Retail giant Walmart is looking to deliver a new shopping experience in the lead-up to Black Friday this year, in a bid to get an early hook into consumers looking for holiday bargains. 

The new campaign kicks off across North America today by offering one-year Walmart+ memberships for US$49 (50% off the regular price) and early access (by five hours) to the company’s Black Friday sale pricing. The promotion is part of Walmart’s ongoing effort to broaden its subscriber base, which totalled 59 million members last year. Shoppers who are enrolled in the program have access to regular benefits such as free shipping, exclusive discounts/coupons and streaming through Paramount+. 

In addition, the retailer unveiled several early deals for its Black Friday event, including eight-inch Disney Squishmallows for US$5; 50% off the LEGO Friends Horse Stable (US$30); and a wide range of licensed kids graphic hoodies discounted to US$8. 

This gift-giving season will also see Walmart expand its GenAI-powered shopping assistant to holiday shoppers. This tool will discover, evaluate and recommend products that best fit each user’s search history. The AI will also let customers create a personalized walmart.com homepage that predicts what holiday-related content and deals may interest them. 

Lastly, Walmart will run a 10-episode ad series called Deals of Desire, with each chapter following a different person’s quest to find their favorite deal of the season. The ads’ goal is to get customers in the shopping mood early and invoke the thrill of hunting for the best bargains, says chief marketing officer William White.