There’s no denying the immensity of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the biggest sales of the year in terms of shopper engagement, retailer participation and total revenue. But recently, it’s become near impossible to distinguish between them. Black Friday once centered around in-person shopping, while Cyber Monday focused on online sales — now, those rules don’t apply. Online shopping dominates both. Since retailers offer deals weeks ahead, November is one big promotional period. The line between where Black Friday ends and Cyber Monday begins has become blurry, so much so that the experts I spoke to say it doesn’t exist.

With hundreds of sales to sort through and weeks’ worth of deals to shop, how can you be sure you’re taking advantage of the absolute best ones? To answer all your questions, I put together this Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping guide based on my five years covering the sales. I also talked to experts to get their advice about what to buy, what to skip and whether to take advantage of early deals. I’ll frequently update this guide throughout the next two weeks.

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When do Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales start?

Black Friday is on Nov. 29, 2024, and Cyber Monday is on Dec. 2, 2024. However, sales are not exclusive to those two days. Many retailers’ early Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales have already begun, including at Walmart, Home Depot and REI. You’ll see even more pop up as we get closer to Thanksgiving.

When do Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales end?

The strongest sales end on Cyber Monday, says Mackenzie Shand, shopping expert at RetailMeNot, a deal-finding and cash back site. But since many people shop for holiday gifts through mid-December, retailers continue offering discounts, although they’re typically weaker compared to Black Friday and Cyber Monday prices.

Between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, we tend to see retailers stop using “Black Friday” language on Saturday — by Sunday, they’re fully in Cyber Monday mode. Despite the name change, however, the products on sale and their discounts are largely the same.

Should you shop early Black Friday sales?

Yes, you should shop early Black Friday sales, says Shand. Retailers typically offer very similar (or the exact same) discounts between now and the official event — even if prices drop slightly, the difference tends to be negligible. “It’s smart to scope out early Black Friday pricing and get some shopping out of the way if the price is right for your budget,” says Vipin Porwal, CEO and a consumer savings expert at Smarty, a cashback browser extension.

Also keep in mind that some retailers start their official Black Friday sales now and host them through Cyber Monday, says Shand. Once you see information on retailers’ websites about sales ending in early December, you can feel confident that live deals are as good as they will get.

There’s another big reason you shouldn’t wait to shop: popular products can sell out. It’s wise to take advantage of deals on highly sought-after items as soon as you see them, especially for toys and tech from notable brands like Apple, Lego and Nintendo.

With that said, most retailers add brand new deals to their sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday because they’re competing for your shopping cart, says Porwal. So if you do some shopping now, consider browsing again on Black Friday and Cyber Monday in case a new deal catches your eye.

What are the best products to buy on Black Friday and Cyber Monday?

Products and services across all categories go on sale during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. However, the absolute best discounts tend to be on giftable items like toys, tech and gadgets, home goods, small kitchen appliances and home appliances like vacuums, says Shand. Tech deals are especially competitive on Black Friday and Cyber Monday — Porwal recommends keeping an eye on TVs and related accessories, smartphones, smart home technology, laptops, tablets and video games. You’ll also see strong apparel deals, especially at stores that offer sitewide discounts, says Porwal.

While shopping Black Friday and Cyber Monday, don’t forget to poke around subscription services and travel sites for deals, says Shand. We’ve seen deep discounts on streaming services in recent years, and since they won’t sell out like tangible products will, you can wait to sign up on Cyber Monday in case the deal gets better, she says.

What should you skip buying on Black Friday and Cyber Monday?

Brands and retailers wait until Black Friday and Cyber Monday to offer their best prices of the year, so there aren’t any products experts recommend outright avoiding during the sales. If you’re not in a rush, however, you can wait until President’s Day to buy a new mattress, as well as large home and kitchen appliances, says Shand — discounts tend to be just as good, if not better, around that time. You also might see better prices on winter apparel and footwear during clearance sales as the spring approaches.

Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday: What’s the difference?

“Black Friday and Cyber Monday are not so different at this point,” says Shand. Black Friday used to be dedicated to in-person shopping, while Cyber Monday was for online shopping. But now, e-commerce dominates both events. There’s no real separation between them, so some people refer to the five days from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday as “the Cyber Five.” Additionally, because early deals start weeks before the official events and the entire month of November is concentrated with sales, experts coined the term “Black November.”

Are there better deals on Cyber Monday?

No, there usually aren’t better deals on Cyber Monday, so experts recommend thinking about it as your absolute last chance to shop. “We tend to see an extension of Black Friday deals, not deeper discounts,” says Shand.

Should you shop in-stores or online during Black Friday?

There are pros and cons to shopping in-store and online during Black Friday. Ultimately, it’s a matter of personal preference — here are a few factors to consider when making your decision:

1. Online shopping is more convenient than in-store shopping, and it is easier to compare prices across sites. Retailers also tend to offer a wider variety of discounts online, says Shand.
2. Retailers want to make in-store shopping a special experience for customers on Black Friday, so they may offer exclusive deals and gifts with purchase at their locations, says Porwal.
3. Shopping in-store lets you try on and touch items and take them home that day. You can also buy products online and pick them up in stores, depending on where you shop.

Can you return Black Friday and Cyber Monday purchases?

Unless otherwise noted by the retailer, you can return Black Friday and Cyber Monday purchases, says Porwal. A retailer’s standard return policy applies to items you buy on sale in most cases but always read the fine print in case there are exceptions. If something is a final sale and can’t be returned, retailers explicitly tell you, says Shand. Also, watch for extended return options, which some retailers offer around the holidays, says Porwal.

Are stores open for Black Friday shopping on Thanksgiving?

No, most stores are not open for in-person Black Friday shopping on Thanksgiving. For example, big retailers like Target, Walmart, Home Depot, Best Buy and Costco close their doors so employees can spend the holiday with loved ones. If you want to shop Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving, do so online.

What is Travel Tuesday?

Travel Tuesday is dedicated to sales on travel-related purchases, like flights, hotels and cruises. You might also see sales on travel-related products, like suitcases and toiletry bags. Travel Tuesday happens the day after Cyber Monday, so it’s on Dec. 3, 2024.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping tips

Planning is key to shopping Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Doing so helps you focus on what you’re looking for and ensures you’re taking advantage of the best deals possible. Below are a few expert tips to ensure you’re successful during the events.

Don’t wait to buy what’s on your wishlist

During Black Friday and Cyber Monday, shopping traffic peaks online and in stores. Products tend to sell out quickly, so once you find a great deal, add it to your cart and check out. Not doing so may mean you miss the discount, especially since you don’t know if it will be restocked.

Sign up to receive notifications about sales and deals

Retailers constantly drop deals up to and during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Signing up for email lists, app push alerts and SMS messages helps you stay updated about what’s new, says Porwal. This is also how you’ll get the best shot at purchasing a popular product — retailers are likely to let shoppers know when it goes on sale so you can buy it immediately.

Make a shopping list

Big savings events are geared toward impulse shopping — retailers bet on shoppers feeling tempted by deals and adding more items to their carts than originally planned. That’s why it’s important to make a shopping list: it keeps you organized and helps you focus on products you need or budgeted for, says Shand. Some people prefer a classic pen-and-paper list, but it’s easier to bookmark links or add items you’re interested in to your shopping cart.

Consider shopping with a credit card

Using a credit card to shop during Black Friday and Cyber Monday may allow you to earn points or take advantage of exclusive rewards. Certain cards let you earn cash back at specific retailers, and some also offer welcome bonuses or points.

Compare prices and rewards across retailers’ sites

Retailers compete for your shopping cart during Black Friday and Cyber Monday by “price chasing” each other — this means an item sold at multiple retailers will likely have the exact (or almost exact) price tag across the board. In these cases, deciding which retailer to buy from comes down to the details, like shipping price, stackable promo codes, extended warranty offers and where you can use or gain the maximum rewards points, says Porwal. Also weigh different retailers’ cashback offers, which lets you earn money while you shop, says Shand.

To make comparing prices easy, I recommend using tools like Keepa, CamelCamelCamel and Honey. They help you monitor prices before and during the sale and send you price-drop alerts on specific products. You can also plug items into these tools to see if their prices were lower during another point of the year — if they were, you may want to wait to buy them.

Keep extended returns and price matching in mind

If you’re purchasing an item that requires a size, like clothing, shoes or bedding, read through the retailer’s return policy before you checkout. You don’t want to get stuck with something that’s not right for you, so it’s important to know how long the return window is and if the retailer has any exceptions to its policy.

Also, don’t forget about price matching. Some retailers will match the price of a product to that of their competitors if you find an item for less at another store within a specific timeframe. But price matching programs may exclude Black Friday and Cyber Monday purchases, so read the fine print.

Meet our experts

At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure that all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and with no undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.

• Mackenzie Shand is a shopping expert at RetailMeNot, a deal-finding and cash back site.
• Vipin Porwal is the CEO and a consumer savings expert at Smarty, a cashback browser extension.

Why trust NBC Select?

I’m a reporter at NBC Select who has reported about Black Friday and Cyber Monday since 2020. I wrote NBC Select’s history of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and frequently cover major shopping holidays. For this piece, I interviewed two experts, as well as researched shopping trends and consumer spending data.