Walmart's Plan For Black Friday 2020 Includes A Ton Of Deals, No Crowds Required

With the holidays come big crowds, and that's a big problem when there's a pandemic. This year, retailers like Walmart are doing their best to keep crowds small and their customers safe. But if crowd control is a major factor, it begs the question, is Walmart open on Black Friday this year? Shopping in an overly crowded store is what Black Friday is all about.

As an alternative, Walmart is offering "Black Friday Deals for Days." Instead of just one day full of blowout sales, they've created three separate events where customers can have access to the deals both online and in stores throughout the month of November.

The first event starts online on November 4 with new deals going live on-site on Nov. 7. The next batch of deals will be available online starting Nov. 11 and in person Nov. 14. Finally, the last batch will launch online Nov. 25 (the day before Thanksgiving) and then again in-person on Nov. 27 (traditional Black Friday). Shoppers who purchase anything online will have the option to drive to their local store for contactless curbside pickup.

For in-person events, Walmart stores will open at 5 a.m. on Black Friday Deal Days. According to a Walmart spokesperson, customers will have to remain socially distanced while they wait in line to enter the store, then, once they're inside, they will be able to use a freshly sanitized shopping cart and can rely on "Health Ambassadors," who will be located throughout the store, to ensure customers adhere to mask guidelines. Additionally, they will closely monitor the number of shoppers in-store and direct flow of traffic to avoid congestion.

Black Friday is definitely going to look a bit different this year, but Walmart at least is doing making an attempt to keep the experience fun and safe. Plus, who can be mad about three separate Black Friday events instead of just one?