Black Friday 2025 is here: How to find the best deals
Black Friday has undergone a remarkable transformation, evolving from a traditional in-store shopping event to a month-long online extravaganza that kicks off well before Thanksgiving. This shift was already in motion prior to the pandemic, but it has accelerated dramatically in recent years. Major retailers have adapted their strategies to cater to a growing appetite for online deals, with Best Buy leading the charge this year by launching its promotions as early as Halloween—marking the earliest start among major retailers. Following closely behind, Target and Walmart initiated their sales on November 6 and November 14, respectively. Amazon, known for its extensive Black Friday offerings, was the last to join the fray, officially starting its sales on November 20, just days before Cyber Monday. This year, shoppers have already enjoyed a plethora of significant discounts, reflecting a broader trend of consumers seeking savings amid ongoing inflation concerns.
As we look ahead to Black Friday 2025, the excitement for deals remains palpable, prompting shoppers to strategize for optimal savings. Key tips for navigating this chaotic shopping period include creating a detailed shopping plan and establishing a budget to avoid overspending. Retailers often release ad scans that highlight the best deals, allowing consumers to prioritize their purchases effectively. For those planning to shop on Amazon, organizing a wishlist can streamline the process, making it easy to track discounts on desired items. Additionally, utilizing retailer apps can enhance the shopping experience by providing exclusive deals and alerts, ensuring that customers never miss out on a bargain. For tech-savvy shoppers, features such as Alexa’s deal alerts can offer timely notifications on wishlist items, further simplifying the hunt for the best prices.
To maximize savings, shoppers are encouraged to employ various tools and services. Websites like CamelCamelCamel provide historical pricing data to help consumers gauge whether a deal is truly worthwhile. Moreover, Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) options can make larger purchases more manageable, allowing shoppers to spread out payments responsibly. For those who prefer curated content, subscribing to dedicated deal newsletters, such as Mashable’s Black Friday page, can keep shoppers informed about the latest offers without the need for constant browsing. By implementing these strategies, consumers can navigate the increasingly complex landscape of Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, ensuring they secure the best deals of the season while enjoying the thrill of the hunt.
Black Friday
has quickly morphed from a predominantly in-store experience to an online shopping craze that lasts an entire month. Even before pandemic circumstances deterred shoppers from heading to stores, things were starting to shift.
The day after Thanksgiving once marked the start of the holiday shopping season, but now, it’s just the peak of a month-long deals bonanza.
Best Buy
kicked things off this year on
Halloween
— the
earliest
of any of the mega retailers.
Target
and
Walmart
weren’t too far behind, throwing their initial early
Black Friday
sales on Nov. 6 and Nov. 14, respectively.
Amazon
was surprisingly the last to throw its hat in the ring, with its
official Black Friday sale
running from Nov. 20 through Cyber Monday on Dec. 1. Needless to say, Needless to say, it’s been a month full of
epic deals
already.
SEE ALSO:
Black Friday 2025: Live updates on the latest deals from Amazon, Target, Walmart, and more
With an overall hunger for savings amidst inflation-concerned customers, the questions arise in 2025 more than ever: What are the best Black Friday shopping tips? Should you wait until the
big day to snag a deal
? Will things be cheaper on
Black Friday or Cyber Monday
? How can you find the best deals?
Cyber Week is always chaotic, but getting organized and knowing what you’re looking for will have you shopping like a well-oiled machine. We’ve got you covered with shopping tips for securing the best deals on Black Friday 2025 and beyond.
1. Plan your shopping wisely
We’ll spare you the sports references, but going into Black Friday without a game plan is risky as hell — and a great way to end up with
buyer’s remorse
.
If you’re unsure of what exactly you’re looking for this season, you might want to take a glimpse at all of the major retailers’
ad scans
to get an idea of what’s popular, what’s getting discounted, and when the best time is to buy certain items. Make note that there are a ton of ad scans to sort through. To make your life a little easier, you can also just
follow our mega list of deals
from all major retailers instead and follow along with our
live blog
for the latest updates. TL;DR: We already did the sorting for you.
While planning your attack, be sure to set a budget to prevent overspending. It’s easy to get click-happy when you see all of the sparkly discounts in front of you.
2. Organize your Black Friday wishlist
It’s no surprise that
Amazon’s Black Friday sale
is the most highly anticipated of the year. If you plan on shopping at Amazon this season, do yourself a favor and
get your wishlist in order
. Every product page on the retail giant’s website has an “add to list” button. Do this with all of the gadgets and gizmos on your shopping list this season to organize everything, view it all at a glance, and even rank items based on priority. You’ll be able to see which products have gone on sale and seamlessly scoop them up before they’re gone.
SEE ALSO:
Creating an Amazon wishlist is our go-to Black Friday shopping hack
3. Download apps from
Walmart
,
Target
,
Amazon
,
Best Buy
, and more
Shopping from your phone? It’d be smart to download mobile apps from your favorite stores —
Walmart
,
Target
,
Best Buy
, and
Amazon
are big ones that will come in clutch for Black Friday. They’ll obviously be plastering their biggest deals across the screen, making things organized and easy to navigate even on a bumpy commute or at a loud relative’s house.
Not only will the apps help you out on the go, but they’ll also give you access to exclusive app-only perks like wishlist alerts, personalized suggestions, scan-and-go features, and more. The Amazon app will even show you deals on recent items you’ve searched. It’s like it knows you
too
well.
4. Take advantage of Alexa’s exclusive features
Got a newer
Echo
smart speaker? Surprise — you can take advantage of exclusive features. Open up your
Alexa
mobile app and turn on the
advanced deal alerts feature
(you’ll find it under More > Settings > Notifications > Amazon Shopping), then check the Deal Recommendations and Shopping Recommendations. If you already have a wishlist organized and ready to go, you’ll get a pop-up alert or a yellow ring light on your Echo speaker whenever Alexa finds out about an upcoming deal on one of the items on your list. Alexa will even let you know if an item on your wishlist is going on sale up to 24 hours before the sale goes live, so you can plan accordingly.
5. Visit
CamelCamelCamel
like it’s your job
So technically, it actually is
our job
to find the best deals, but we’ll let you in on a little secret. When shopping for deals at Amazon, we always reference
CamelCamelCamel
to see the historical data on the sale prices for a particular item. At a glance, it allows you to see just how good that deal is (or isn’t). Even if you’re shopping elsewhere, you can get an idea of a product’s price history before purchasing.
6. Utilize Buy Now, Pay Later when possible
If you can’t afford to pay for your Black Friday haul in one lump sum, don’t be afraid to take advantage of
Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) options
. When used
responsibly
, BNPL apps (like Affirm) can help you nab the deals you want while still making your monthly rent. Just note that BNPL services use a ”
soft inquiry
” to determine your credit. While this shouldn’t affect your credit score, there’s no promise that your payment history won’t be
reported to credit bureaus
.
7.
Bookmark Mashable’s Black Friday page
Not all heroes wear capes. (It’s us. We’re the heroes.)
Mashable’s Black Friday page
is the hub for
pretty
much every Black Friday sale that matters, with links to all of our coverage, like that massive master list of the
best Black Friday 2025 deals
, plus spotlight deals broken down by retailer (
Walmart
,
Amazon
,
Best Buy
,
Target
, etc.), as well as by categories like
TVs
,
robot vacuums
,
streaming services
, or
laptops
. This will save you from wasting time trying to skim websites on your own and getting overwhelmed.
We’ll be updating these lists regularly before, during, and after the Black Friday and Cyber Monday shenanigans, so check back for all the latest and greatest deals that drop. Stores also
love
to throw in sneaky coupon codes or freebies. These can be easy to miss when you’re in a hurry to order, so we’ll let you know when we spot one.
8.
Sign up for the Mashable Deals newsletter
Not about to be glued to the internet during family time? Cute — we will be, though. If you want to stay in the loop via email, we’ve got you covered. In the days surrounding the big sale, our regular newsletters will be filled with Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals that you may want to hop on.
The Mashable Deals newsletter
is also just a clutch thing to get in general. True, we’re probably biased, but we really think this is one email you
won’t
be annoyed with when it pops up in your inbox. You’ll be sent a quick rundown of deals we think you’ll care about, like the best Amazon deals of the day or really solid discounts on popular
streaming services
.
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