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[Updated 2021.11] Black Friday deals are mostly winding down. Next up, major retailers will be rolling out Cyber Monday promotions, and quite a few electronics should stay on sale. In some cases, Cyber Monday prices may even beat Black Friday. If you still have shopping left to do, it’s worth a look. Honestly, this year’s deals have been pretty mediocre.

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Amazon

Don’t miss these sitewide discount offers

Walmart

Costco

Best Buy

2021 Black Friday Ad Roundup

Most merchants are now pushing early Black Friday deals, trying to empty everyone’s wallets ahead of time, and the discounts are actually already pretty strong. If you see something you want, ordering early and enjoying it sooner isn’t a bad idea. Below is a roundup of Black Friday deals and promo pages.

Amazon

Amazon is still a very solid option, with reliable shipping speed and product quality. It started rolling out various Black Friday preview deals in early November, including Apple products, Kindle, TVs, kitchen appliances, and more. Another big feature is that it will automatically match prices from Walmart, Best Buy, Target, and other retailers. So if you see a deal elsewhere, it’s worth checking Amazon too—it may have already matched it.

Also, make sure you know how to stack quarterly 5x credit card rewards, such as Discover. And don’t forget Pay with Points sitewide discounts.

Apple

From November 26 to November 29, if you buy phones, watches, headphones, Macs, accessories, and more from Apple’s official website, you can get a $50-$100 Apple Gift Card back. If you previously stocked up on discounted Apple Gift Cards through various channels (for example, Amazon and Target have both offered discounted gift cards before), then Apple’s own Black Friday promo can be a good option. That said, the direct discount isn’t as strong as what you’ll often see at Amazon or Walmart.

Walmart

This year, Walmart’s Black Friday deals will open 4 hours early for Walmart+ members. If you have an AMEX Platinum card in the Platinum family, you can get this membership for free. (Walmart is currently offering a free 90-day trial membership, so if you need it, it may be worth trying—if only to get in on the deals.) Walmart+ members can already access some early access deals now. Walmart’s Black Friday discounts usually include ultra-cheap furniture, heavily discounted TVs, gaming console bundles, clearance computers, kids’ toys, and more. Contract phone deals can also be pretty good, often with Walmart gift cards included.

You can also stack quarterly 5x cash back categories. For example, Discover is at 5% this quarter, and Walmart accepts PayPal, so the Freedom family’s PayPal 5x can be used too.

Best Buy

Best Buy launched a Black Friday price guarantee this year. If a product page says “Black Friday Prices Guaranteed,” it qualifies for automatic price protection. If the price drops during the Black Friday period, you will automatically receive a refund for the difference. Best Buy mainly offers discounts on electronics, including large appliances like refrigerators and washers, as well as consumer electronics such as computers, headphones, and smart wearable devices. In general, Best Buy’s higher-tier members can get Black Friday pricing a few days early. Apple product discounts are usually pretty solid, and phone purchases often come with good carrier offers as well.

Other retailers

  • Target: good for gaming consoles, headphones, and kitchen items
  • Sam's Club: the Black Friday ad is not out yet, but many discounted items are already live. Home goods pricing is good, and there are usually a few especially hot clearance computers. Their IT is notoriously bad, and the website often crashes during major rushes, so it’s best to save your card in advance and check out in the app.
  • Macy's: early access has already started. Macy’s is especially known for small appliances, and on top of sale prices they often offer various rebates, which can make the deals especially attractive. Clearance clothing can also get very cheap. In-store shoppers may also receive some coupons.
  • Costco: the highlights are usually gaming console bundles and contract phones. Costco also tends to offer better after-sales service.
  • Dell: it can be hard to tell which deals are actually good. In general, those gaming console bundles tend to be popular, and Alienware discounts are usually decent too.
  • JCPenny: if you go early, they usually hand out coupons, often something like $10 off $10. Not much stands out online.
  • Micorsoft: computer deals are pretty good. If you previously bought an xbox gift card from Dell, you can actually load it into your Microsoft Store account and use it there.
  • HP: server deals are decent
  • samsung: Galaxy phone deals are okay
  • Kohl's: with a promo code, you can get 15% off sitewide + $15 Kohl's Cash for every $50 spent, which works best if you shop there often. Small kitchen appliances Free After Rebate (buy 3 priced at 19.99 each and get 36VGC + 15 KC back)
  • Staples: good discounts on smaller computers and Apple products

Introduction to Black Friday

Black Friday refers to the day after Thanksgiving (Friday), which this year falls on November 26. Starting on this day, people begin preparing Christmas gifts. Retailers launch some of the strongest deals of the year on this day, and some deals continue through Christmas. Many items are basically at their lowest prices of the entire year, and you often will not find them cheaper again before next year’s Black Friday. If you need to buy something—especially big-ticket items like appliances—this is a period you do not want to miss.

In recent years, retailers have moved Black Friday deals up by one day to Thanksgiving itself, also known as Black Thursday. Typically, online sales open on Wednesday night or early Thursday morning, while in-store deal-hunting starts on Thanksgiving evening. This is important enough to say three times!

  • Online: late night on November 25; in-store: evening of November 26
  • Online: late night on November 25; in-store: evening of November 26
  • Online: late night on November 25; in-store: evening of November 26

This year is a special case, and most retailers have launched good deals early and in waves to bring in shoppers sooner. So it makes sense to research deals ahead of time and place orders early. I still do not recommend going to stores just for the excitement. Saving a little money or chasing the holiday atmosphere is not worth it if you get COVID. If something is delivered to your home, try to disinfect it before using it.

How to Prepare for Black Friday

Know yourself and know your enemy

“Know yourself” means knowing your own needs and what you want to buy. “Know your enemy” means knowing which retailers will discount what, and when. Of course, if you do not know what you need, you can always create some new “needs” while browsing store ads. Every year, major retailers release their Black Friday ads in early to mid-November (see links above). These ads contain key information, including which products are on sale, their sale prices, and the exact timing of the discounts (in-store/online). Be sure to study this information carefully. Every year I read these ads several times in advance, compare prices across stores, and map out a shopping strategy. I recommend tracking the following:

  • Online sale start time: usually 12:00 a.m. on the 26th, meaning late night on the 25th. Different retailers use midnight in different time zones to start sales (Eastern Time midnight: Walmart, Microsoft, Sam's Club; Central Time midnight: Kohl's, Best Buy; Pacific Time midnight: Target, Amazon).
  • Store opening time: usually the afternoon of the 26th, with stores opening gradually from 5-6 p.m. local time.

Also note the product name, SKU, and price for the items you want to buy, so you can add them to cart right on time and check out immediately once the price changes.

Credit cards

For things you plan to use at home, I recommend paying with a credit card. Benefits can include price protection, purchase protection, extended warranty coverage, and easier dispute handling if something goes wrong with the retailer.

Some credit cards, such as AMEX, also offer Purchase Protection, which lets you file a claim if an item is lost or damaged within 90 days.

Next, decide which card to use. Keep a note of the cards that earn the highest cash back at specific merchants, and use the best one whenever you shop there. For example:

  • Discover it: Amazon.com, Target, and Walmart.com, which basically cover many of the main online and in-store purchases during the holiday shopping season.
  • Chase Freedom (Flex): Walmart and PayPal. For online shopping, using PayPal Key can turn purchases at merchants that do not normally accept PayPal, such as Amazon and Google Shopping, into PayPal purchases. See this article for details.
  • Citi Dividend: Best Buy & Warehouse Online (Sam's Club, Costco, etc.)
  • BofA Cash Rewards: 3% cash back on online shopping; remember to set your category to online shopping.

Also pay attention to extra cash back from card-specific offers such as AMEX Offer, Chase Offer, and BofA Offer. Beyond using cards you already have, opening a new card for a welcome bonus or a large-spend bonus can also be a good option.

Card-linked offers

Besides saving through credit cards, there are also many card-linked offers. These rebates can stack perfectly with both credit card rewards and cashback portals. So before shopping, remember to link the credit card you plan to use, and you may save even more without noticing.

  • Drop APP (an extra 1%-2% back at participating merchants after linking your credit card)
  • Dosh App (2% back at merchants such as Sam's Club after linking your credit card)
  • Rakuten In Store Cashback (extra cash back after linking your credit card at many popular retailers, such as Sephora, major department stores, baby stores, and more)

Cashback portals

If you are placing orders online, do not forget cashback portals. During Black Friday, major cashback portals may also increase payout rates for many merchants. Saving an extra 5%-20% through a portal can be substantial, and it may even end up cheaper than waiting 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 there are merchants you know you want to shop at, buying discounted gift cards ahead of time is a great idea, since secondhand gift cards often come with good discounts. However, during the holiday period, gift card prices can surge. Recommended places to stock up:

Practical strategies

Online orders

Late at night on November 25 is when most merchants start their online sales. Open the websites of the stores you plan to shop at ahead of time, and save your payment information and address in advance. Then open several cashback portals, compare the cashback rates, choose the right portal, and follow the merchant sale timeline you prepared earlier so you can check out right on time.

In-store shopping

In general, online orders can cover most needs, but going to stores and experiencing the holiday shopping atmosphere can also be a lot of fun.

On the afternoon of the 26th, eat a good meal in advance, then head out around 4-5 PM to line up at the stores you want to visit. While you wait, staff may hand out store maps, so once you get inside you can go straight to the items you want. For high-demand items, such as certain game consoles or toys, staff may give out tickets with numbers on them, meaning you have already reserved the item. If you get a ticket while waiting in line, you can go line up at the next store and come back before closing to pay for it. Be sure to ask staff about the checkout cutoff time, since some stores may still require you to enter and check out immediately.

As for returns, most merchants extend the return window for items purchased between Black Friday and Christmas until January 31 of the following year. If you are not satisfied with an item, or if the price drops later and the store will not match it, you can choose to return it.