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Here’s a real-time roundup of the best deals from different stores:

[Amazon] Remember to stack the sitewide discounts below whenever possible.

Top deals

Sitewide discounts

[Apple products]

[GC deal]

[Other]

Black Friday is coming up fast, so here’s a quick roundup of this year’s best promotions across major retailers. And when you shop, don’t forget to use the right credit card!

Amazon

Some promotions are already live. Amazon’s biggest Black Friday discounts are usually on electronics, Amazon devices, and Apple products. On Black Friday itself, we often see exceptionally cheap TVs and similar items. Amazon also frequently matches deals from other retailers on the same products, so it’s worth watching those too.

Prime members have exclusive discounts

Amazon’s sitewide promotions are also quite good, since they can save you money on almost anything.

In addition, the Amazon credit card signup bonus has been increased to $200. If you spend a lot on Amazon, it may be worth applying.

Apply now

Full review

Chase Amazon Rewards Credit Card

5% cash back at Amazon and Whole Foods; no annual fee!

  • Welcome bonus: Prime sign-up bonus: $150 gift card (issued upon card opening)
  • Rewards: 5% at Amazon, Whole Foods, and Chase Travel; 2% at restaurants, public transit, and rideshare, 2% on gas; 1% on all other purchases
  • Redemption: Cash back
  • Annual fee: $0
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Apple

- These are all buy-and-get-Apple Gift Card offers, and this promotion cannot be stacked with the apple edu discount. My personal suggestion is that for items like headphones, you may be better off buying from platforms like Amazon, where you can often stack more discounts.

The specific gift card-eligible items and amounts are as follows
Amazon

Best Buy

Best Buy's gift card promo is finally out, with $99 TVs, cheap computers, discounted Apple products, and more. For the really hot deals, people usually still line up in stores every year. For online deals, just grab them online; going to the store usually isn't worth it. This year, Best Buy also released its deals early, and many of them are already available to buy now.

Costco

It has not been released yet. Costco has pretty good customer service and returns, so people still like shopping there. It is also relatively easier to score deals there, so if you miss out on other sites, you can try Costco or go in-store.

Kohl's

Kohl's is pretty much the same every year. During Black Friday, you can stack the $15 Kohl's Cash for every $50 spent promo. There should also be various free after rebate small kitchen appliances, and stacking those with the Kohl's Cash promo can work out well. Just be careful about the expiration date on Kohl's Cash.

As expected, there are a bunch of Free after rebate items.

Walmart/SamsClub

Walmart started its Black Friday sale early, and a lot of items are already available to buy now.

Walmart's Black Friday action is still mostly better in-store, especially for things like $199 gaming consoles. In-store, there are usually toys, small kitchen appliances, and a few especially cheap TVs as well. Usually they hand out tickets at the store entrance, and if some products are out of stock, they may give you rain checks so you can come back a few days later and buy at the Black Friday price, which is actually pretty consumer-friendly.

Sam's Club is basically Walmart's wholesale store version, so the discount style is similar. However, there are usually some additional gift card deals worth watching. Also, Sam's Club gift cards and Walmart gift cards can be used interchangeably. If you have a Freedom card, you can use PayPal at Walmart to buy gift cards and earn 5x, then use them at Sam's Club.

If you're trying to buy online, be aware that Sam's Club's website is pretty bad. It's best to have your payment method and address ready in advance, and once the item is in your cart, check out as quickly as possible.

Saks

This is a Black Friday promo that shows up every year: spend $150 and get a $75 gift card. It's especially good when paired with the Saks reimbursement benefit on the AMEX Platinum.

Introduction to Black Friday

Black Friday refers to the day after Thanksgiving (Friday). This year, it falls on November 29, and from that day on, people start preparing Christmas gifts. Retailers launch some of their strongest deals of the year on this day, and some of those deals continue through Christmas. Many items are basically at their lowest price of the year, and you often won't see a lower price again until the next Black Friday. If you need to buy something, especially big-ticket items like electronics, do not miss this period. In recent years, many retailers have moved Black Friday deals up to Thanksgiving Day itself, sometimes called Black Thursday. Online deals usually go live Wednesday night or early Thursday morning, while stores often open Thursday night on Thanksgiving for deal hunters. Important enough to say three times!

  • Online: late night November 28 In-store: evening of November 29
  • Online: late night November 28 In-store: evening of November 29
  • Online: late night November 28 In-store: evening of November 29

That said, most retailers now roll out good deals early and in batches to lock in spending sooner. Kohl's is one where you can preview deals and place orders early.

Kohl'sKohl's

Black Friday Prep Work

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 don't know what you need, browsing retailer ads can also help you discover some new "needs." Every year, major retailers release their Black Friday ads in early to mid-November. These ads contain key information, including which products are discounted, the sale prices, and the exact timing of the deals (in-store/online). You really need 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 keeping track of the following:

  • Online sale start times: Usually 12:00 a.m. on the 29th, which is the late night of the 28th. Different stores may start based on different time zones (stores starting at 12:00 a.m. Eastern: Walmart, Microsoft, Sam's Club; stores starting at 12:00 a.m. Central: Kohl's, Best Buy; stores starting at 12:00 a.m. Pacific: Target, Amazon).
  • Physical store opening times: Usually the afternoon of the 29th, with stores opening one after another starting around 5-6 p.m. local time.

Have the product name, SKU, and price ready for the items you plan to buy, so you can add them to your cart right on time and check out immediately once the price changes.

Credit Cards

For items you actually need at home, we recommend paying with a credit card. Benefits can include price protection, purchase protection, extended warranty, and easier dispute resolution if you run into issues with the merchant. Some credit cards (such as AMEX) also offer purchase protection, so if an item is lost or damaged within 90 days, you may be able to file a claim.

Next, decide which cards to use. Make a note of the cards that earn the highest cashback at specific merchants, and use the best card for each store. For example:

  • Discover it: earns 5% at Amazon and Target. Both stores are pretty solid choices.
  • Chase Freedom series: PayPal 5x – as long as you check out through PayPal
  • BofA Customized Cash Rewards: you can choose online shopping for 3% cashback; remember to switch your category to online shopping

Also keep an eye on extra cashback through AMEX Offer, Chase Offer, BofA Offer, and similar card-linked promotions. In addition to 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 money with credit cards, there are also many card-linked offers available. These rewards can stack perfectly with both your credit card rewards and cashback portal payouts. So before shopping, make sure to link the credit cards you plan to use. That way, you can save even more without even noticing.

  • Rakuten In Store Cashback (after linking a credit card, you can get extra cashback at many popular stores, such as Sephora, major department stores, baby and maternity retailers, and more)

Cashback Portals

If you’re placing an order with Sam's Club, don’t forget about cashback portals. During Black Friday, major cashback portals often increase their payout rates for merchants. Saving an extra 5%-20% through a portal can be very significant, and it may even be a better deal than waiting in line at the store entrance.礼品卡 Sam's Club 礼品卡 WalmartPayPal

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Stock Up on Gift Cards

Buying discounted gift cards in advance for the merchants you plan to shop is a smart idea, because secondhand gift cards often come with solid discounts. However, gift card prices tend to spike during the holiday shopping days themselves. Recommended places to stock up:

Practical Shopping Strategy

Online Orders

Late at night on November 28 is when most retailers start their online sales. Enter your payment information and address in advance. Open the major cashback portals, compare payout rates, and choose the best one. Then, based on the sale timeline you prepared earlier for each merchant, be ready to buy right when the deals go live.

In-Store Shopping

Online orders can usually cover most needs, but going to the store and experiencing the excitement can also be fun. On the afternoon of the 29th, eat a good meal ahead of time, then head out around 4-5 PM to line up at the stores you want to visit. While you wait, employees may hand out a store map, which you can use to plan the fastest route to the products you want.

For hot items (such as certain game consoles or toys), employees may hand out tickets with numbers on them, indicating that the item has been reserved for you. If you get a ticket while waiting in line, you can go line up at the next store right away, then come back before closing that night to pay and pick it up. Be sure to ask employees for the exact checkout deadline, since some stores may still require you to enter and pay immediately.

As for returns, many retailers extend the return window for items purchased between Black Friday and Christmas until January 31 of the following year. If you’re not satisfied, or if the price drops and the store won’t match it, you can choose to return the item.