We still have a few months until Black Friday deals start arriving, but if you're hoping to have as much money on holiday gifts as possible this year, now is the time to start preparing. Black Friday is the absolute best time to buy just about everything, including big-ticket items like TVs, gaming consoles, and PCs.
To help you save as much money as possible during the holiday season, we've gathered all of the info you need to know about Black Friday 2023 below. The deals may start earlier and earlier each year, but there are always some staple truths you can count on from the biggest sales event of the season.
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When Does Black Friday Start?
Black Friday always lands on the Friday after thanksgiving. Black Friday 2023 will be taking place on Friday, November 24 this year. That being said, Black Friday deals will likely start much earlier. You can expect discounts to start arriving in late October or the beginning of November. The best deals will still happen closer to Black Friday and you can start expecting big savings on Thursday, November 23 during Thanksgiving.
When Does Cyber Monday Begin?
Black Friday isn't the only retail holiday in November. Shortly after Black Friday, the deals will begin to morph into Cyber Monday sales. Cyber Monday will officially land on Monday, November 27 this year. That being said, Cyber Monday deals usually start arriving as early as the following Saturday and Sunday after Black Friday. You can also expect the savings to last through the entire week in a phenomenon that has loosely been labeled as 'Cyber Week' by various online retailers. See our guide on some differences between Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals to help you prepare.
What About Amazon Prime Day 2?
The latest addition to the shopping season, Amazon Prime Day 2, is coming back for the second year in a row. It's an Amazon-specific sales event that will take place on Tuesday, October 10. Because the sale is only for those with an Amazon Prime subscription, Prime Members can request invites for exclusive deals that will drop when the deals go live. Prime Day isn't as good as Black Friday in terms of overall deals, but it's a great way to get some early discount shopping in.
The Best Black Friday Deals - What to Expect in 2023
The long and short of it is that pretty much every product and brand under the sun will have some sort of promotion or discount going on during the Black Friday season. That being said, the best discounts will likely be on big-ticket items that don't normally get big price cuts. Here's a quick rundown of the biggest deals to expect in 2023:
Gaming Consoles - Arguably the most popular holiday gift, gaming consoles are an expensive purchase that don't usually have discounts. Black Friday is the best possible time to buy a new console, whether you're looking for PS5 deals, Xbox deals, or a sale on Nintendo Switch, there's usually something on offer that's worth your time. It's worth noting that the best discounts will often come in the form of discounted console bundles rather than direct price cuts, however.
PCs and Laptops - Another big-budget tech category, PC and laptop deals are some of the most sought after sales of the holiday season. This is especially true of gaming PC deals and gaming laptop sales thanks to the relatively high price of the graphics cards inside these machines. The manufacturers like Dell, Lenovo, and HP will have their own Black Friday sales, but you'll also be able to find discounts at online retailers like Amazon and Walmart. It's arguably the best time to buy a laptop from any brand.
TVs - Although TV prices have dropped significantly in recent years, Black Friday is still the best time to buy a new TV. The biggest online retailers always have some pretty tremendous price cuts on both 2023 models as well as older versions of the bigger brands. You can find discounts on Samsung, LG, Sony, TCL, and Vizio TVs just about everywhere with prices well under $300 on some great 4K models. If you're looking for the best TV deals on OLED or LED, the day after Thanksgiving is your best bet.
Phones - If you're hoping to pick up a new phone for cheap, the holiday season is the best time to do so. With new releases in the fall, like the iPhone 15 Pro, all of the different mobile carriers start offering promotions attached to new phone plans. This will usually be in the form of BOGO offers when you switch carriers, or different trade-in deals for those looking to upgrade. Not only that, unlocked phones usually get straight discounts from retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy. It's a great time to get an older iPhone for cheap if you don't mind not having the latest model.
Headphones and Earbuds - Even some of the best budget earbuds can be expensive, and if you're hoping to pick up a pair of nice noise-canceling headphones, you could end up spending a small fortune. This makes Black Friday one of the best times of the year to buy any headphones, earbuds, or headsets. There are almost always deals on AirPods, Sony, Beats, and Samsung headphones. There are likely to also be some phone bundles that throw in branded earbuds for free with your purchase, so you'll want to keep an eye out for those as well.
Tablets and E-Readers - Tablets remain one of the most popular tech products on the market. Not only can some of the best iPads play full-on video games these days, they can also double as work laptops, smart home devices, or an extra monitor. And although a high-end tablet can be an E-Reader, you can also buy devices that do just that for much cheaper. There are always a bunch of really good Kindle deals available during the Black Friday season that can help you pick up a reading tablet for under $100.
Video Games - Gaming console deals are usually some of the hottest sales of Black Friday, but you can also usually get some pretty great discounts on video games as well. These price cuts usually come in the form of popular games dropping under $30 or a BOGO sale. The sales usually exclude the best new games of the year, but if you don't mind browsing top games of the past 5 years then you can usually find a really good deal. Some of the best Nintendo Switch games dropped under $30 last year, for example.
Vacuums - When it comes to household products, vacuums can really suck up the bulk of your spending budget. A decent vacuum doesn't come cheap, and if you're planning on buying a Dyson or Shark model, the price only gets higher. This makes Black Friday season one of the only times you should ever really consider making a vacuum purchase. There also tend to be some amazing discounts on robot vacuums as well, making Roomba ownership surprisingly affordable.
Kitchen Appliances - Although not as flashy as a new TV or gaming console, things like espresso machines and stand mixers can be surprisingly expensive. Almost every major retailer will be offering discounts on these types of products, and if you're in the market to be a Nespresso machine or an instant pot, there's no better time to buy than Black Friday.
Best Black Friday Online Retailers
Although most brick-and-mortar stores will have some sort of Black Friday sale, the majority of the best Black Friday deals will be online in 2023. You'll likely want to do the bulk of your shopping from these online retailers:
Amazon Black Friday Sale
The Amazon Black Friday sale, and subsequent Cyber Monday sale, is probably the most expansive one on the web. Not only do they tend to have competitive pricing on Apple products, gaming consoles, headphones, and TVs, they also have discounts on clothing, furniture, vacuums, and just about everything else under the sun. Amazon will also have the best prices on its own brands, like Fire TVs, Kindles, and Echo devices. If you have an Amazon Prime Membership, you'll likely want to do the bulk of your online shopping at Amazon.
Take a look at Amazon's Black Friday ad from last year for a reference on what to expect in 2023.
Best Buy Black Friday Sale
If you're mostly planning on buying consumer tech and appliances this year, then the Best Buy Black Friday sale is likely going to have everything you need. Similar to Amazon, Best Buy will have discounts on video game consoles and accessories, Apple products, TVs, and phones. They also tend to have discounts on popular kitchen appliances like Instant Pots and coffee makers as well as major appliances, like washing machines. You can also become a My Best Buy Plus member to get access to exclusive deals and free 2-day shipping.
Take a look at Best Buy's Black Friday ad from last year as a reference for what to expect in 2023.
Walmart Black Friday Sale
Walmart has one of the largest selection of Black Friday deals every year, comparable even to Amazon. You can expect all of the same gaming console and tech discounts as Best Buy while also offering a wide range of deals on furniture, outdoor gear, and toys. They also tend to have some of the best prices on Vizio and Hisense TVs every year.
Take a look at Walmart's Black Friday ad from last year as a reference for what sales to expect in 2023.
Target Black Friday Sale
Target tends to have a very good Black Friday sale on consoles, TVs, toys, electric razors, and kitchen products. They also tend to have some discounts on their own home decor brands that you won't be able to find anywhere else. You can also become a Target Circle member to get access to additional benefits and discounts.
Take a look at the Target Black Friday ad from last year as a reference of what you can expect from the sale in 2023.
Tips for Black Friday Shopping Online
It may seem silly to start planning your Black Friday shopping right now, but doing so can help you save a lot of money when it comes time to actually start making purchases. Here are a few Black Friday tips that you should consider ahead of the event:
- Set a Budget - Keeping track of how much money you can actually spend is important to avoid overspending. When everything is on sale, it can be easy to buy more than you really should just because things are at their lowest price of the year.
- Create a Shopping List - Knowing exactly what you're trying to find discounts on is a great way to avoid making unnecessary purchases. It can also make it easier for you to compare prices between retailers or set price drop alerts ahead of time.
- Compare Prices - Retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart make it really easy to do all of your shopping there. That being said, those retailers don't always have the best price on the items you're looking for. Make sure to compare prices across the web before you buy something for more than you have to.
- Research Before You Buy - If you're making an expensive purchase, make sure you do atleast some research before you purchase that item. This means looking for independent reviews or testimony from trusted sources about those products. You shouldn't necessarily trust Amazon reviews, for example.
- Be Wary of Search Results - Search platforms, such as Google, have a tendency to be flooded with sponsored links in the results. Be careful to avoid cliking on a sponsored ad if you're looking for reviews or searching for specific products by price.
