Should you rush to buy on Black Friday? When to wait on deals and when to click add to cart.
As Black Friday approaches, consumers are bombarded with messages emphasizing urgency, often urging shoppers to seize deals before they disappear. While this sense of urgency can feel exaggerated, the reality is that many deals truly don’t last long. For instance, during the recent Prime Big Deal Days, a personal experience highlighted this fact: after adding items to my Amazon cart, I returned only to find prices had surged by $30, illustrating how quickly discounts can vanish. Traditionally a single-day event, Black Friday has evolved into a weeks-long shopping phenomenon that raises an important question: how urgent should your purchasing decisions be? The answer is somewhat complicated, as many retailers are now extending their sales, making it less clear when the best time to buy is.
This year, Black Friday falls on November 28, but many retailers have already begun offering discounts as early as November 20, with sales continuing through Cyber Monday. This extended shopping window means that while some deals may be available for longer, the most popular items are likely to sell out quickly. To navigate this landscape effectively, shoppers should consider a few strategies to ensure they’re making informed purchases. Tools like camelcamelcamel can track price histories on Amazon, helping consumers determine if they are truly getting the best deal. Additionally, it’s wise to familiarize oneself with retailers’ price match policies, as some, like Target and Best Buy, still offer guarantees that can protect buyers from missing out on lower prices after purchase.
Ultimately, the key to successful shopping during Black Friday is not to get swept away by the frenzy of discounts, but rather to focus on specific products that you genuinely need. By setting clear intentions and monitoring price trends ahead of time, you can make confident purchasing decisions without the fear of missing out on fleeting deals. Moreover, it’s crucial to act swiftly, especially as the event draws closer; the best deals often disappear before the day itself, making early action essential. As you prepare for this year’s shopping spree, remember that while the countdown to Black Friday may create a sense of urgency, being strategic and informed will lead to the most rewarding shopping experience.
Most of the
Black Friday
messaging you receive focuses on urgency. There are numerous “these deals won’t last” and “get it before it’s gone” messages. If you’re desensitized to all of that rushed language, it’s understandable, but it’s not all hyperbole. As we cover year after year of shopping events, one thing is true: deals really don’t last.
We know this is true, looking at the facts alone; through tools like
camelcamelcamel
, you can see a product’s full price history on Amazon. But the most plentiful evidence may be our own experience shopping and tracking deals.
The last Prime Day event,
Prime Big Deal Days
, was the latest shopping event where I really considered the lifetime of a deal. Even while I was working the sale, finding deals and tracking prices, I still found time to load up my Amazon cart with essentials that happened to be on sale. However, I never actually got as far as checking out, so when I signed back on, my cart’s price had increased by $30. It’s the clearest example I’ve experienced of how deals can go away as soon as the event is over.
But with
Black Friday
, things are a little complicated. What used to be a single-day event now lasts for weeks leading up to
Black Friday
and extends for days after. So, it raises the question: Do you really need to rush to buy Black Friday deals? Kind of.
SEE ALSO:
Black Friday 2025: Get live updates on the latest sales, doorbusters, and deal drops
How long do Black Friday deals last?
I wish there were a definitive answer to the question of “how long do Black Friday deals last?” It would certainly make my job easier. However, with early Black Friday deals, day-of-deals, and then Cyber Weekend and Monday deals, it’s often unclear when the savings actually begin and end. This year, Black Friday takes place on Nov. 28, but the savings now start way before the event and even linger after.
In 2025, we’re finding that most retailers are extending Black Friday savings to about two weeks, with many sales starting on Nov. 20 and wrapping up on Dec. 2. That makes knowing when to buy a deal easier, as there’s a strict window to buy in. However, the most prominent retailers, such as Amazon, Target, and Walmart, don’t always offer precise cutoff dates for their sales. When that’s the case, urgency sets in, and you should prepare to buy.
Why should you rush to buy a Black Friday deal?
So why rush to a deal? As mentioned above, if a specified window of availability isn’t provided for a deal, you should grab it before it’s gone. As of Nov. 20, we’re finding most retailers have kicked off their sales and expect prices to stay consistent through Black Friday. Don’t plan for deals to linger past Black Friday itself, and anticipate that the most in-demand deals will sell out before then.
But with this sense of urgency, it’s easy to get lost in seeing a markdown without knowing if it’s actually a good deal. So if you’re still feeling cautious about jumping on a deal, there are three things you can do to ensure that you’re not jumping on a deal that’s not actually that great.
Check with the experts and use a price tracking tool
With the camelcamelcamel extension, you can check a product’s price history on Amazon.
Credit: Screenshot: Camelcamelcamel
Leading up to and throughout Black Friday, our job here at Mashable is to
hunt for deals
and find the best deals for you. If we’ve written about a deal, it’s because it’s worthy of your attention. Additionally, we always note when products reach their lowest price ever.
If we haven’t written about a product, conduct your own research to see if it’s a guaranteed good deal. If you’re shopping on
Amazon
, we recommend using a tool like
camelcamelcamel
to check a product’s price history to see if it’s reached its lowest recorded price.
For example,
Amazon’s Kindle reached an all-time low
during Amazon’s 2025 Black Friday sale, as recorded by camelcamelcamel. That price drop means it’s time to make a purchase.
Check in with a retailer’s price match policy
If you want to buy a product before it sells out, but are worried it could still get a further price drop, look for the retailer’s policy on
price matching
. Unfortunately, price matching is no longer a common practice.
In July 2025, Target joined the ranks of Amazon and Walmart, ceasing its generous price-matching policy. However, Target and Best Buy still have a
holiday price match guarantee
. That means if they lower their price after you purchase it, you can request a price match.
Otherwise, for retailers like Amazon, which don’t have a price match guarantee, you’ll need to return and then repurchase the item.
Make sure you’re chasing a product, not a deal
During big shopping events, it’s easy to get caught up in the exciting deals and forget what you actually need. So, one of the best pieces of advice we can give you is to chase a product, not a deal. Going into Black Friday, know what you want to buy. Maybe that’s a
kitchen appliance
you’re vying for or a new
pair of headphones
you’re in desperate need of. Whatever it is, keep your eye on the prize and follow the product’s price leading up to the event (again, price tracking tools come in handy for this). If it hits a low, even before Black Friday, you know you’re good to make a purchase. And whatever you do, don’t get hypnotized by all the other deals, just shop for what you’ve had on your list.
Don’t wait until the day after Black Friday
It used to be the case that Black Friday marked the start of the savings, but now, it’s essentially the closeout of the shopping event. With sales starting in early November, by the time you get to Black Friday proper on Nov. 28, it’s basically the end of the sale. In our experience, the later you get into a sale, the more likely it is for a product to sell out. So, depending on when you’re buying, it really determines when you need to click “add to cart.” If it’s the week before Black Friday, you may want to wait to make a purchase. If it’s the day after Black Friday, buy as soon as possible.
That being said, my biggest piece of advice is not to wait to buy the day after Black Friday. Even though you still have Cyber Monday to look forward to, sometimes the best deals end at the stroke of midnight. Think of Cyber Monday as your last chance to shop deals, not your best chance.
