Wal-Mart's strategy for Black Friday will include fewer events and additional features on its mobile app.
Rather than spreading its shopping deals over multiple times as it has done in recent years, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is opening up shopping online at 12:01 a.m. PST on Thanksgiving and in-stores that day at 6 p.m. Wal-Mart is offering shoppers the capability to build a wish list through the mobile app and will again make store-specific maps available.
"We know our customers are looking for a simplified shopping experience," chief merchandising officer for Wal-Mart U.S. Steve Bratspies said during a media teleconference.
Bratspies said that 96 percent of the inventory in stores can also be found online.
Consumers will spend about $630.5 billion this year and conduct 46 percent of their Christmas shopping online, according to research from the National Retail Federation.