The holiday sales season kicks off this weekend, and Walmart will be among the first out of the gate.
On Sunday, Walmart will offer discounts on thousands of items, including toys and electronics, offering the iPad Mini 2 for $199 (down from $268) and a 48-inch RCA smart TV for $299.99 (down from $319.99).
While the number of rollbacks in stores this holiday season will be about the same as last year, there will be a larger selection of deals on Walmart's website, the company said Thursday. Walmart.com will have about 15% more rollbacks this season compared with last year.
Walmart has not announced Black Friday or Cyber Monday plans yet, two of the busiest shopping days of the holiday season. But the retailer is hoping to roll out holiday deals more gradually this season, as opposed to featuring a series of flash sales as in years past. It will emphasize everyday low prices and its price-match policy to get ahead of competition.
"We will not be beat on pricing this holiday season," said Steve Bratspies, chief merchandise officer for Walmart U.S. on a call with reporters. "That is our commitment to our customers. That's the promise of our brand."
To better support mobile shoppers and in-store pickup for items ordered online, the retail giant is revamping its mobile app. Customers will be able to check in from the app when they enter their local store so the pickup counter knows they have arrived. The company is hoping this, combined with new orange pickup signs in stores, will streamline in-store pickups of online orders. Walmart expects three-quarters of its online traffic to come from mobile.
Walmart has also added fulfillment centers in Georgia, Indiana and Pennsylvania to better handle supply and speed up ship times.
