As the economy shows signs of getting better, retailers are very hopeful that shoppers are going to come out this year and do a lot of spending. With the holiday shopping season officially beginning on Thanksgiving, retailers are gearing up to make their big push for advertising sales. In fact, many retailers are doing a number of creative business strategies for the holiday season and they are not holding back any punches to their competitors. Wal-Mart is the largest retailer in the world and has made a move the company has never made for shoppers on Thanksgiving—until now.

Wal-Mart has announced it will open their doors at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, which is the earliest the retail giant has opened on Thanksgiving. This is two hours earlier than the retailer opened in 2012. Wal-Mart is releasing this announcement with over two weeks away from Thanksgiving. Its’ competitors are watching and probably will have to adjust their Thanksgiving and Black Friday schedules to draw shoppers. Whether this will be a trend to follow for its’ competitors remains to be seen.

During the Thanksgiving Sale, Wal-Mart is going to be offering door buster deals and slashing prices on popular items. Shoppers will be able to find deep discounts on tablets, home appliances, TV’s, and toys, yet only at specific times on Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Some of the popular items for sale will be the Funai 32-inch HD TV for $98, the Apple 16 GB Wi-Fi Enabled iPad mini for $299 with a $100 Wal-Mart gift card, an HP Pavillion TouchSmart Laptop for only $278, and much more. Wal-Mart’s chief merchandising officer Duncan MacNaughton stated in the report that Wal-Mart promises to have 65% more TV’s and double the amount of tablets in stock than last year.

Customers that arrive early on Thanksgiving Day will not have wait in line. Early customers will be given wristbands upon arrival, and they will be able to browse the store until the sale begins. The sales are being done in phases and once Wal-Mart begins the phase for the item, shoppers will have to get back in line to purchase the product they’ve been waiting for. Local store managers will also drop prices on certain categories and brands, which customers can check Wal-Mart’s Facebook Thanksgiving pages for details.

Wal-Mart also has plans for online sales as well beginning Thanksgiving morning. There will be online-only deals offered, such as the iPad 2 for $75 off and the Samsung 40-inch HD TV for $379, which is discounted $50 from its’ regular price. Wal-Mart will give customers the option to order items online, and come in the physical store to pay for it and pick it up. This is another value-added service that is very convenient for the shoppers who desire to avoid the Thanksgiving crowd. Some shoppers would probably even desire for Wal-Mart to offer same-day delivery of online purchases for a premium fee during the holiday shopping season as well.

Same-day delivery is a service that Wal-Mart has implemented in various US cities, yet will the retailer offer the service during this time is a big question. Same-Day Courier like A-1 Express is perfect to partner with because the courier is able to implement a delivery solution quickly. The Chicago Courier works for Wal-Mart or any other e-retailer looking to gain ground during the holiday shopping season.

Reference: 11.12.13, CNN Money, Emily Jane Fox, Wal-Mart Thanksgiving deals start at 6 p.m.