- Walmart has attempted to calm the chaos of Black Friday with new maps and rearranged stores.
- But inside the stores on Thursday evening, things looked as crowded and hectic as ever.
- Some shoppers are complaining that Walmart’s creation of a “maze” is making Black Friday shopping take even longer.
Black Friday at Walmart looks just as wild as ever, despite the retail giant’s best attempts at calming the chaos.
Every year, Walmart tweaks its Black Friday game plan in an attempt to better deal with the crowds that mob its stores starting on Thanksgiving Day.
This year, adjustments include rearranging stores to funnel customers to registers and highlight popular items. The new arrangements mean new color-coded maps, printed in Walmart’s circulars and, for the first time, available for reference on its app. And to avoid lines, customers can check out with certain employees throughout the stores.
Read more: Walmart is eliminating the most dreaded part of holiday shopping
But the revamp hasn't fully solved the Black Friday chaos. A look at social media shows that across the US, Walmart stores - which kicked off sales at 6 p.m. - are as crowded and intense as ever.
http://instagr.am/p/BqgGmnwl-SNhttp://instagr.am/p/BqgGwpHAEWPhttp://instagr.am/p/BqgH-UxFa_F
#Walmart was insane tonight. 2 fist fights employee hit with a rack all over a tv. That was all while trying to get down one aisle. #BlackFriday is not for me
— 👉 DadOfAllTrades👈 (@stephenpollock3) November 23, 2018
Some shoppers said the "maze" Walmart created was part of the problem.
It was a total joke. We were in and out of @Target in under 15 mins but at @Walmart it took then 30 minutes to realize nobody made it to the checkouts because we were all stuck in the maze and nobody could move. They finally opened spots for us to make it to the registers.
— Matt Paschke (@mpaschke13) November 23, 2018
Walmart was a mess! it felt like a maze with all the black friday boxes everywhere!
— Monster🗿 (@MonsterJams69) November 22, 2018
https://twitter.com/ieojo/status/1065763117857161216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfwhttps://twitter.com/SladeAdams4/status/1065745331533635585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
This Walmart is making people walk through the toy aisle to get to the checkout line 😑 y'all not slick. I don't want these toys!
— So 🤷🏾♀️ (@SarahBree23) November 23, 2018
I just went to Walmart like some nut to look at Christmas decorations they wouldn’t let people go down certain aisles. It was miserable and guess what I didn’t buy a thing! I should have known better.
— JANICE COMBS (@jicombs) November 22, 2018
But at least one Walmart Black Friday innovation this year has been welcomed with open arms.
"Check Out With Me," a feature allowing shoppers to check out with employees with mobile devices in the busiest sections of its stores, is a hit with customers - if they can find the workers.
At Walmart, can you say “Check Out With Me?” This is the best!! No waiting in line for toys and electronics, just check out in the store aisle. Convenience AND customer service. #NPDHoliday pic.twitter.com/wPOOBh1LbZ
— Juli Lennett (@JuliLennett) November 23, 2018
shout out to the girl who heard us complaing about the long lines at walmart and told us there was a lady standing in the aisle checking people out who have 5 items or less. you saved us literally hours of waiting in line.
— han (@fabfandoms) November 23, 2018
Still, for the most part, chaos - or at least crowds - reigned at Walmart.
http://instagr.am/p/BqgJO1whUxwhttp://instagr.am/p/BqgJm_fHaP0http://instagr.am/p/BqgJn6hHbTGhttp://instagr.am/p/BqgKATTnGnt
But for many shoppers who got their hands on Black Friday deals, the hectic scene was worth it.
http://instagr.am/p/BqgKGi8lRUehttp://instagr.am/p/BqgN-WgACza
More on Black Friday 2018:
- Thanksgiving is killing Black Friday by replacing it
- Black Friday deals sold out at stores like Walmart and Target before Friday even began - and people are furious
- Furious shoppers faced off against crashing websites on Thanksgiving Day - and it reveals a massive evolution of Black Friday shopping
- Walmart says it's offering thousands more deals than last year on Cyber Monday in a direct shot at Amazon's most valuable day
- Walmart shoppers are complaining that stores are running out of iPhones as Black Friday sales begin