Fears of stock shortages and delays in shipping will encourage people to shop at the mall, shops and online and find gifts sooner this holiday season.

This wave of seasonal shoppers still has not arrived. WalmartAccording to Walmart Chief Financial Officer Brett Biggs, it is not. CNBC heard from him that the company saw some holiday shoppers, however not enough for them to be able to generate significant demand in the third quarter.

Contrary to two of its main competitors AmazonAnd TargetWalmart’s holiday sale did not begin in October. Walmart’s Black Friday sales were instead. will be spread across November. Target began its holiday push with a “deals days” eventOnline and in-stores from October 10-12 Amazon attempted to grab customers early with its e-commerce strategy. throwing a three-week beauty event that started in early October.

Walmart could see the holiday promotion delays as a strategic move. Walmart gained more customers for its core business of grocery. in the third quarter. The three-month period saw a nearly 10% increase in grocery sales year-over-year due to low- to mid-single-digit inflation. Food sales grew $3.6 billion in the third quarter — the strongest quarterly growth in six quarters, the company said.

Chief Executive Officer Doug McMillon explained that while the retailer’s higher prices are passed on to customers, it is also trying balance other costs. He said this in an interview to CNBC’s, “A Balance.”Squawk on the Street” With Jim Cramer.

Holiday sales are expected to rise by between 8.5% and 10.5%, for a total of between $843.4 billion and $859 billion of sales — an all-time record, according to the National Retail Federation. This outlook will be supported by rising household incomes, higher savings rates and a pent-up desire to celebrate. 

Seasonal rhythms have been disrupted by the pandemic. Major retailers closed their doors on Thanksgiving Day last year and moved their largest holiday sales up to Halloween in an effort to reduce crowds. Curbside pickup was also promoted by them.

This year, some retailers have continued those traditions with shuttered stores on Thanksgiving and early sales for another reason — to stagger demand as congested ports and a shortage of truck drivers means thinner inventory in some areas.

Walmart has decided to delay holiday sales until November didn’t hurt its third-quarter earnings. Analysts were pleasantly surprised and the company raised its outlook for the remainder of the year.

Biggs stated that Walmart will always be available for holiday shoppers who visit its shops and websites. The company’s stock is now up 11.5% over the previous season. On an earnings call, he stated that Walmart had ordered merchandise earlier, chartered ships dedicated for Walmart products, and directed these vessels to lower-congested ports.

D.A. Baker from Davidson stated that holiday sales were still early in their development. Baker said that he expected big-box retailers such as Walmart to continue their growth. Target to fare better than other retailers because consumers will feel more confident they can find what they want — or at least a good substitution. Plus, he said, those retailers have a big footprint of stores that allow shoppers to grab that desired item rather than waiting around and wondering when a package might arrive — or if something could sell out.

He stated that customers will soon understand that larger retailers have better chances of stocking the product they desire and managing the supply chain. To understand the supply chain, people don’t necessarily have to be involved in finance. Every night, it’s featured on television. So people get it. Many places will soon run out of stock.