We visited two Walmart stores across the country on Black Friday and were shocked at how few shoppers we saw

• We visited two Walmart stores in New York and California on Black Friday morning and found the aisles relatively empty.

• In New York, customers were shopping for electronics and toys while the rest of the store was silent.

• In California, most customers also stuck with the electronics and vacation sections.

We went to two Walmart stores across the country to see what Black Friday shopping was like this year.

To our surprise, Walmart in Rochester, New York and Irvine, California saw similar foot traffic, with most shoppers flocking to electronics…

…and just a handful of people lingering in the children’s toy and holiday departments.

Walmart has seen supply chain improvements this year after low inventory during the 2021 holiday season, Walmart U.S. CEO John Furner said on an earnings call in November.

But when we arrived just after 9am on Black Friday, the parking lot at Walmart in New York looked pretty empty.

Upon entering we didn’t see many customers, but there was a security system near the door.

We skipped past the main grocery store, which was empty and didn’t seem to have any holiday specials.

At first glance, the clothing sections also seemed quite empty of customers.

We finally started seeing other shoppers around children’s clothing.

The bins in the center of the aisles appeared to have some of the most popular offers, advertising “while supplies last”.

These were mostly items that were cheaper than typical Black Friday electronic deals.

Most of the deals were for bedding, pillows and other home decor.

While the homeware sales didn’t seem to have many takers, the toy section was much busier.

The toy shelves were well stocked.

The doll and stuffed animal aisles weren’t particularly busy, but they were definitely one of the busiest areas of the store.

By far the busiest area was the electronics section.

There were deals on televisions and video games.

Customers rummaged through piles of discounted games and DVDs as workers restocked.

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Headphones and phone accessories also seemed popular due to messy screens.

Aside from toys and electronics, I wouldn’t have known there were any holidays or promotions going on.

Meanwhile, the Walmart in Irvine, Calif., looked much the same.

By 7:30 a.m., about an hour and a half after opening, early risers had taken up all the parking spots in the immediate vicinity of this Walmart.

But about 15-20 rows further, many parking spaces were still open.

Inside, there were no angry shoppers squabbling over the latest gaming system or discounted clothing.

Instead, the store was surprisingly peaceful.

The grocery section was nearly empty, occupied mostly by employees restocking inventory.

And only a few shoppers poured into the clothing and home goods departments.

Like New York’s Walmart, the bins centered along the wide aisles held many widely promoted Black Friday deals on goods like bedding, toys and household items.

Several buyers have been interested in the offers of the bins on the bedding sets…

…with one person picking up the majority of discount TV wall mounts.

But aside from that shopper, most of the shopping carts around Walmart in Irvine, Calif., weren’t overflowing with discounted goods.

Alongside the bins, the majority of customers flocked to the party decoration and rear electronics departments…

…even though those parts of the store were still far from crowded.

All in all, it felt like any typical day at Walmart – not too busy but not completely empty.

Between the retail giant’s California and New York stores, it looks like Walmart’s era of extravagant Black Friday shopping is now over.

The sight of frantic shoppers, stuffed shopping carts and crowded aisles is now a thing of the past.

Instead, it is now less dangerous for security…

…and more of a quiet affair with just a handful of shoppers browsing the electronics, toys, and holiday decor offerings.

Read the original article on Business Insider