Original title: Black Friday extends to 14 days—what is Walmart up to?
By: Duo Dong
Source: Tuke GoGlobal
Cover image source | pexels
The 2026 Black Friday is still some time away, but the holiday shopping race among retailers has already begun to heat up.
On October 26 local time, Walmart announced that this year it will run three major holiday promotions from November 12 to December 2, covering Black Friday Early Access deals, Black Friday sales, and Cyber Monday.
Rather than a single-day discount event on Black Friday itself, Walmart is splitting the holiday shopping season into multiple phases—giving consumers more time to browse and shop, while creating more deal opportunities tailored to different shopping needs.
Beyond the promotion calendar, Walmart also launched a combined membership bundle for Walmart+ and Sam's Club Plus, seeking to further enhance the shopping experience through price perks, delivery services and member benefits.
Three rounds of promotions kick off in succession, warming up the Black Friday shopping season
According to information released by Walmart, this year's holiday sales are divided into three phases, with slightly different timings online versus in stores.
Round one: Black Friday Early Access, November 12-15.
Round two: Black Friday deals, November 23-29.
Round three: Cyber Monday promotions, November 30 - December 2.
Looking at the schedule, Walmart's three rounds of promotions span 14 days in total this year. Consumers can shop for gifts early, or keep hunting for deals before and after Black Friday, without cramming all their shopping into a single day.
On merchandise, Walmart says it will offer thousands of discounted items this year, covering holiday gifts, toys, apparel, beauty, home goods and everyday essentials.
Image source: Walmart
Two memberships for $120 a year
Besides the three promotion rounds, membership services are also part of Walmart's holiday season strategy this year.
On October 20, Walmart announced the launch of a combined Walmart+ and Sam's Club Plus membership bundle. For $120 a year, consumers get both membership services at once. Walmart says the bundle saves nearly $100 compared with buying the two memberships separately.
Among the perks, Sam's Club Plus members earn 2% back in Sam's Cash on qualifying in-store purchases (before tax), up to a maximum of $750 in rewards every 12 months.
This bundle is not just a Black Friday discount cooked up for the holiday. It pairs Walmart's everyday retail and delivery services with Sam's Club's warehouse-style shopping, letting consumers use the two services flexibly depending on their needs.
For households that already do routine grocery shopping, bulk purchases or delivery, the combined membership may appeal not only through holiday promotions but also through the integrated value of year-round use.
Image source: Walmart
For cross-border sellers eyeing the U.S. market, Walmart's schedule also offers a timeline worth noting: holiday consumption preparation has entered a critical phase. Sellers should align their purchasing cycles, inventory levels and target consumer groups to pace stocking and marketing sensibly, rather than betting all resources on Black Friday itself.
As Walmart's three promotion rounds roll out, competition in this year's U.S. holiday shopping season will intensify further. How consumers allocate their budgets, which products win favor, and how effective each retailer's promotion strategy proves to be—all deserve continued observation.
