Black Friday 2023 is Nov. 24 and if you’ve had your eye on an expensive item like a new TV or mattress, this is a great time of year to make the purchase. But you don't have to wait until the actual day to score a deal. Stores like Walmart, Best Buy, and Amazon have been releasing early Black Friday all month long. It's no wonder this is one of the best times of year to find steep reductions on pricey products.
Black Friday takes place the day after Thanksgiving each year. Along with Cyber Monday, which falls on Nov. 27 this year, it’s the unofficial kickoff to the holiday shopping season. You’ll find a wide variety of product discounts, which can be especially helpful when crossing off items on your gift lists. It’s also a great time to purchase a regularly high-priced item for yourself or your home.
In the past, retailers would offer major discounts and “doorbuster” sales on in-store items for Black Friday, and Cyber Monday was specifically for online sales. In more recent years, however, both days have morphed into one long weekend of sales. With more and more people now preferring to shop online, retailers have responded by also offering their Black Friday sales via the web.
Of course, Black Friday extends across all retailers. You’ll see deals from Amazon and other major retailers like Target, Macy's, and Walmart, which all kicked off their Black Friday sales early in 2022. But the sales aren’t limited to these big names. Your favorite small businesses will also likely be discounting their products or offering promotions to help you save on your holiday shopping.
Deals To Expect
Black Friday deals this year should be similar to last year’s sales, so you can expect to see discounts for a variety of categories.
Mattress Deals
Mattresses and sleep accessories from brick-and-mortar stores as well as e-commerce sites should be plentiful this year, as they were last year. Some brand deals to check out include Avocado, Helix, Saatva, Tempur-Pedic, and WinkBeds.
For current mattress sales, see our Best Mattress Deals.
Appliance Deals
Large and small home appliances go on sale for Black Friday each year, and some of the discounts can be substantial. If you can wait until November to purchase a refrigerator, washer, or dryer, it may be worth it. The same goes for pricey smaller appliances, like a robot vacuum, air purifier, or air fryer. These, too, will be priced to sell during the holiday season.
For current vacuum cleaner sales, see our Best Vacuums Deals.
Electronics Deals
You’ll find tech deals from a variety of brands like Samsung, Dell, and Lenovo, as well as from tech retailers such as Best Buy, Newegg, and Office Depot. For the past several years, Apple has offered an eGift card with the purchase of select products, exclusively starting on Black Friday through Cyber Monday.
Televisions, desktop computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones all should be discounted, as will headphones, earbuds, and wearable technology.
Some of the early Black Friday deals we saw in 2022 included savings on Apple AirPods Pro and laptops from Amazon, as well as 4K TVs, tablets, and Chromebooks from Walmart.
To keep your computers and other devices safe, you might want to consider a virtual private network (VPN) or antivirus software, and both were on sale for Black Friday last year.
For current VPN or antivirus software sales, see our Best VPN Deals.
Apparel Deals
Clothes deals can be found at any time of year, but the best sales happen around Black Friday.
You can find deals at casual retailers like ASOS, Columbia, and Gap to more upscale retailers such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Bloomingdale’s.
Toy and Game Deals
Of course, toys and games will be on sale for Black Friday, since those are staples on children’s and teens’ gift lists. This is a great time to invest in a new game console like the Nintendo Switch or a virtual reality headset from Meta Quest (formerly Oculus), as well as their corresponding accessories.
Legos, Barbie dolls, and Disney toys were some of the more popular toys featured in Black Friday sales at retailers like Amazon, Target, and Walmart last year.
Other Deals
A wide variety of other products will be heavily discounted for Black Friday this year. This includes sporting goods like fishing gear, equestrian gear, and outdoor gear from Cabela’s, Ariat, and Backcountry, respectively.
Home improvement products also will surely be part of Black Friday sales this year. Ladders and tool organizers from Lowe’s, power tools from Home Depot, and outdoor equipment from Ace Hardware were all discounted last year.
If you’re looking to replenish your supply of beauty and personal care products, Black Friday sales are a great way to do that for less. Retailers participating in last year’s Black Friday sales included Ulta, Sephora, and Nordstrom, as well as brands like Revlon, Waterpik, and Oral-B.
Travel will also see price cuts during the holiday season, so start planning now for a getaway in 2024. You can find good deals on Black Friday, but many sales now extend to the following Tuesday, dubbed Travel Tuesday. You’ll see discounted prices on flights, hotel stays at Marriott and Hilton, vacation packages, and bookings through travel services like Expedia and Hotels.com.
For current travel sales, see our Best Travel Deals.
While you should expect to see Black Friday deals for the above categories and others, our 2022 Holiday Shopping Survey found that the most sought-after gifts last year included clothing and shoes, TVs, smartphones, video gaming products, and computers.
As for what the 360 Deals team has our eyes on for 2023, we'll be watching for deals on popular and higher-priced items like Apple products, mattresses, air purifiers, juicers, and vacuums. While these might not be as giftable as toys or game consoles, Black Friday is an excellent time to upgrade appliances and home items that you use regularly. This can save you a considerable amount of money on products you’ll need to purchase anyway.
Also check out Best Deals pages for information on current discounts on TVs, mattresses, laptops, and more. We’re updating the best deals each month so you can be confident you’re saving at any time of the year
Black Friday Shopping Tips
Many retailers will be offering discounts as part of Black Friday sales. Here are some tips to prepare for them and save even more money:
Sign up for email alerts
The best place to stay informed about specific Black Friday sales is through a company’s email updates. By signing up for email alerts, you may also be able to take advantage of exclusive coupons or promo codes that drop prices even more. Plus, you’ll know about sales you can take advantage of at other times of the year.
Browse Black Friday ads
Take some time to browse Black Friday ads and mailers. Retailers often will highlight the best discounts and most limited items in these ads. If you’re looking for something specific, this can help you snag it early. It also helps with price comparisons, as many retailers will put similar models on sale.
Check for price-match policies
When comparing prices from different retailers, check to see if they offer price-matching. If they do and you prefer to shop at one retailer over another, you can try to get the same model or product you saw at one store for the same price at another. Retailers like Best Buy, Target, and Walmart all offer price-matching. Almost all of them will require proof of the lower price you found, so be ready to show them an image of the ad or a URL that links to the competing price.
Know what you need
It’s best to go into Black Friday with a clear idea of the products you want and need so you can jump on those deals before they sell out.
Shop early
Many Black Friday deals are first come, first served, and prices and availability can change quickly. If there’s something you want, make sure you shop early to increase your chance of getting it before it sells out. In some cases, very popular items may get restocked throughout the holiday shopping period, but just to be safe it’s best to purchase anything you want as early as possible. Retailers often have a certain quantity of a specific item they’re willing to sell for a very low price and once it’s gone, it’s gone.
Also, because most people shop on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, not the days leading up to it, you’ll have more competition during those prime shopping times.
Be aware of shipping policies
Make sure you’re aware of the retailer’s delivery expectations, especially if you’re planning to do gift shopping during Black Friday sales, so you know your purchase will be delivered in time. Similarly, find out if a signature will be required when the item is delivered. Some retailers require an adult to sign for delivery of high-value items like electronics.
Look over return and refund policies
Many retailers, including Amazon, Target, Walmart, and Best Buy, extend their return period into January to allow Christmas gifts to be returned, but some may not. If you’re buying gifts, check the retailer’s return policy to make sure there’s enough time to send an item back if need be. Electronics, in particular, often have limited return windows.
Check back for updates
As the holiday season gets closer, we’ll update this page with Black Friday deals on some of the best products that you may want to add to your gift list.
More Deals To Save
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