Walmart adapts big holiday sales to current realities

Walmart is still planning on offering plenty of big in-store deals leading up to Christmas, but its execution will be different than in previous years when large crowds jammed its stores. This year, Walmart is opening stores at 5:00 a.m., requiring mask-wearing customers to line up in a single file and keeping shopper counts within social-distancing guidelines. The retailer is also emphasizing curbside pickup as a means for customers to shop safely from local stores. “By spreading deals out across multiple days and making our hottest deals available online, we expect the Black Friday experience in our stores will be safer and more manageable for both our customers and our associates,” said Scott McCall, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer for Walmart U.S.