Sunday, November 25, 2012

Wal-Mart had its best ever Black Friday

I guess I’m not surprised.  The so-called union strikers gave it so much publicity.  It would have cost a bundle to get that much TV coverage.  Article from LA Times.  Next year probably Target and Macy’s will ask employees to strike so they’ll get some free coverage.

After opening earlier than in previous Thanksgiving weekends, Wal-Mart reported its “best ever Black Friday” sales, including bigger crowds than last year, the company said Friday.

The retailer rolled out deals starting at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. From 8 p.m. to midnight, Wal-Mart processed nearly 10 million register transactions, handling 5,000 items a second, the company said. Mmore than 22 million shopped in Wal-Mart's stores during the four-hour period.

Last year, the chain opened at 10 p.m.

More than 1.3 million employees are staffing the holiday weekend, Wal-Mart U.S. chief executive Bill Simon said in a statement.

The company split its sales into three time periods, each with a different type of merchandise available. At 8 p.m., toys, games and home apparel went on sale. At 10 p.m., electronics. At 5 a.m., jewelry, tools and other items.

Since 8 p.m. Thursday, Wal-Mart had sold 1.8 million towels, 1.3 million televisions, 1.3 million dolls and 250,000 bicycles, the company said in a statement released at about 6:30 a.m. PST.

“We had very safe and successful Black Friday events at our stores across the country and heard overwhelmingly positive feedback from our customers,” Simon said

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why would you gloat about this huge company who receives a bundle of tax breaks, sells a bunch of foreign made not so good goods, and puts small business owners across the country out of work??

Why?

Norma said...

If anyone is gloating it must be the liberal LA Times since it is their story. However, it's important to point out that they got free publicity from the unions. Wouldn't surprise me a bit that if there was collusion. Remember, Walton was with Ben Franklin who ignored his suggestions on efficiency and supply. Wal-Mart supplies low income people with the goods and services formerly only higher income people could afford. Research studies in peer review journals have shown a benefit to every area they service both in jobs and growth of other businesses. You don't shop at local mom and pop stores for your groceries, household goods, hardware, and pet food, why do you want others to? Wal-Mart didn't kill the small towns; the unions and industries relocating to the south did that.

Anonymous said...

I do shop in local markets for my food, Bergmans and Bassetts!! I do buy American made jeans at Newport Dry Goods. I buy other things at Ace Hardware or Meijers.

Compare the walmart practices in hiring and paying their staff from CEO to the line worker to Costco and you will see that a very popular store can pay fair wages, have the union active within their ranks and survive. The recent media on CostCo will only enhance their importance.

Norma said...

I'd hardly call Bassett's a "mom and pop" store. Wal-Mart has benefitted many areas with employment and lower prices. I shop at both. Newport is too pricey for me. I do prefer Meijer's to Wal-Mart.

Anonymous said...

Murray sez:
Ladies,ladies, please. The important thing for all of us is freedom of choice. The Obama administration is doing it's best to limit that. Obamcare will set all kinds of limits. Green energy and the small arms treaty will also.