Walmart will close stores on Thanksgiving.
Walmart
Walmart said Tuesday that it plans to close stores on Thanksgiving. The move ends the retailer’s tradition of starting its Black Friday sales in-store on Thanksgiving Day. The closure will also extend to Walmart-owned department store retailer Sam’s Club.
“We know this has been a difficult year, and our associates have taken a step forward,” John Furner, Walmart US president and CEO, said in a statement. “We hope you enjoy a special Thanksgiving Day at home with your loved ones.”
In addition to free time, the company said it will also give bonuses between $ 150 and $ 300 to employees in August. Walmart said this is the third round of bonuses for its employees since the start of the coronavirus pandemic totaling $ 1.1 billion.
The Walmart and Sam’s Club store will operate normal hours on Wednesday, November 25, the company said. More information on the store’s hours will be announced later Friday, Nov. 27, Walmart said.
While closing stores is a break from tradition, the company could still offer early Black Friday deals on its website. Online vacation sales continue to hit record levels as consumers shift their spending to phones and laptops and move away from physical stores. In 2019, Black Friday turned out to be the second-largest online sales day, hitting $ 7.4 billion. Cyber Monday hit $ 9.4 billion.
