International Council of Shopping Centers States the Obvious: People are Hunting for Bargains

“People are really hunting for bargains this year.” says an International Council of Shopping Centers spokesperson. No kidding, says this Benzinga staff writer, as I head to Wal-Mart

for the cheapest goods anywhere. You can't mention bargains without thinking Wal-Mart (or vice versa). The retailing giant is working aggressively to win the holiday market share back, according to Goldman Sachs, and that starts with Black Friday. According to Goldman, Walmart's strategies to capitalize on Black Friday's momentum of people seeking bargains include price ad match guarantees, re-launching layaway for toys, electronics and jewelry, and staggering “doorbuster offerings" starting at 10pm and 12am on Thursday and 8am on Friday to drive "consistent traffic flow.” Wal-Mart's efforts to capture customers this year have gone beyond the traditional to the high tech. The company recently launched apps for the iPhone and iPad, where the burgeoning user masses can access all of the retailer's 3,800 stores, on top of its website. The apps include smart shopping lists and a QR code scanner, as well as a budgeting tool that allows the user to calculate how much a particular shopping list will set them back. Wal-Mart opens its doors at 10pm this Thursday, arguably drawing the ire of holiday traditionalists who may cringe at the thought of so many employees having to skip on valuable family time. Then again, employees may instead bless the simple fact that they have a job this holiday season.