[2019.12 Update 2] Amazon has just reissued some of the Coupons again. If you didn’t receive it during that period, contacted customer service, and customer service manually added a $60 Coupon to your account, the newly received $60 can still be used as well.

[2019.12 Update] The up to $60 Coupon from the Amazon App shopping promo on November 29 is now available to claim and use. Remember to open the Amazon App, tap the small bell in the upper-right corner, then find the Coupon. You need to tap get coupon before you can use it.

The discount will automatically appear at checkout in the app (you won’t see it on desktop). It only works on items sold by Amazon and cannot be used on gift cards. The Coupon should be usable across multiple purchases until you reach the full $60. It expires on December 24, so don’t miss it.

If you did meet the APP spending requirement but didn’t receive the coupon, you can first contact customer service via online chat. They will give you a phone number, and once you call and explain the situation, the coupon will be issued (this was also the case on Prime Day).

Also, here are a few Amazon deals that you may be able to stack with this:

  • Amazon Gift Prime 10% off: Prime members only. Right now, a 1-year Amazon Prime membership that normally costs $119 costs just $107 if you gift it to someone else. In practice, Amazon simply sends a redemption email to the recipient, and the recipient can click the link to become a Prime member. You can also use this gift for yourself by sending the email to yourself. It’s best to set an email reminder for 3 days before your current Prime expires, then manually cancel and click the link in the email to activate Prime again. This offer is limited to once per Prime member.

Expired

  • 【Hot! 29th only, now expired; coupon will be issued on Dec 9】 Spend in the Amazon APP and get up to $60 back: spend $500 get $60 back, $300 get $20 back, $200 get $15 back (gift cards, shipping, and tax do not count; items must be sold by Amazon). Spending can be cumulative. Steps are as follows:
    • We recommend opening this link on your phone, which should automatically open this promotion in the app, just to be safe. Or after installing the APP, copy (https://amzn.to/37NwHIZ) into your mobile browser, which should also open this page in the app automatically. (For safety, do this each time you shop.)
    • On the promotion page, search for what you want and then complete checkout.
    • The coupon will be loaded into the app on Dec 9, and it will expire on Dec 29.
    • The terms say you must have visited this page first. There was a similar promotion on Prime Day this year, and some people did not receive the coupon after making a purchase and had to call in to get it.
  • 【hot, expired? Can you still see this deal?】 Audible membership with a $15 Amazon Credit, pay only $6.95 for the first month: This is a targeted offer. You need to not be a current audible member. At checkout, you should see $15 Amazon Credit + Audible Membership. Based on my test, after signing up for audible, the $15 Amazon Credit posted instantly and was immediately usable. Even if you cancel the membership, the Credit does not disappear. Still, I recommend waiting a few days and canceling closer to the end of the month so it’s not too obvious... Audible cancellation link (bottom of the page). Also, if you change your address to a tax-free state, you may avoid audible sales tax... and save a few cents. Chase offer has 10% back on audible, so you can stack that too
  • Free Sears $10, but you need to join Sears membership. Sears is offering Shop Your Way Rewards members $10 off $10+ in store. To get this coupon, text THANKS to 73277

Best Buy: Black Friday ad preview

Amazon: Amazon Black Friday page

2019 Black Friday Ad Roundup

Amazon

As Black Friday approaches, Amazon usually rolls out daily deal of the day offers and Lightning Deals. You can keep an eye on the page below. On Black Friday itself, even more deals will be released.

You can save even more by stacking the following Amazon promotions:

Walmart

Walmart is always especially lively on Black Friday. Super-cheap off-brand TVs, discounted game consoles, iPad, iWatch, and computers are all worth considering.

Staples

Cheap computers, printers, and Apple products are all worth a look.

Sam's Club

Target

Recommended: the latest 10.2-inch iPad for $249.99, and a PS4 for $199.99 bundled with three classic titles. (PS5 was coming out the next year, so PS4 was probably at its floor price.)

Best Buy

Best Buy already has quite a few deals available now. If you're a premium member, you can unlock even more deals, so take a look. Recommended: Best Buy is often the cheapest place to buy various MacBook Air/Pro models. It also has the latest 10.2-inch iPad for $249.99 and a PS4 for $199.99 bundled with three classic titles.

Costco

Costcoinsider posted scans of Costco's Black Friday ad. The promotion runs from November 7 through December 2 and is split into five phases:

  • November 7 - November 21
  • November 22 - December 2
  • November 29 - December 2
  • Thanksgiving Day (November 28)
  • Cyber Monday (December 2)

Different items go on sale during each phase. See the summary link below for details.

Also, don't forget to use Costco's Coupon Book:

Ad links for other merchants

Introduction to Black Friday

Black Friday refers to the day after Thanksgiving (Friday), which falls on November 29 this year. Starting on this day, people begin shopping for Christmas gifts. Retailers roll out some of the strongest deals of the entire year, and some deals even continue through Christmas. Many items are essentially at their lowest prices of the year, and you usually won’t find them cheaper again until next year’s Black Friday. If you need to buy something—especially big-ticket items like appliances—this is a shopping window you really shouldn’t miss.

In recent years, many retailers have moved their Black Friday deals up by one day to Thanksgiving itself, also known as Black Thursday. Usually, online deals go live on Wednesday night or early Thursday morning, while in-store doorbusters start on Thanksgiving evening. This is important enough to say three times!

  • Online: late night on November 27; in stores: evening of November 28
  • Online: late night on November 27; in stores: evening of November 28
  • Online: late night on November 27; in stores: evening of November 28

How to Prepare for Black Friday

Know yourself and know the retailers

“Know yourself” means understanding your own needs and deciding what you want to buy. “Know the retailers” means knowing which merchants will discount what, and when. Of course, if you don’t yet know what you need, browsing store ads can also help create some “needs.” Every year, major retailers release their Black Friday ads in early to mid-November (see the links above). These ads contain key information, including which products will be discounted, their sale prices, and the exact sale times (in store / online). You should study this information carefully. Every year, I read these ads several times in advance, compare prices across stores, and map out my shopping strategy. I recommend tracking the following information:

Online sale start times: usually 0:00 on the 27th, which means late night on the 21st; different stores use different time zones for their midnight launch times (Eastern Time 0:00 starts: Walmart, Microsoft, Sam's Club; Central Time 0:00 starts: Kohl's, Best Buy; Pacific Time 0:00 starts: Target, Amazon).

Physical store opening times: usually the afternoon of the 28th, with stores opening gradually from 5–6 pm local time.

The product name, SKU, and price of what you want to buy: this makes it easier to add items to your cart right on time and check out immediately once the price drops.

Credit Cards

For things you plan to use at home, it’s a good idea to pay with a credit card. Benefits can include price protection, purchase protection, extended warranty coverage, and easier dispute resolution if you run into a problem with a merchant.

Some credit cards (such as AMEX) also offer Purchase Protection, which may cover loss or damage within 90 days.

Next, decide which cards you want to use. Make a note of the cards that earn the highest cash back at specific merchants, and use the best one when shopping there. For example:

  • Discover it: Amazon.com, Target and Walmart.com. As you’d expect, these cover many of the major online and in-store shopping categories during the holiday season. If I remember correctly, some merchants that accept pay with Amazon can also trigger the 5% category.
  • Chase Freedom: Department Store: a classic fourth-quarter category that’s perfect for holiday shopping. Also, many department stores such as Sears and Macy's sell a large number of third-party gift cards, so if you can’t fully use the category, you can always buy a few. PayPal: most major websites now support PayPal, including eBay, Staples, Best Buy, Target, walmat, and more. It’s very easy to max out this category. If you want to spend at Amazon, you can buy Amazon gift cards at a department store. Chase Pay: not many merchants support it directly, but if you have a Samsung phone, this category can be a bit of a hack. That’s because Samsung Pay can call Chase Pay, allowing you to use it at any brick-and-mortar store that accepts Samsung Pay (which is basically almost all stores).
  • US Bank Cash+: customizable categories; in Q4 you can choose electric store or department store to fit your holiday shopping needs. Of course, that depends on your spending habits.
  • Citi Dividend: Best Buy and Department Store. The theme is still holiday shopping, though many people probably already used up the full $600 for the year through drugstores in Q2.
  • BofA Cash Rewards: 3% cash back on online shopping

In addition, various AMEX cards come with offers:

Opening a new card for a welcome bonus or a large-spend bonus is also a solid option. Here are some recently recommended all-time-high offers that you may still be able to apply for and receive before the holidays:

Card-Linked Offers

Besides saving with credit cards, there are also plenty of card-linked offers. These rewards can stack perfectly with both your credit card rewards and shopping portal cash back. So before you shop, be sure to link the credit card you plan to use. That way, you can save even more almost without noticing.

  • Drop APP (an extra 1%-2% cash back at participating merchants after linking your credit card)
  • Dosh App (2% cash back at merchants such as Sam's Club after linking your credit card)
  • Ebates In Stroe CashBack (extra cash back at many popular merchants after linking your card, such as Sephora, major department stores, baby stores, and more)
  • Recent AMEX OFFERs (many merchants offer 10%-20% cash back, and many also offer 2x rewards)

Shopping Portals

If you’re placing orders online, don’t forget shopping portals. During Black Friday, major portals may also increase their payout rates for merchants. Using a portal to save an extra 5%-20% can really add up, and it may even end up cheaper than standing in line outside a store.

Comparison and Reviews of U.S. Cashback Sites

Cashback Site Sign-Up Bonus Quick Take
Rakuten $20-$40 sign-up bonus Great customer service, reliable tracking, and in-store cashback; payouts take longer
Rebatesme $20-$40 sign-up bonus Chinese interface available, many payout options, and high cashback rates on beauty purchases
Topcashback Up to $20 bonus Fast tracking, quick payouts, highest-rate guarantee, and frequent promotions; customer service is average
ShopBack $20 sign-up bonus Offers cashback at Amazon, easy browser extension cashback, and very high rates at some merchants
GoCashBack $5 sign-up bonus Chinese interface available, gift card payout option, and exclusive discounts
Extrabux $20 sign-up bonus Chinese interface available, WeChat withdrawal option, and students get a VIP card
Mr. Rebates $5 sign-up bonus Accurate tracking and good customer service
SimplyBestCoupons $5 sign-up bonus Good for niche stores and has strong promo codes
Befrugal $10-$20 sign-up bonus Good customer service and fast payouts

Stock Up on Gift Cards

If you already know which merchants you want to shop with, buying discounted gift cards in advance is a great idea, since resale gift cards often come with fairly strong discounts. However, during the actual holiday period, gift card prices often jump significantly. Recommended sources:

Action Plan

Online Orders

Late night on November 27 is when most retailers launch their online sales. Open each store’s website ahead of time and save your payment information and shipping address. Open several shopping portals, compare their cash-back rates, and choose the best one. Then, based on the launch timeline you prepared earlier, be ready to grab items right on time.

In-Store Shopping

In most cases, online shopping will cover the majority of your needs, but going to the store to soak in the excitement can also be a fun experience.

On the afternoon of the 28th, eat a big meal ahead of time, then head out around 4–5 PM to line up at the stores you want to visit. While you’re in line, employees will usually hand out a store map. Based on the layout, you can go straight to the items you want as soon as you get inside. For hot items, such as certain game consoles or toys, employees may hand out tickets with numbers on them, meaning you have already reserved that item. If you can get a ticket while waiting in line, you can go line up at the next store right away, then come back before the store closes that night to pay and pick it up. Be sure to ask an employee about the exact checkout cutoff time, since some stores may still require you to go in and pay immediately.

Here is a ticket I got two years ago:

As for returns, most retailers extend the return deadline for items purchased between Black Friday and Christmas to January 31 of the following year. So if you’re unhappy with something, or if you later find a lower price and the store won’t match it, you can choose to return the item.