The annual Black Friday is just around the corner. This year, in the context of the trade war, more people will choose to “stock up” during Black Friday. Below I’ll share some of my tips for finding deals. I’ll start with a summary of ads so you can quickly find what you need. This will be updated continuously.

Cyber Monday Deal (real-time updates)

Black Friday real-time updated good deals (some have expired):

【11/21 更新】 On the night of the 21st, Black Friday deals at various stores officially begin! Everyone should pay attention to whether it is midnight in which time zone, or a specific time. Some merchants' times are as follows:

  • Amazon ad: for example, super-low-priced TVs, game consoles, and more, and they may also match other merchants' prices
  • Walmart ad roundup: the earliest, it starts at 10pm ET / 7pm PT! If you want something, prepare early; hot items will sell out quickly.
  • Best Buy ad link: 11pm ET. Plenty of deals on computers, game consoles, and TVs.
  • Kohl's ad: 11pm ET. Recommended: Xbox One S 1TB Minecraft Creator Console Bundle + $60 Kohl's Cash = $199, Samsung 58" 4,000 Smart TV + $165 Kohl's Cash = $549.99, Dyson V10 Animal + $150 Kohl's Cash = $499.99
  • Target ad link: 3am ET. Highlights include a 55-inch 4,000 TV for 199.99 ($50 cheaper than last year), PS4 slim + Spider-Man game for 199.99, iPad 2018 and iPad mini 4 for 249.99, Apple Watch S3 for 199.99, and PS VR for 199.99

In short, this year all the major retailers can't wait and are getting ready to lock in customers early!

【11/16 更新】 Starting on the 16th, Amazon Device BF deals began a week early. Deals will roll out over the next few days, and based on last year they should continue until BF day. If you need to buy Echo Dot, Kindle, or similar items, you can buy them early. That way you won't have to wait several days for shipping when you place a Black Friday order. Specific deals and other deals are summarized below:

Black Friday ad roundup

Amazon

Amazon will roll out deals every day from Nov. 1 to Nov. 23. On Nov. 22-23, it will offer the biggest deals, such as ultra-low-priced TVs and game consoles, and may even match competitors' prices.

Best Buy

CVS

  • CVS ad link
  • A ton of items are free after ExtraBucks. Don't miss this if you shop at CVS often!

Target

Highlights include a 55-inch 4K TV for 199.99 (50 cheaper than last year), PS4 Slim + Spider-Man game for 199.99, iPad 2018 and iPad Mini 4 for 249.99, Apple Watch Series 3 for 199.99, and PS VR for 199.99

  • Tips: Target RedCard 5% off

eBay

Sam's Club

Microsoft

Walmart

Other merchants

  • Dell ad: Recommended are the $1,499 Alienware 15 or the $1,599 Alienware 17, both with 8th-gen i7 and GTX 1070 specs
  • Kohl's ad: Recommended Xbox One S 1TB Minecraft Creator Console Bundle + $60 Kohl's Cash = $199, Samsung 58" 4K Smart TV + $165 Kohl's Cash = $549.99, Dyson V10 Animal + $150 Kohl's Cash = $499.99
  • Macy's: kitchenware, clothing
  • JCPenney ad: A bunch of small kitchen appliances for just a few dollars each; worth trying them all

Black Friday Deal Summary

TVs:

  • 43-inch 4K: Best Buy $129.99 (in store only, very hard to get)
  • 55-inch 4K: Target $199.99 (in store only)
  • 65-inch 4K: Walmart $398 (in store only)

Laptops:

iPad:

iPhone (installment plan required):

  • Walmart: iPhone XS/XSMAX/XR get $300 GC

Game consoles:

  • PS4: $199 at major retailers
  • XBOX ONE S: Kohl's $199 with $60 Kohl's Cash
  • XBOX ONE X: Kohl's $399 with $120 Kohl's Cash

Black Friday Introduction

Black Friday refers to the day after Thanksgiving (Friday). This year it falls on Nov. 23, and starting that day people begin preparing Christmas gifts. Merchants will start releasing their strongest deals of the year on that day, and some deals will last through Christmas. A lot of items are basically at their lowest prices of the year, and you usually won't find a lower price before the next Black Friday. If you have anything to buy, especially big-ticket items like appliances, don't miss this window.

In recent years, merchants have been moving Black Friday up by one day and opening deals on Thanksgiving Day instead, also known as Black Thursday. In general, online sales start on Wednesday night or Thursday at midnight, and in-store sales open on Thursday evening on Thanksgiving. Important things, said three times!

Online on Nov 21 late night, in stores on Nov 22 evening

Online on Nov 21 late night, in stores on Nov 22 evening

Online on Nov 21 late night, in stores on Nov 22 evening

Black Friday Prep

Know Yourself and Know the Competition

Know yourself means knowing your own needs and what you want to buy. Knowing the competition means knowing what merchants are discounting, and when. Of course, if you do not know your own needs, you can also create them while browsing merchant ads. Every year, major retailers release Black Friday ads in early to mid-November (link above). They contain important information, including which items are discounted, the sale prices, and the exact sale times (in-store/online). These details should be analyzed carefully. Every year I read these ads several times in advance, compare offers, and make my shopping strategy. I recommend recording the following information:

Online sale start time: usually midnight on the 22nd, which is late night on the 21st. Different stores use midnight in different time zones for the sale start (stores that start at midnight Eastern Time: Walmart, Microsoft, Sam's Club; stores that start at midnight Central Time: Kohl's, Best Buy; stores that start at midnight Pacific Time: Target, Amazon).

Store opening time: usually in the afternoon on the 22nd, with stores gradually opening starting at 5-6 p.m. local time.

Names, SKUs, and prices of the items you want to buy: this makes it easy to add them to your cart right on time and place the order immediately after the price changes.

Credit Cards

For things your household needs, it is recommended to buy with a credit card. Benefits include price protection, purchase protection, extended warranty, and it is also easier to file a claim if you have a dispute with the merchant.

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

Next, it is time to prepare which cards to use. Write down cards with higher cashback at specific merchants in your notebook, and use the card with the highest cashback when shopping at that merchant, for example:

Opening a new card to earn the sign-up bonus is also a good choice. Recently there have been some all-time-high offers, so apply now and get the card in time for the holidays:

Credit Card Link Offers

In addition to saving money with credit cards, there are also many offers for linking credit cards. These cashback offers can stack perfectly with both credit card rewards and cashback portals. So, remember to link the credit cards you want to use before shopping, so that when you pay, you can quietly save even more money.

  • Drop APP (after linking a credit card, get an extra 1%-2% cashback at merchants such as Amazon, Target, and Walmart)
  • Dosh App (after linking a credit card, get 2% cashback at merchants such as Sam's Club)
  • Ebates In-Store Cashback (after linking a credit card, you can get extra cashback at many favorite merchants, such as Sephora, major department stores, baby product stores, and more)
  • Recent good AMEX OFFERS (many merchants offer 10%-20% cashback, and many merchants offer 2x points)

Cashback Portals

If you are ordering online, do not forget cashback portals. During Black Friday, major cashback portals may also increase merchant cashback rates. Using a cashback portal to save an extra 5%-20% can be quite meaningful, and it may even be cheaper than lining up outside the 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

It is a good idea to stock up on discounted gift cards in advance for merchants you plan to buy from, because secondhand gift cards usually come with fairly large discounts. However, during the holiday rush, the prices of various gift cards will surge. Recommended places to stock up:

Field Guide

Online Orders

Late night on Nov 21 is when most merchants start their online deals. Open each store's website in advance and save your payment information and address. Open major cashback portals, compare cashback rates to choose the corresponding site, and then follow the timeline for each store that you prepared in your notebook earlier. Be ready to snag deals right on time.

In-Store

In general, online orders can solve most needs, but going to the store and experiencing the lively atmosphere is also a very nice experience.

Have an early meal on the afternoon of the 22nd, head out to the store you want to visit at 4-5 p.m. sharp, and line up. While you are waiting in line, store staff will hand out a store map. Use the map to go straight to the items you need. For popular items (such as certain game consoles or toys), staff will hand out a ticket with a number on it, which means you have reserved that item. If you can get a ticket while waiting in line, you can go line up at the next store and come back before the store closes at night to pay and buy it (ask the staff for the exact checkout deadline; some stores may still require you to line up and check out immediately). My ticket from a previous year is shown below

As for after-sales service, most merchants allow items bought during the period from Black Friday to Christmas to be returned until January 31 of the following year. If you are not satisfied, or if you find a price drop that cannot be matched, you can choose to return the item.