For many years, Black Friday in the United States has often been associated with long lines and stores opening as early as 3 A.M. However, because of the ensuing COVID-19 pandemic, things might be a little different this year-round.
In 2020, retailers have two challenges. First, they must make sure the zeal and funfair of Black Friday isn’t lost, and secondly, they must adhere to strict COVID-19 regulations.
It’s hard to see how both of these things can be achieved at the same time. After all, part of preventing the spread of COVID involves limiting the number of customers inside the store at any given time. And let’s not forget that a lot of Americans are still very wary of this virus.
Even though most of us are always looking forward to the prospect of a massive discount, the risk of coronavirus is just too big to ignore. For this reason, it won’t be a surprise if most people decide to stay home.
But this isn’t stopping retailers from getting ready for the discount frenzy. In fact, major US retailers including Walmart, Best Buy, and Target have released a series of plans for this shopping holiday. We will highlight some of these plans in this post to help you get better prepared in case you’re planning to take advantage of Black Friday this year.
Let’s start off with Walmart. The US retail giant is kicking off Black Friday sales online first at around 7 P.M. on November 4. In-store sales, on the other hand, are expected to start on November 7 at around 5 A.M.
However, Black Friday is expected to last a bit longer this year than previous years. Walmart says that in the first round of Black Friday, deals will be centered on select items in several product categories including toys, electronics, and home products.
The retailer notes that its annual tire deals event will also be up and running, allowing customers to get amazing discounts.
The second round of Black Friday will start on November 11 online. In-store sales will begin three days later on November 14 and would largely involve electronic deals. The third and final week of Black Friday will have deals on apparel, home decor, and more electronics.
As for Best Buy, Black Friday deals are expected to be available starting November 22. The store is also offering contactless curbside pickups for customers as well as in-store pickups. There will be same-day delivery as well in almost all its stores.
Target too, just like the rest of the big retailers, will be having a prolonged Black Friday sale. The retailer is also insisting on same-day shipping as well.
It’s estimated that holiday spending in the US will hit $1.013 trillion this year. Although this is a lot of spending, it still falls short of the figures recorded last year. In-store sales are also expected to drop 35% as a result of the pandemic.
