Thursday, 11 November, 2021 UTC
Summary
UPDATE: Nov. 10, 2021, 7:30 p.m. EST This post has been updated with the latest deals from Walmart's second Black Friday Deals for Days sale.
We've rounded up all of the best early Black Friday deals as of Nov. 10 — here are our top picks:
- BEST TV DEAL: Amazon Fire TV 50-inch Omni Series 4K UHD smart TV, an all-new 4K display with hands-free voice control and two-way video calling; it's on sale for the first time ever — $359.99 $509.99 (save 29%)
- BEST ROBOT VACUUM DEAL: iRobot Roomba j7 is the newest and first Roomba with obstacle-avoiding PrecisionVision Navigation — $499 $649.99 (save $150.99)
- BEST APPLE DEAL: Apple AirPods with Charging Case (2nd Gen) are the OG wireless earbuds; grab a pair on sale at their lowest price to date — $89 $129 (save 31%)
- BEST SMART HOME DEAL: Amazon Echo Show 5 (1st Gen) is an Alexa-enabled smart display from 2019 that just hit a new all-time-low price — $39.99 $79.99 (save 50%) + free Sengled smart bulb
- BEST LAPTOP DEAL: Samsung Chromebook 4, a super durable laptop from late 2020 that packs an Intel Celeron N4020 processor and 32GB of storage — $129 $199.99 (save 35%)
- BEST FITNESS DEAL: The Mirror, a full-length smart mirror that can stream live and on-demand workout videos — $995 $1,495 (save $500) + free delivery with code HOLIDAY21
- BEST GAMING DEAL: Target is running a "buy two, get one free" sale on select video games, including brand new titles like Call of Duty: Vanguard and Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy — save up to $119.99
- BEST KITCHEN DEAL: Keurig Limited Edition Jonathan Adler K-Mini Brewer, a colorful variant of the compact, single-serve coffee machine — $49.99 $99.99 (save 50%)
- BEST AIR FRYER DEAL: Chefman French Door Air Fryer+ Oven is a massive (26-quart!) air fryer that can whip up enough fries or pizza rolls for the entire family — $99 $149 (save 34%)
- MOST ICONIC DEAL: The Twilight Saga: Complete 5-Movie Collection (DVD) — because the Twilight Renaissance is upon us, loca — $7.96 $13 (save 39%)
Did it hurt? When you realized we're in the thick of our second pandemic holiday shopping season?
Stores began soft-launching their Black Friday deals in October to get a jump on the supply chain chaos that's making "availability" a central theme in this year's sales. But now that November is here, things are really ramping up.
Below, you'll find a complete list of all the Black Friday doorbusters that are live right now (with sales grouped by retailer, category, and brand). We continue to update this post as more deals pop up, but don't hold out too long if something on your shopping list is already enjoying a discount — it may not be in stock for much longer.
The best deals at each retailerAmazon: Amazon got the earliest start on this year's Black Friday sales and will continue to drop holiday doorbusters every day in the lead-up to Black Friday proper. (Its inventory tends to change the most, so check back often — you can find out what's up for grabs by visiting its Early Black Friday Deals page, installing its mobile app, or by asking your smart home device, “Alexa, what are my deals?") At the time of writing, its best deals included some deep discounts on the new Fire TV Omni and Fire TV 4-Series smart displays, $250 off some adjustable Bowflex dumbells, and a new all-time-low price for the first-gen Echo Show 5 (which also comes with a free Sengled smart bulb).
Bed Bath & Beyond: This year's slow burner, BB&B had a five-day early holiday sale from Nov. 3 to 7 but has yet to drop its official Black Friday ad scan. Check back for deals!
Best Buy: The electronics store's official Black Friday sale begins a whole week early (on Friday, Nov. 19), but don't bother waiting: It's treating the entire month of November like one big Black Friday celebration, running thousands of deals across multiple events that are all covered by its new "Black Friday Price Guarantee." (Early doorbusters included a $999 iMac, a $60 discount on the Fitbit Versa 2, and a 50% markdown on a limited-edition Keurig K-Mini.) My Best Buy and Best Buy Totaltech members can also shop some exclusive "Member Mondays" series of deals at the beginning of each week, so there are plenty of opportunities to save.
Dell: A few other stores beat Dell to the punch this year — it's usually among the first to release its holiday ad scan — but its official Black Friday event will begin earlier than most on Monday, Nov. 15. In the meantime, you can shop a preview sale featuring some "lowest prices of the year" on things like gaming PCs (up to 33% off), XPS and Inspiron laptops (up to $300 off), and brand-name monitors (up to 45% off).
HP: The techies over at HP are rolling their Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals into one big ol' sale from Nov. 25 to Cyber Monday (its "biggest savings event of the year," per the ad scan), which drops prices on Microsoft Office software and tons of Windows 11 laptops and PCs. As far as early pickings go, check out the Weekly Deals page on its website to score 42% off the HP ENVY 17-inch Laptop and get an HP Chromebook 11a-nb0047nr for just $149.99 (normally $259.99).
JCPenney: The department store is keeping things pretty traditional this year with a three-day Black Friday sale from Nov. 26 to 28. But like most of its peers, it's also putting a sprinkling of weekly deals and doorbusters up on its website all month long. (Highlights include up to 60% off select mattresses, 20% off a Shark stick vacuum, and this $50 hardside suitcase.) If you're patient/brave enough to wait for the big day, make sure to keep an eye out for some seriously good kitchen deals — select gadgets from Black + Decker and Bella Essentials will be marked down to a mere $8 each (!) after some rebates.
Kohl's: After teasing some of its holiday offers in mid-October, Kohl's officially dropped its ad scan and kicked off a Black Friday preview event on Nov. 5. That sale runs in stores and online through Nov. 10 and features killer markdowns on items across all of its departments, from $100 off last year's Fitbit Sense (now $199.99) to $30 off the Ninja Air Fryer Max XL (now $129.99); on top of that, you can take 15% off select items using the code GET15 and earn $10 in Kohl's Cash for every $50 spent. Be sure to mark your calendar for Nov. 21, which is when its official Black Friday sale begins — we'll see the return of its excellent $15 for $50 Kohl’s Cash offer on select days.
Macy's: The mall stalwart is offering "unbeatable deals" and "early-access specials" each week of November ahead of its big holiday sale (which begins a few days early on Tuesday, Nov. 23 and goes through Saturday, Nov. 27). Head over to its website today to shop a quick Black Friday One Day Sale with deals like 25% off Homesick candles, 15% off the Bartesian premium cocktail machine (discount shown at checkout), and this $18 waffle maker.
Target: The bullseye brand is getting a head start on Black Friday with a series of weeklong Holiday Best sales, the second of which is live now — peep these $100 Beats headphones, this Dyson vacuum that's 29% off (ignore the slightly inflated list price), and these LEGO sets that get you a $10 Target gift card for every $50 spent. It's also worth noting that Target's holiday price match policy is now in effect through Dec. 24, and you can also take advantage of two new "buy now, pay later" payment options through Sezzle and Affirm.
Walmart: The big box store has revived its popular Black Friday Deals for Days event from 2020, this time spreading it out over three sales throughout the month of November. (Like Target, it's also nixed layaway in favor of a new "buy now, pay later" program as part of its partnership with Affirm.) Its second sale began online at 7 p.m. ET on Nov. 10 and continues in stores at 5 a.m. local time on Nov. 12. Shop can't-miss doorbusters like $89 AirPods (!!!), the Samsung Chromebook 4 for $129, and the massive, 26-quart Chefman French Door Air Fryer+ Oven for just $99. If you're worried something on your list will sell out, join Walmart+ — paying members are getting online access to its holiday offers four hours earlier than everyone else. Keep your eyes peeled for third sales day event, the date of which hasn't been released yet.
Best tech deals On sale for the first time ever, Amazon's new Fire TV Omni Series smart displays feature hands-free Alexa voice control. Credit: Amazon
23andMe: Save up to 52% on select DNA tests (starting at just $79).
AeroGarden: Take 40% off its Sprout and Harvest indoor gardens (now $59.99 and $89.97, respectively), 44% off the Harvest 360 (now $83.99), 35% off the Harvest Elite (now $116.97), and 47% off the Harvest Elite Slim (now $99.99).
Amazon Echo: Save 50% on the first-gen Echo Show 5 (now $39.99) and get a free Sengled smart bulb.
Amazon Fire TV: Get half off the latest Fire TV Stick 4K (now $24.99) or grab one of the new Fire TV Omni or Fire 4-Series smart displays on sale for up to 30% off (starting at $329.99).
AncestryDNA: Save 40% on a DNA test kit (now $59).
ASUS: Get $110 off a VivoBook Flip 14 Laptop with an Intel Core i3-10110U processor, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage (now $379).
Blue: Get up to 33% off the Yeti USB Mic (now $99.99).
Bose: Take 33% off the QuietComfort 35 II noise-canceling headphones (now $199).
Canon: Save up to 23% on select cameras and accessories.
Cricut: Get the Cricut Explore Air 2 on sale at Target for 26% off (now $169), or head to Walmart to grab a Cricut Maker Holiday Bundle (worth $493.96) for just $259 — a 48% savings.
Dyson: Take $100 off the V8 Motorhead Origin (now $249.99).
Facebook: Save up to 35% on Facebook Portal smart video-calling devices (starting at $117).
Fitbit: Get 33% off the Fitbit Sense (now $199.95), 34% off the Fitbit Versa 2 (now $119), and 40% off the Fitbit Inspire 2 (now $59.95).
Garmin: Save 43% on the Garmin Venu GPS smartwatch (now $199.99), get up to 35% off the Garmin Venu Sq fitness/sport smartwatch (starting at $129.99), or take 43% off the Garmin Instinct rugged outdoor watch (now $169.99).
Google: Get half off the second-gen Nest Mini smart speaker (now $24.99).
GoPro: Get $50 off the HERO9 Black and the new HERO10 Black (now $349.99 and $449, respectively).
Honeywell Home: Save 41% on the WiFi Smart Color Thermostat (now $99).
HP: Take 42% off the HP ENVY 17-inch Laptop (now $699.99) and 43% off the HP Chromebook 11a-nb0047nr (now $149.99).
Insignia: Save 41% on the brand's bestselling 24-inch smart TV (now $99.99), or buy its 58-inch Class F30 Series 4K smart TV on sale for 40% off (now $349.99) to score three months of Apple TV+ and a 30-day trial of FuboTV for free.
Jabra: Save $80 on the Elite 85t true wireless earbuds (now $149.99).
JBL: Get 40% off its Tune series of headphones (starting at $29.95).
Lenovo: Take 71% off the ThinkSmart View for Microsoft Teams (now $99.99) and 57% off the Smart Clock with Google Assistant (now $34.99).
LG: Get up to 28% off its C1 Series of 4K OLED smart TVs (starting at $1,096.99), our favorite displays for gaming.
Marshall: Save $50 on the Kilburn II portable Bluetooth speaker (now $249.99).
Microsoft: Get up to $200 off the Surface Laptop Go, take up to $400 off the Surface Pro 7, save up to $700 on the Surface Book 3, or grab a Surface Pro 8 Essentials Bundle to snag a free pair of Surface Earbuds (worth $199.99).
Nikon: Take up to 20% off select cameras and lenses.
Revlon: Save 42% on the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer (now $34.99), a budget-friendly alternative to the Dyson Airwrap.
Roku: Save 43% on the Roku Premiere (now $19.88 — its lowest price to date), get 42% off the new Roku Streaming Stick 4K (now $29), and take 31% off the powerful Roku Ultra (now $69).
Samsung: Get 34% off the 32GB Galaxy Tab A (now $99.99), 25% off the Galaxy Buds Pro (now $149.99), 47% off the Galaxy Buds+ (now $79), and 55% off a Galaxy Watch3 (now $179.99). Plus, save up to 35% on select Samsung TVs (including The Frame).
Sennheiser: Get up to 40% off select headphones and earbuds (starting at only $19.95).
Sony: Take up to 39% off its BRAVIA XR X90J 4K UHD smart TVs (starting at $898).
TCL: Save 30% on its 43-inch 4-Series 4K Roku smart TV (now $299) or get $150 off its 55-inch 6-Series 4K QLED smart Google TV (now $799.99), which comes with three free months of Apple TV+.
MORE BLACK FRIDAY DEALS ON TVS AND LAPTOPS
Best robot vacuum deals
Robot vacuums: Because no one's ever sat on their deathbed wishing they'd spent more time cleaning. Credit: Bissell
Bissell: Save $100 on the SpinWave Wet and Dry Robotic Vacuum (now $299.99).
eufy: Take 34% off the RoboVac 25C (now $99), 57% off the RoboVac G30 Verge (now $149), and 37% off the RoboVac 15C MAX (now $175.99).
iRobot: Save $150.99 on the brand new Roomba j7 and j7+ (now $499 and $699, respectively), take $100 off the WiFi-connected Roomba 692 (now $199.99), or get a self-emptying Roomba i6+ for 31% off (now $549.99).
Roborock: Get 39% off the S6 MaxV robot vacuum and mop (now $459.99) with an extra savings coupon.
Shark: Take $150 off the Shark IQ Robot Self-Empty XL (now $449.99) and $200 off the Shark EZ Robot (now $349.99).
MORE BLACK FRIDAY DEALS ON ROBOT VACUUMS AND ROOMBAS
Best Apple deals
Apple's next-gen AirPods are here (and already on sale). Credit: Apple
AirPods: Take $70 off the AirPods Max (now $479), 24% off the AirPods Pro (now $189.99), 25% off the second-gen AirPods (now $119), and $4.02 off the new third-gen AirPods (now $174.98 — hey, it's something).
Apple accessories: Save $5 on the MagSafe Charger (now $34), take 22% off the second-gen Apple Pencil (now $99.99), and get 18% off select iPhone 13 accessory bundles (now $169).
Apple TV: Get six months each of Apple Music and Apple News+, a three-month trial of Apple TV+, and 30 days of FuboTV when you grab a 32GB Apple TV 4K on sale for $30 off (now $129.99).
Apple Watch: Save $9.01 on the new 41mm Apple Watch Series 7 (now $389.99), $50 on the 40mm Apple Watch Series 6 (now $349), and $30 on the 38mm Apple Watch Series 3 (now $169). Want one with cellular connectivity instead? Buy it directly from the Apple Store to get $100 back after activation.
Beats: Get half off the Solo3 wireless headphones (now $99.99), 49% off the Studio3 noise-canceling headphones (now $179.99), 40% off the Powerbeats Pro wireless earphones (now $149.99), and $20 off the new Studio Buds (now $129.95).
iPad: Save $60 on an iPad Air with 64GB of storage (now $539), take $120 off the 512GB variant of this year's new 11-inch iPad Pro (now $979), or get up to $150 off select configurations of the latest 12.9-inch iPad Pro (starting at $999). You can also buy any iPad with cellular connectivity directly from Apple to score up to $200 back after activation.
iPhone: Get up to $1,000 off the all-new iPhone 13 with a trade-in and qualified activation on a Verizon plan.
iMac: Take $500 off the 21.5-inch iMac with a Retina 4K display, 256GB of storage, 8GB of RAM, and an Intel Core i5 processor (now $999).
MacBook: Get $100 off an M1-equipped MacBook Air with 256GB of storage (now $899.99), save $150 on a 512GB M1 MacBook Pro (now $1,349), or take $49.01 off the base configurations of the latest 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros with the all-new M1 Pro chip (now $1,949.99 and $2,449.99, respectively).
MORE BLACK FRIDAY APPLE DEALS
Best fitness deals
Peloton whomst? Credit: NordicTrack
Bowflex: Save 45% and get a free one-year JRNY membership when you buy a pair of SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells on sale (now $299.99 — don't forget to apply Amazon's extra savings coupon).
Echelon: Take $200.99 off the EX-3 Smart Connect (now $799) and $100.99 off the EX5-S Smart Connect (now $1,499), two Peloton-rivaling fitness bikes, or grab a 40-inch Echelon Reflect smart fitness mirror for 24% off (now $756.33).
The Mirror: Save $500 and get free delivery with code HOLIDAY21 (now $995).
NordicTrack: Get $700 off the new S22i Commercial Studio Cycle and the Commercial 2950 Treadmill (now $1,499 and $2,499.99, respectively), $400 off the Commercial 1750 Treadmill, and $600 off the RW200 Rower (now $699.99); all four come with a 30-day iFIT membership.
ProForm: Take $200 off the Carbon T10 and Pro 5000 treadmills (now $999.99 and $1,499.99, respectively).
Schwinn: Save $200 on the IC4 Indoor Cycling Bike (now $999) and get a free one-year JRNY membership.
Tonal: Save $250 on the Tonal home gym system (now $2,745).
MORE BLACK FRIDAY FITNESS DEALS
Best gaming deals
This spring's new "Mass Effect" remaster includes the original trilogy and over 40 DLCs. Credit: EA
2K: Save on select games for the Nintendo Switch, including BioShock: The Collection (now $20) and The Outer Worlds (now $24).
Dell: Save up to 33% on select gaming PCs, including laptops from the brand's premium Alienware line (starting at $699.99), or take $70 off the new Dell 24-inch Curved Gaming Monitor (now $179.99).
EA: Get 37% off Xbox copies of Madden NFL 22 (now $37.75) and Mass Effect: Legendary Edition (now $37.64).
JBL: Get up to 25% off its Quantum line of gaming headsets (starting at $29.95).
Lenovo: Take $160.99 off a Lenovo Legion 5 gaming laptop with an AMD Ryzen 5 5600H processor, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics (now $749).
Logitech: Save 35% on the G935 wireless gaming headset (now $109.99).
Microsoft: Get your first three months of Xbox Game Pass for PC for just $1.
MSI: Get 23% off a GS75 Stealth Gaming Laptop with an Intel Core i7-10875H processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 graphics, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage (now $1,349).
Razer: Take 20% off the Huntsman Elite gaming keyboard (now $159.99) and 38% off the Wolverine Ultimate Xbox and PC controller (now $99.99). Plus, grab last year's Razer Blade 15 gaming laptop on sale for 35% off (now $1,697.82) — this particular configuration comes with an Intel Core i7-10875H processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Super Max-Q graphics, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage.
Rockstar: Save 66% on a copy of Red Dead Redemption II for PS4 (now $19.99).
Samsung: Get $250 off its 49-inch QLED Gaming Monitor (now $1,049.99).
Square Enix: Save 50% on Marvel's Avengers for Playstation 4 and the Day One Edition of Outriders for PS5 (now $19.99 each).
Steelseries: Take 25% off the Arctis 7 gaming headset (now $127.18).
Target: Select video games are buy two, get one free (including new titles like Call of Duty: Vanguard and Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy).
WD: Take up to 39% off select My Passport SSDs (starting at $229.99).
MORE BLACK FRIDAY GAMING DEALS
Best kitchen deals
Save on some fancy French cookware from Le Creuset. Credit: Le Creuset
Breville: Take 20% off the Smart Oven Pro (now $223.95).
Chefman: Save $50 on the family-size, 26-quart French Door Air Fryer+ Oven (now $99.99).
Instant Pot: Get 13% off the 6-quart Duo Crisp (now $129.95) and 17% off the 6-quart Duo Plus (now $99.99).
Keurig: Save 50% on a limited-edition K-Mini (now $49.99), 44% on the K-Duo (now $99.99), and 20% on the K-Duo Essentials (now $79).
Le Creuset: Take 40% off the French brand's 3.5-quart Sauteuse (now $179.95).
Ninja: Take $80 off the 6.5-quart Foodi TenderCrisp Pressure Cooker (now $149) and score $50 off the Foodi Smart XL Grill (now $249.99).
Nutribullet: Save 47% on the RX countertop blender (now $79.99).
PowerXL: Get 50% off its 10-quart Dual Basket Air Fryer and 5-quart Single Basket Air Fryer (now $99.99 and $59.99, respectively).
MORE BLACK FRIDAY DEALS ON INSTANT POTS AND AIR FRYERS
Best house and home deals
Tuft & Needle makes some of Mashable's favorite beds-in-a-box. Credit: Tuft & Needle
Amazon: Get up to 30% off select rugs.
Birch: Get $400 off a mattress and two free Eco-Rest pillows with code BFSALE400.
Casper: Save up to 30% on select mattresses.
Homesick: Get up to 25% off select candles (starting at $20.23).
JCPenney: Take up to 60% off select mattresses and up to 40% off select furniture.
Leesa: Get up to $400 off mattresses and 15% off sleep bundles.
Tuft & Needle: Save up to 20% on select mattresses and sleep accessories.
Best toy deals
Yes, Hermione, I think this is going be *exactly* like Wizard's Chess. Credit: LEGO
Amazon: Get up to 50% off a handful of children's books.
Baby Alive: Take up to 10% off select dolls, sets, and accessories.
Barbie: Save up to 10% on select dolls and playsets.
Best Buy: Get up to $39 off select STEM toys (starting at just $7.99).
Elmer's: Take 12% off a metallic slime kit (now $10.99).
Hover-1: Save 38% on the iridescent Aviator eScooter and 26% on the iridescent Self-Balancing Scooter (now $199.99 each).
Kinetic Sand: Save 15% on the Kinetic Sand Sandisfactory Set (now $16.97).
LEGO: Get a free $10 gift card when you spend $50 on select LEGO sets at Target, or grab a 1,500-piece LEGO Classic Bricks and Animals Building Set on sale at Walmart for half off (now $29).
L.O.L. Surprise!: Get half off a 6-pack of L.O.L Surprise! Bling Series dolls (now $35), or pick up an L.O.L. Surprise! Remix Hair Flip Tot figurine with 15 surprises for just $7.99 (a 50% savings).
PAW Patrol: Save 42% on a three-piece City PAW Patroller playset inspired by PAW Patrol: The Movie (now $34).
Ruko: Save $20 on the voice-controlled Ruko Smart Robot (now $109.99) with an extra savings coupon.
Tamagotchi: Get 34% off the floral/pink Tamagotchi Pix (now $39.46).
Target: Buy two, get one free on select board games, activity kits, puzzles, video games, movies, and books.
MORE BLACK FRIDAY TOY DEALS
Don't forget to order a little something nice for yourself this year. You earned it. Credit: Vicky Leta / Mashable
Stores began cramming our inboxes with Black Friday-worthy deals in early October (starting with Amazon's "Epic Daily Deals" event, which kicked off Oct. 4). It probably felt a bit preemptive, like those neighbors who insist on putting up their Christmas lights while the trees are still green, but they actually had a very good reason to get a jump on this year's sales.
And no, it wasn't just a good, old-fashioned cash grab in response to some strong holiday spending forecasts.
Shipping delays and supply chain chaosThe global economy is grappling with some unprecedented supply chain challenges as the result of the Delta variant, which continues to inflame pandemic-related material scarcities, labor shortages, and shipping bottlenecks across industries of all kinds. (Under circumstances absolutely no one had on their bingo card, pickles and paper bags have gotten as elusive as Playstation 5s.)
Unsurprisingly, the ordeal has left most major manufacturers and retailers scrambling. Amazon is trying to lure in an extra 150,000 seasonal employees with the promise of $3,000 sign-on bonuses and higher pay for certain shifts, while Walmart, Home Depot, and Ikea have all gone so far as to charter private cargo ships to make sure their shelves are stocked for the season. Apple, meanwhile, is "predicting that we're going to be short of demand by larger than $6 billion" heading into the holidays, CEO Tim Cook said in a recent interview with Reuters.
For us consumers, this all means that finding the best deals this holiday season will likely be an ongoing question of availability more so than price.
"There will always be sales, but they won’t be as deep and as plentiful," Bain & Company's Aaron Cheris told CNBC. (He's the head of the consulting firm's Americas Retail practice.) "As a retailer or a brand, I don’t have the same motivation when I know I’m going to stock out."
If you missed out on October's whirlwind of early sales, fret not. Backorders and "sold out" notices haven't besieged stores just yet, but mapping out a game plan now will help you avoid them when they inevitably crop up in the coming weeks. Here are all the must-know details you can use to strategize this holiday shopping season:
What is Black Friday?Black Friday is a shopping holiday that takes place every year on the day right after Thanksgiving. It used to be synonymous with viral fistfights and stampedes and lines that stretched around city blocks before 3 a.m., but COVID-19 has turned it into a mostly online event.
When is Black Friday?While Black Friday proper falls on Nov. 26 this year, most stores have already begun rolling out their holiday doorbusters.
Black Friday versus Cyber Monday — what's the difference?The National Retail Federation officially coined the term "Cyber Monday" in 2005 after it noticed that in previous years, the Monday after Thanksgiving saw a massive uptick in online sales. It credited the phenomenon to two factors: Online retailers were starting to vie for a piece of the Black Friday pie, and shoppers were waiting to peruse the deals on their faster work computers come Monday morning. (At the time, office PCs had better broadband than home setups.)
Last year's Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales effectively bled together since in-person shopping wasn't really a thing. We'll almost certainly see that repeat this year.
What stores will be open for in-person shopping this Black Friday, if any?All major retailers with brick-and-mortar locations have made the call to stay closed on Thanksgiving Day. That's another big change from pre-pandemic years, when many stayed open on the federal holiday so that eager shoppers could start perusing their best deals early. (If you feel the urgent need to do some post-pie shopping that day, you'll have to crack open your laptop instead.) In-person shopping is making a comeback for Black Friday, but be mindful of COVID-related safety procedures and limited store capacities:
- Bed Bath & Beyond: Closed on Thanksgiving; Black Friday hours TBD. Masks are required for all customers (unless you're fully vaccinated) as well as associates, and all stores are following safety plans that include extra cleaning, free wipes and hand sanitizers, employee health screenings, and occupancy limits. Curbside and in-store pickup are available.
- Best Buy: Closed on Thanksgiving; Black Friday hours TBD. Face coverings (available in stores) are recommended for all customers and required for all employees, who are abiding by enhanced safety procedures such as daily wellness checks and regular cleaning of high-touch areas. Curbside and in-store pickup are available.
- JCPenney: Closed on Thanksgiving; doors open at 5 a.m. local time on Black Friday. Its mask policy varies based on local and state mandates, but all locations are following safety measures like regular nightly cleanings, socially distanced queues, contactless checkout, and capacity limits. Curbside pickup is available.
- Kohl's: Closed on Thanksgiving; stores open at 5 a.m. local time on Black Friday. The company is requiring all associates to mask up, recommending that customers in high-risk counties do the same; it's also implemented extra cleaning and safety measures that include placing sanitizer at every register, removing beauty testers, and installing signage that encourages social distancing. Drive-up and in-store pickup are available.
- Macy's: Closed on Thanksgiving; stores are open from 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. local time on Black Friday. Its COVID-19 safety policy includes pre-shift wellness checks for all associates, readily available hand sanitizer, increased cleaning in high-touch areas, extra ventilation, and social distancing; masks are recommended but not required for vaccinated customers except where mandated. Curbside and in-store pickup are available.
- Target: Closed on Thanksgiving; Black Friday hours TBD. Face masks are required for team members and strongly recommended for shoppers in areas with a substantial or high risk of transmission, per CDC guidelines, and increased cleanliness/disinfecting measures have been implemented. (Haven't gotten a vaccine yet? You can do so at select CVS locations within Target stores.) Drive-up and in-store pickup are available.
- Walmart: Closed on Thanksgiving; Black Friday hours TBD. All associates are required to wear a mask (regardless of vaccination status) in areas where there are mandates, and customers are strongly encouraged to do so, too. Stores are spraying carts after use and keeping plastic shields at registers, among other enhanced safety procedures. Curbside and in-store pickup are available.