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Black Friday is the most competitive shopping holiday of the year and Walmart is one of its biggest battlegrounds. This year, the retail giant is hosting four savings events: three weekly sales and Cyber Monday. Reprising the Black Friday “Deals for Days” moniker, the first set of online deals drop on 11/7 at 7 p.m. and in-store discounts begin at 6 a.m. locally on 11/9. This sale will last until the end of the week and then cycle two more times before Cyber Monday.
Having these separate sales events may thin the crowds, but the demand for this holiday’s hottest products is unlikely to wane. There is, however, an easy way to up your chances and secure shopping success: Walmart Plus. In a recent blog post, Walmart announced the return of early access to Black Friday deals for its members. Those with a paid Walmart+ subscription will get to jump on the online deals 7 hours before their release!
Sign Up for Walmart+ Ahead of the Black Friday Event
At $12.95 a month or $98 for the year, the cost of the subscription might be worth it just to ensure your holiday wishlists are fulfilled. Besides the early access, your membership also includes free shipping or delivery and a bunch of other benefits. To view all the perks of Walmart Plus, you can scroll to the bottom of this post.
Walmart Plus Membership Deal:
How to Score the Best Deals During Walmart’s Black Friday Event
Getting deals during Black Friday is a bit different from other times of the year. Under normal circumstances, jumping on discounts is more impulsive. To succeed at Black Friday shopping during Walmart’s Deals for Days, you will need to be more premeditated with your approach.
How to Plan for Walmart Black Friday 2022:
- Sign-up for Walmart+ (highly recommended)
Walmart+ members will get to jump on the online deals 7 hours before their release! The Black Friday savings can easily cancel out the $98 annual cost ($49 new-member promotion is available, too!). If popular items like the newest iPhone or PS5 game consoles & accessories are on your wishlist, you will have extra time to beat the crowds.
- Review the Walmart Deals for Days Schedule
Schedule your online shopping around deal releases, which happen at 12pm for Walmart+ members on Mondays and at 7pm for non-members. Here are key deal release dates:
November 7th: Deals begin online 11/7 at 7 p.m. ET and continue in stores 11/9
(Walmart+ Early Access runs 12 p.m. – 7 p.m. ET on 11/7)
November 14th: Deals begin online 11/14 at 7 p.m. ET and continue in stores 11/16
(Walmart+ Early Access runs 12 p.m. – 7 p.m. ET on 11/14)
November 21st: Doorbusting deals start at 7 p.m. ET and continue in stores 11/25
(Walmart+ Early Access runs 12 p.m. – 7 p.m. ET on 11/21) - Create a Wishlist and Get an Idea of Prices & Discounts
Create an initial list wish and check for any past current or upcoming deals. You can use this Walmart Best Deals Round up or check for deals online ahead of time. Here are the most popular wishlist items from past Black Fridays:
Instant Pots
Ninja Air Fryers
Keurig K-Cup Coffee Makers
Apple AirPods Pro
Apple Watches
iRobot Roombas
TCL 4K Smart TVs
Nintendo Switch Bundles
Fitbit Wearables
Zinus Memory Foam Mattresses - Expect Traffic Online and In-Store
Crowds are big at Walmart on Black Friday, so try to stay calm and patient. We advise against pushing or cutting lines. If you miss on a coveted Black Friday deal, create a deal alert on Slickdeals.net for the product, and we’ll let you know when another great deal comes around. Traffic can also be an issue online. Inventory can sometimes appear to sell out, but might get replenished in 15 minute intervals to keep supply and orders in sync. We advise you to create a Walmart account with billing and shipping data pre-filled in, so you can race to win at checkout for coveted deals items like iPhones.
Walmart Plus Membership Perks
Launching in 2019, Walmart+ has grown far beyond just free grocery delivery for its members. Like Amazon Prime, it features a slew of benefits like free streaming, rewards, and more. Here is everything that comes with a Walmart+ membership:
- Exclusive early access to all online Black Friday deals and a 7-hour headstart on the hottest drops
- Free Paramount+ Essential subscription
- Free delivery from your local Walmart on groceries and more with a minimum purchase of $35
- Free shipping on eligible items at Walmart.com with no order minimum
- Get up to $0.10 in fuel savings at over 14,000 locations across the nation
- Earn rewards on eligible items in-store and online to use towards future Walmart purchases
- Use your phone to scan items as you shop in-store and check out contact-free
Walmart+ vs. Amazon Prime
When it comes to online retailer subscriptions, Walmart+ and Amazon Prime pretty much dominate the space. Though Walmart’s membership is a bit younger than its rival, it has done a fantastic job of bringing exceptional value to its members. The price of Walmart Plus is also about 30% cheaper at $98 versus $140 for Amazon Prime. But this isn’t to say you have to choose one over the other. Some households have them both to maximize savings across the board.
