The largest international food retailer Walmart has decided not to run a “Black Friday” event in the United States for its upcoming holiday shopping season. The company’s press service issued a special message about the closure of all Walmart and Sam’s Club shops on November 26, 2020.
The decision to close stores on the day of the company’s final sale is indicative of the current situation amidst the pandemic in the country. Physical stores traditionally attract large crowds of shoppers, which is incompatible with existing restrictions and requirements on social distance.
“We know that it was a difficult year, and our employees had to work hard. We hope that they will enjoy a special Thanksgiving at home with their loved ones. We are certainly grateful to them for all their efforts,” commented John Ferner, president, and CEO of Walmart.
Market participants note that among the reasons that prompted the retailer to refuse to participate in the “Black Friday” are empty warehouses with a limited range of goods, as well as “depreciation” of the total sales in physical stores against the outflow of buyers online. Experts believe that in current market conditions, “Black Friday” has yet to gather enough buyers.
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