I went to the same Rochester, New York Walmart on Black Friday two years in a row.
Though 2022 was slightly busier, both visits were quieter than the massive Black Friday sales of earlier years.
Toys and electronics seemed to be the two bright spots for Walmart each year.
I went to Walmart in Rochester, New York on Black Friday 2022 to see how crowds compared to the same store last year.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
When I arrived just after 9 a.m. on Black Friday, the Walmart parking lot looked quite bare.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
Walking inside, I didn’t see very many shoppers, but there was security near the door.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
I skipped past the main grocery area, which was empty and didn’t seem to have any special holiday deals.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
At first glance the clothing sections also seemed pretty empty of customers.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
I finally started seeing other shoppers around the children’s clothing.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
Bins in the centers of aisles seemed to have some of the most popular deals, advertising “while supplies last.”
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
These were mainly less expensive items than the typical Black Friday electronics deals.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
Many of the deals were on bedding, pillows, and other home decor.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
While home goods sales didn’t seem to have many takers, the toys section was much busier.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
The toy shelves were well-stocked.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
The aisles of dolls and stuffed animals weren’t especially busy, but they were definitely one of the most trafficked areas of the store.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
The busiest area by far was the electronics section.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
There were some deals on TVs and video games.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
Customers searched through piles of discounted games and DVDs while workers restocked.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
Headphones and phone accessories also seemed popular based on the messy displays.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
Aside from toys and electronics, I wouldn’t have known there was any kind of holiday or promotion going on, because it wasn’t very busy.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
I also went to this same location on Black Friday in 2021.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
The store was quite empty for a major shopping holiday.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
Workers and security staff seemed to almost outnumber shoppers.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
It was easy to walk down some of the less popular aisles and not see anyone else.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
Customers that did show up seemed to mostly congregate around electronics, which are some of the most expensive items that Walmart sells.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
Some video games were heavily discounted, and people were picking through what was left.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
A display of games for the Nintendo Switch seemed to be especially popular, with few games left.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
A display of discounted Ring Lights was disheveled, with many of the remaining boxes opened.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
The other highly trafficked section of the store was some of the toy aisles.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
Some shelves of Legos and Matchbox cars were totally wiped out.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
Other toys didn’t seem particularly popular, though.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
Walmart was completely stocked with air fryers, one of the biggest Black Friday items of 2021.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
Other kitchen appliances, including Instant Pots and mini waffle makers, were also in stock.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
Even in the most crowded areas of the store, there was nothing like the chaos I’ve read about from other Black Fridays in the past.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
Even with about half of the registers closed, lines never got more than a few carts deep.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
After visiting two years in a row, I think Black Friday’s importance for Walmart is waning.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
Even though the location I visited was slightly busier in 2022 than the previous year, it still felt empty compared to a regular weekend.
Mary Meisenzahl/Insider
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