ALWAYS LOW PRICES: An $18,000 Cartier Watch for Wal-Mart’s Black Friday Shoppers?

On Black Friday weekend Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is hoping some shoppers trade up from half-price pajamas and $1 DVDs. The retailer is also pitching $18,000 Cartier watches, Prada pumps and other high-price gifts on its website.

Walmart.com has jumped from offering about 8 million products earlier this year to over 20 million, in large part due to an aggressive pursuit of third-party sellers, outside companies able to sell products through Wal-Mart’s website. That has given Wal-Mart access to luxury items that can attract a long-elusive group: higher-income shoppers.

I went to Walmart.com, and while I didn’t find any $18,000 Cartier watches for sale, I did find a pair of Cartier sunglasses for a little more than $4,000.