PRICE: $448
  • Skylanders and Infinity Starter Packs – WAS: $74.96, NEW PRICE: $37
  • Select PS4 and Xbox One Video Games such as Call of Duty: Ghosts, NBA 2K14 and Battlefield 4 – WAS: $59.96, NEW PRICE: $49

On Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday and any of their shopping trips, customers can take advantage of the everyday ad match policy* available at Walmart stores. If a customer spots a lower price on an advertised item, and comes into a Walmart store during the same day and time that the competitor's ad is valid, Walmart will match the price at the register.

Walmart's official Black Friday events will take place at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day and 8 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 29. The retailer will offer 21 one-hour guarantee items, "Manager Specials" and more hot deals than ever on the season's top gifts. Starting early on Thanksgiving morning, customers can shop on Walmart.com for some of the Black Friday deals that will also be available in stores. Customers can also take advantage of hundreds of online specials on Thanksgiving and Black Friday while supplies last.  

Mac Naughton added, "Customers will ultimately decide when they want to shop. We have great options and great deals for them whenever, or however, they choose to shop Walmart."

*Editor's Note:

Christmas Ad Match applies to in-store prices only and excludes Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday ads.

Walmart stores will match the price of any local competitor's printed ad for an identical product.  Restrictions apply. 1 Hour Guarantee items not available for ad match.

About Walmart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, more than 245 million customers and members visit our more than 11,000 stores under 69 banners in 27 countries and e-commerce websites in 10 countries. With fiscal year 2013 sales of approximately $466 billion, Walmart employs more than 2.2 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at twitter.com/walmartnewsroom. Online merchandise sales are available at www.walmart.com and www.samsclub.com.

SOURCE Walmart