Old Navy offers Black Friday deals early, adds in-store safety measures

Dive Brief:

Old Navy introduced extended Black Friday and Cyber Weekend deals, as well as convenient shopping options for the holiday season, the retailer announced on Thursday.
The retailer is hosting multiple holiday sales days in store and online for customers between Nov. 19 and Nov. 30, per the press release. Old Navy cardholders receive early access to some deals, starting Nov. 12.
To prepare for in-store shoppers, the company has implemented various safety measures, including requiring face masks as well as placing health guards at checkout, and providing social distancing guides and sanitizing stations in stores. Customers can also pick up their purchases the same day using BOPIS or contactless curbside pickup, the retailer said.

Dive Insight:

Though Old Navy will be closed on Thanksgiving, customers can pick up their online Thanksgiving purchases starting at 6 a.m. on Black Friday, the company said in a statement. On Black Friday, stores will be open from midnight until 11 p.m.

In addition to extended deals for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Old Navy is also stressing its pickup options as a way to simplify and ease the stress of the holiday shopping experience this year. Other retailers, including Amazon and Walmart, have extended their Black Friday deals, too. Like Old Navy, Walmart and Target will also be closed on Thanksgiving.

As the pandemic has stuck around, retailers have continued to announce new fulfillment services to ensure shoppers can get products safely. Those services are important to shoppers, as half of consumers plan to shop using curbside or contactless pickup, according to a BlackFriday.com and SurveyGizmo survey. Though the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed many retailers to adopt curbside pickup, the service could be here to stay long after the pandemic ends.

But as Old Navy readies its stores for socially-distant in-store shopping, the retailer and its sister brands have undergone notable changes. Gap has been decreasing its store footprint and moving away from mall locations. Meanwhile, Old Navy's interim CEO Nancy Green was named to the role permanently in early October.