Wal-Mart Black Friday - Will Match Prices

[jeffrey]

Wal-Mart stores "will match any price featured in a local competitor's print advertisement if it has the identical product in stock" as part of its Black Friday discount promotion. Black Friday is the day when stores hope to turn a profit for the year and the traditional beginning of the winter holiday shopping season.

According to a Reuters report, Gail Lavielle, a spokesperson for Wal-Mart said "It's all part of our strategy of ... taking a much more aggressive approach to the holidays on all levels." She also noted that this was the first time that Wal-Mart has ever offered this matching offer on Black Friday.

Wal-Mart has taken a much more aggressive approach this year to discounting and trying to bring customers to their stores compared to last year when the chain was widely criticized for not discounting sooner. Many believed their slowness to react and discount lead to customers shopping elsewhere. This year Wal-Mart began its holiday advertising campaign on Nov. 1, the earliest advertising launch for the holidays in the company's history.




Wal-Mart announced the following commitments to its customers on November 25:

* Customers will find the lowest prices on toys, electronics, apparel, and home categories.

* All Wal-Mart stores will match any price featured on an identical product in a local competitor's print advertisement.

* None of the Wal-Mart prices For Black Friday are based on rebates.

* Special values will be available in all Wal-Mart stores from 5:00 in the morning until 11:00 in the morning.

* Customers can go to Wal-Mart website to preview Black Friday specials available at Wal-Mart stores.