7 Shocking Black Friday 2024 Strategies Walmart Used To Dominate The Holiday Season

The Walmart Black Friday 2024 event has officially wrapped up, but the retail giant’s aggressive and multi-phased strategy has fundamentally changed the landscape of holiday shopping. The entire event, which ran from early November through December 2, 2024, was a masterclass in leveraging the company's "dual channel strategy," prioritizing its Walmart+ membership program, and delivering massive discounts across almost every major category, from cutting-edge electronics to essential home appliances. This deep dive, based on the most current data and ad scans from the 2024 season, reveals the seven key takeaways and specific deals that made this year’s sale an unprecedented success.

The 2024 holiday shopping season was defined by a shift toward longer, staggered sales events, a trend Walmart fully embraced to maximize consumer engagement and manage inventory. By segmenting the sale into distinct "Events," the retailer effectively created multiple high-stakes shopping windows, ensuring deal-seekers were constantly checking the online storefront and planning their in-store visits.

The Definitive Walmart Black Friday 2024 Timeline and Structure

Walmart's approach to Black Friday in 2024 was not a single-day rush but a strategic, month-long campaign. This multi-event structure was designed to reward early shoppers and especially its premium membership base, the Walmart+ members.

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The official sale was split into two major events, culminating in the traditional Cyber Monday push:

• Black Friday Event 1 (The Early Bird Deals): This initial wave of discounts was designed to kick off the shopping season early. It began online on Monday, November 11, 2024, at 12 pm ET, with a crucial early access window for Walmart+ members. The deals opened to the general public later that day at 5 pm ET and ran through November 17, 2024.
• Black Friday Event 2 (The Main Event): The core of the Black Friday sale, featuring the most aggressive "doorbuster" style deals, launched online on Monday, November 25, 2024. The in-store discounts, for those who prefer the traditional experience, dropped on the actual Black Friday, November 29, 2024.
• Cyber Monday 2024: The final push, focused entirely on online-exclusive deals, was set to begin on Monday, December 2, 2024, effectively concluding the extended holiday shopping event.

This staggered schedule was a clear strategy to manage the massive digital traffic and provide a smoother shopping experience, while simultaneously pushing subscriptions to the Walmart+ program by giving members a five-hour head start on the hottest deals.

7 Major Takeaways and Top-Tier Deals from the 2024 Ad Scan

The 2024 ad scan was packed with competitive pricing that directly challenged rivals like Amazon and Target. The focus was heavily on big-ticket electronics, gaming consoles, and kitchen counter appliances. Here are the seven most significant points and the specific entities that dominated the sale:

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1. The Unbeatable $398 4K TV Deal

Televisions remain the undisputed king of Black Friday, and Walmart delivered a headline-grabbing offer. The 65-inch Samsung DU69 4K Smart TV was a featured doorbuster, priced at an astonishing $398. For those seeking an even larger screen, the 75-inch TCL 4K Roku TV was available as a "Special Buy" for $378, making high-end home theater accessible to the masses.

2. Aggressive Pricing on Apple and Premium Tech

Walmart’s tech deals went beyond budget brands, offering steep discounts on premium Apple devices, a major draw for shoppers. The Apple iPhone 13 was available for a stunning $199, a price point that drove significant traffic to the online storefront. Additionally, the Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) was marked down to just $149, making it one of the most sought-after wearable tech deals of the season.

3. The Strategic Use of Walmart+ Early Access

The key to securing the best deals, especially on limited-stock items, was the Walmart+ membership. The five-hour early access window for both Event 1 and Event 2 proved invaluable for securing items like the Sony PlayStation 5 Slim Console, which was discounted to $374 (a $75 saving), and high-demand gaming accessories.

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4. Deep Discounts on Laptops and Computing

Laptops were a major focus for the 2024 Black Friday event, catering to students and remote workers. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15.6 inch FHD Touch Laptop was a highlight, priced at $429, representing a significant saving of $170. Other powerful options included the HP Laptop 15 (Intel i5) for $299 and the higher-end HP Laptop 15 (Intel i7) for $499, showcasing a broad range of computing deals.

5. Popular Audio and Personal Electronics

Personal audio was another strong category, with the Beats Solo 3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones available for only $69. For budget-conscious shoppers, various JLab headphones were available for just $29. These deals catered to the need for holiday gifts and stocking stuffers, ensuring the 'holiday gifts' category was well-covered.

6. Home Goods and Smart Home Entities

Beyond the tech aisle, Walmart offered substantial savings on home goods and small appliances, which are crucial LSI keywords for holiday shopping. Deals were seen across top-brand counter appliances, vacuums, and smart home devices. Specific entities included the Dreo HEPA Air Purifier for large rooms and significant discounts on popular kitchen brands like Ninja, addressing practical needs for home improvement and seasonal cleaning.

7. The Kids' Toys and Gaming Console Frenzy

The toys and gaming category saw a massive push, aligning with the 'kids toys sale' and 'toy deals online' LSI keywords. In addition to the PS5 deal, the ad featured numerous savings on LEGOs, popular action figures, and ride-on toys like the 12V Porsche 718, making Walmart a primary destination for holiday gift shopping.

Leveraging the Dual Channel Strategy for Maximum Savings

Walmart's execution of its dual channel strategy—seamlessly integrating its online storefront with in-store discounts—was a defining characteristic of the 2024 event.

The initial deals were heavily skewed toward the online experience to manage crowd control and leverage the convenience of e-commerce. By the time the in-store discounts dropped on November 29, many shoppers had already secured their top-priority items, leaving the in-store event to focus on impulse buys and the classic "Black Friday" atmosphere.

This strategy also relied heavily on the concept of rollbacks, which are temporary price reductions used throughout the season to maintain consumer interest even outside the main Black Friday windows. The combination of multi-event, early-access, and sustained rollbacks ensured that Walmart remained top-of-mind for consumers from the beginning of November right up to the final Cyber Week sales.

In conclusion, the Walmart Black Friday 2024 sale was a masterclass in modern retail strategy. By prioritizing its Walmart+ membership, segmenting its sales into high-impact events, and delivering record low prices on high-demand entities—including Samsung TVs, Apple devices, PlayStation consoles, and Lenovo laptops—Walmart successfully cemented its position as the dominant force in the holiday shopping season. Shoppers who planned their purchases around the specific event dates and leveraged the early access benefits were the ones who truly maximized their savings this year.