With consumers expected to hold back on purchases, Walmart, Target are getting a jump-start on holiday sales

• Walmart and Target are kicking off the holidays early this year.
• The Washington Post reported that early holiday deals could help offset inflation.

Shoppers across the United States may notice the holiday shopping season kicking off a bit early this year.

According to The Washington Post, national retailers like Walmart and Target are offering early deals this year to encourage customers to spend despite inflationary pressures. Both companies outlined their holiday sales plans on Thursday.

Target announced that it will bring back Target Deal Days starting October 6 to October 8, several days ahead of last year's event. These sales will offer "guests the earliest access ever to deep holiday deals on must-have items and everyday essentials."

Walmart, meantime, said in a statement on its website that the retailer "has been preparing for months to deliver through the holidays, and the company has taken steps to ensure it has the products customers want however they choose to shop."

"More than half of Walmart customers will start their holiday shopping research in October and Walmart is prepared to meet their needs and help them make the most of the season with an exceptional experience no matter how, when or where they want to shop," the statement read.

Walmart did not disclose a specific date when its holiday sales would begin, only saying it's making "significant price investments" in key categories "to ensure it can deliver amazing value for its customers during a time when they need it most."

One potential clue: The company says it will now accept gift returns starting in October and continuing through Jan. 31. Last year, Walmart accepted returns from November through Jan. 24, the Washington Post reported.

It's not the first time in recent years that retailers have bumped up holiday deals. In 2021, supply chain headaches pushed companies to spread out their sales across the season. Before that, the proliferation of online shopping began to diminish the importance of sales events like Black Friday.

The latest announcements from Walmart and Target are just the latest indication that businesses will likely continue to encourage shoppers to stretch their holiday spending from October to December.