Updated on Monday April 22, 2024: Out of the hundreds of stores we track every year for Black Friday, Walmart is the #1 most popular of them all. It’s not hard to see why as each year they bring some of the best offers of the holiday season. And while we still have plenty of time left to go until the official details are announced, we’ve put together an overview of what you can expect to see this year, all of which are based on what they’ve done in the past.
Our Black Friday 2024 Predictions
-
- For the last few years, Walmart has been running multiple Black Friday events. Last year they had two separate events followed by a Cyber Monday sale. From 2020 to 2023 they ran three separate events each year and prior to that they ran just a single Black Friday sale each year. Within each event there are also different start and end dates depending on if your Walmart+ member shopping walmart.com, if you’re not a Walmart+ member but shopping online, and if you’re shopping in-stores.
- If Walmart runs two separate events here in 2024 then these are the start and end dates that you can expect to see:
- However, if Walmart decides to bring back three separate Black Friday events this year then you can expect to see event #1 begin about week earlier, likely on or around Wednesday November 6th.
- For each Black Friday event, Walmart typically grants their Walmart+ members 3-hour early online access. However, it’s only for paying members and not for those of you on the 30-day free trial period. If you’re considering signing up so you don’t miss out on any of their popular items then be on the lookout for 50% off new memberships which is usually offered in early November right before the first Black Friday event (often on sale for $49 vs. the regular price of $98 for 12 months of membership). Keep in mind that, in some cases, membership is your only shot in securing a deal on their popular items which tend to sell out extremely fast (folks have complained on Reddit in the past that hot items literally went “Out if Stock” seconds after the “Add to Cart” came up).
- If shopping in-stores, all locations nationwide are expected to once again be closed all day on Thanksgiving day itself. Stores usually open the next day, on Friday morning, at 6:00AM. According to a number of Walmart workers posting on Reddit, don’t expect it to be terribly busy in-stores of Friday itself. That’s because ever since the pandemic, they has been focusing on offering all of the same items online days and even weeks before you can pick up the same items in-stores. Large crowds now tend to show up over the weekend right before Christmas.
- In terms of the featured deals, TV’s, toys (including Legos), small kitchen appliances (such as KitchenAid mixers, Keurig coffee machines and Ninja blenders) personal electronics (like Apple Watches and Beats Headphones), clothing (from brands such as Crocs and Wrangler) and video games (including for PS5, Xbox Series X and Nintendo Switch) are the main product categories that we usually see. You can scroll down the page to see last year’s ad to get a general idea of the type of price points that we see.
- If you’re unsure about buying something or if you happen to find a better price elsewhere, keep in mind that Walmart usually offers an extended return period during the Christmas holiday season. You can can expect all qualifying purchases made in-stores and on their website during the months of November and December to be eligible for a no-questions-asked return through January 31, 2025. Although some exclusions may apply so you’ll need to check the official terms once they become available.
- We are expecting an official press release from Walmart on or around November 1, 2024 announcing all of this year’s sale details. Of course we’ll post an update here with everything you’ll need to know the moment the news becomes available as well as send out an email to all of you joined to our newsletter.
Last Year’s Black Friday Ad
See below for a copy of last year’s Black Friday ad for event #2 (the main event) which went live on Wednesday November 22, 2023. Some of the featured items included:
- The onn. 43” Class FHD (1080P) LED Roku Smart TV (item #100133209) available for $98.00.
- TCL 55″ Class 4-Series 4K UHD HDR Smart Roku TV (model #55S41R) available for $188.00.
- Beats Studio3 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones with Apple W1 chip, finished in matte black, available for $99.00 (normally priced at $349.95).
- Nintendo Switch™ Lite (Timmy & Tommy’s Aloha Edition) Animal Crossing: New Horizons Bundle (Full Game Download Included) available for $199.00.
- Wrangler Men’s and Big Men’s Regular Fit Jeans with Flex available for $13.00/pair.
- Gourmia All-in-One 14 QT Air Fryer, Oven, Rotisserie, Dehydrator with 12 Cooking Functions available for $50.00.
- Thyme & Table 32-Piece Cookware & Bakeware Non-Stick Set in Black available for $89.00.
- YORIN 8-Foot Trampoline with Enclosure Net, Ladder, 800LBS Weight Capacity, available for $149.00 (normally priced at $299.99).
- Lamborghini 12-Volt Powered Ride on Car in Pink available for $165.99 (normally priced at $369.99). The other colors will cost a little bit more.
- XR-350 ATV 12-Volt Powered Ride-on by Action Wheels in Red available for $98.00.
- Huffy 16 in. Rock It Kids Bike for Boys Aged 4 and up, in Red available for $38.00.
- Evergreen Classics Pre-Lit 7.5′ Benton Pine Artificial Christmas Tree with Color-Changing LED Lights available for $78.00.
- 24 inch LED Lighted Gingerbread Mickey Mouse Blow Mold Outdoor Christmas Décor by Disney available for 25.00.
- Blue Spruce 24″ Wreath Pre-Lit with 50 Warm White LED Lights and Battery-Operated – by Seasonal LLC, available for $34.99.
What To Watch Out For
You might notice that some of the prices that you’ll see on Black Friday at Walmart may seem too good to be true. How can they offer a big screen HDTV for under $200 and still make money on it? Well, it’s been reported that some of the doorbuster items are specifically manufactured as a “Black Friday Only” special purchases which often have inferior internal specs. So even though it may look the same on the outside as a similar, higher priced model sold at another store, it may be missing some features important to you on the inside. Here’s a few points to keep in mind:
- Check the listed specs. If it’s electronics you’re buying, compare the features listed on Walmart to those listed for the same item directly on the manufacturer’s website to see if there are differences. Specifically, like in the example of TVs, look for differences in resolution, display type, refresh rate, motion rate, brightness, number of outputs, and built-in features (i.e. speakers, bluetooth capabilities, operating system, etc.).
- Check the price history. Just because an item is on sale over Thanksgiving weekend that doesn’t mean it’s a good deal. A site like camelcamelcamel can help you find the price history of millions of products to see if you are in fact getting the best price possible. They also let you signup for free price drop alerts so you can stay informed on anything on your holiday shopping list that you are not in a rush to buy.
- Check the manufacturer’s website. While Walmart comes to mind as having the lowest prices year-round, that’s not always the case. Sometimes you’ll find a better price for the same item directly at the manufacturer itself (or be able to pick up a certified refurbished item for even less). If you find that the price is the same, extra perks like an extended warranty, an easier or longer return policy, and/or free shipping may be be offered at the manufacturer’s direct online store.
It’s also worth mentioning that making a shopping list is always a good idea. It’ll help you stay on track, within budget and avoid those random purchases that you may quickly regret.
Ad History
Are you interested in seeing some of Walmart’s older Black Friday ads? Then follow the links below to view the last few years of ad scan/flyer history.
- 2023: Event #1: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 and 34. Event #2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62 and 63.
- 2022: Event #1: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14. Event #2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. Event #3: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
- 2021: Event #1: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. Event #2: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. Event #3: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20.
- 2020: Event #1: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. Event #2: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17. Event #3 (main event!): page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12.
- 2019: Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 and 38.
- 2018: Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 and 37.
- 2017: Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15.
- 2016: Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, and 34.
Questions & Comments
What do you plan on getting at Walmart over Thanksgiving weekend? A new TV for yourself? Some toys for your kids? A gift for someone special under the Christmas tree? Let us know in the comments section below.
