Black Friday officially kicks off on November 28th, but if you plan to make that the only day you buy gifts this holiday season, you’re missing out. Several prominent retailers, including Best Buy and Walmart, are preparing to roll out their holiday discounts both in-store and online. Best Buy is even offering price protection through the holiday shopping season, so if you buy early and the same item drops in price, you can get the better deal retroactively.
That being said, it’s important to know how every major retailer is handling the shopping event this year, whether you plan to take advantage of the slew of early holiday deals or hold off until the day after Thanksgiving. If you plan to spend some cash, here are the schedules and expectations for Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, and all the major retailers we know of.
Amazon
Amazon has yet to announce its full Black Friday playbook, but the retailer has dropped a few early deals in its Holiday Shop hub, including a slight discount on the latest Kindle Kids. Just be aware that Amazon does not offer price matching, so price “protection” for many Amazon shoppers means buying the item at the lower price point and returning the original — which, unfortunately, is pretty wasteful.
Walmart
Like in previous years, Walmart plans to roll out its Black Friday deals in waves. The first begins online at 7PM ET on Thursday, November 13th, for paying Walmart Plus subscribers. For everybody else, the sale will kick off on November 14th at 12AM ET, and will run both in-store and online through November 16th.
The second wave is an online sale that kicks off at 7PM ET on Monday, November 24th, for Walmart Plus members. The second promo period will open to non-members at 12AM ET on November 25th and run through November 27th, with Walmart’s official Black Friday sale kicking off online and in-store at 12AM ET on November 28th and lasting through November 30th.
Walmart will then hold its Cyber Monday sale online for Walmart Plus members beginning at 7PM ET on November 30th, before opening it to non-members on December 1st at 12AM ET.
The retailer hasn’t shared many deal specifics yet, but did offer a sneak peek in a recent press release, revealing upcoming discounts on TCL TVs, Lego sets, Dyson vacuums, and more.
Best Buy
Best Buy will officially kick off its Black Friday promos on October 31st, with the retailer launching its first set of doorbuster deals on Halloween and dropping subsequent deals every Friday in the run-up to the holidays. Those who sign up for My Best Buy Plus or My Best Buy Total will also get up to $25 in bonus rewards during select doorbuster events.
As for Best Buy’s main Black Friday event, that’s slated to begin on November 2oth. The retailer’s Cyber Monday promo, meanwhile, will kick off on Sunday, November 30th, meaning Best Buy is running sales throughout the entire month of November.
Best Buy shoppers also get price protection, which means that if you purchase a qualifying item and it receives a larger discount during the holiday season, you can request a refund for the difference. As with other Black Friday promos, however, you’ll want to make sure you’re signed in with your My Best Buy account while browsing to ensure you’re getting the lowest price.
Target
Target has yet to reveal details about its Black Friday or Cyber Monday promo. Last year, though, the retailer launched a “Deal of the Day” holiday promo for members of its free Target Circle program. The company has also historically launched a slew of early Black Friday deals at the beginning of November and typically offers a holiday price-match policy.
GameStop
There is no word yet on Black Friday details from GameStop. We expect to hear more soon regarding store hours on Black Friday and possibly Thanksgiving, as well as some specifics regarding what kind of gaming deals it plans to offer throughout the holiday season.
Newegg
Newegg has yet to announce its Black Friday or Cyber Monday promo. Historically, though, the retailer usually offers price protection, so you can buy early without worrying about potential discounts down the line.
Costco
Costco hasn’t shared many details about its Black Friday or Cyber Monday sales yet. However, the retailer recently updated its Black Friday landing page, which now encourages shoppers to sign up for email alerts to learn more about the retailer’s forthcoming exclusives.
Update, October 29th: Added details about various upcoming Black Friday promos, including those for both Walmart and Best Buy.