It might be hard to believe, but we’re just weeks away from Black Friday 2023.
With Thanksgiving on the horizon, it’s time to start planning for the biggest shopping period of the year. With many shoppers planning to spend less on gifts this holiday season, deals are likely to be in higher demand than ever before, so it will pay to be prepared.
Whether you need to know when Black Friday is this year, or you’re trying to find out what kinds of deals your retailer of choice is planning to roll out this year, we've got you covered.
When does Black Friday start?
Black Friday is always the day after Thanksgiving. That means Black Friday 2023 will take place on Friday, November 24, 2023.
While Black Friday itself remains a key day for deals, many retailers have stopped limiting themselves to just one day’s worth of discounts. Nowadays, plenty of stores plan massive deal periods that can begin days or even weeks in advance of Black Friday.
When does Black Friday end?
As we mentioned above, Black Friday isn’t really a one-day event anymore. Typically, sales now run over the entire Black Friday weekend and lead into Cyber Monday, the online shopping equivalent.
This means we expect Black Friday sales to finally wind down on Tuesday, November 28 in 2023...and then the holiday sales shopping starts!
What is Black Friday?
Black Friday is the name given to the Friday after Thanksgiving, and it's now synonymous with pre-Christmas deals in countries all over the globe.
The first (recorded) mention of the phrase was in November 1951 in the journal Factory Management and Maintenace, where it was used to describe people taking sick leave after Thanksgiving to get a four-day weekend.
In the early 1960s, traffic-weary police in Philadelphia were using Black Friday and Black Saturday to refer to the terrible traffic that started to appear over Thanksgiving weekend.
What to expect from Black Friday 2023
The short answer to this question is: expect discounts, and a whole lot of them. If you take a look back at previous years, you’ll spot deals on sought-after kitchen gadgets like air fryers, TVs, Amazon own-brand devices, laptops and computers, gaming, toys, fashion, and practically anything else you could think of.
These days, you can also get a solid idea of the discounts to come by heading to the websites of online retailers like Amazon or big-box stores like Walmart, Best Buy and Target to find out all the information about their sales days, including Black Friday store hours and how to access the best bargains. Clue: it usually requires joining their membership program.
Does Target have a Black Friday sale?
Target sells everything from toys to tech, and you can expect some great prices on all sorts of items in the Black Friday sales event. But also note that Target is starting its Black Friday deals early, with weekly deals drops all the way through to Thanksgiving weekend.
Target has also launched its own Target Black Friday landing page. At the time of writing, the page listed where you could find your nearest store’s Black Friday opening hours, where you could sign up to see Target’s Black Friday ads, and other ways you make some great savings the next time you stop.
Be sure to look into their loyalty program, Target Circle, before the big day. Sign-up is free and nets you access to exclusive deals and other perks, including getting 1% back as store credit on eligible purchases. And you might be able to maximize your savings even more with a Target RedCard, which offers an extra 5% discount on qualifying items.
Does Walmart have a Black Friday sale?
Walmart is just one of many big-box stores that will be offering big discounts on Black Friday. Walmart was a big Black Friday winner last year, and we expect they'll want to capitalize on that momentum in 2023.
Walmart starts its Black Friday plans on November 8, the same day as last year with its Walmart Early Access Black Friday. Based on the past few years, we can expect to see discounts on everything from TVs to toys to tech, and everything in between in the promotional period which runs through to the end of the Black Friday weekend.
If you’re planning on shopping with Walmart this Black Friday, we’d strongly recommend signing up for Walmart Plus if you haven’t already.
Along with all the normal perks it brings — free shipping with no minimum order threshold, free access to Paramount Plus, and much, much more — it also comes with a big Black Friday benefit to help you beat the crowds. Last year, members got 7-hour early access to Black Friday deals.
Does Costco have a Black Friday sale?
If you’re planning on stocking up for the holidays at Costco, you’ll be pleased to know that the wholesale retailer has a sale planned. And from the looks of Costco’s Black Friday deals ad, it’s going to be a big one.
The retailer is planning four waves of deals. The first wave starts as early as October 30, though the main Costco Black Friday sale period begins on Thanksgiving (November 23) with some online-only savings and runs through to Cyber Monday on November 27.
If you want to plan ahead and see some of the deals that are being offered this year, check out the Costco Black Friday hub page on their website for more info.
Is Black Friday worth it?
The answer to this question is entirely dependent on whether you were planning on splashing the cash before Black Friday.
If you were looking to make a big purchase like upgrading a TV or you’re looking to do the bulk of your holiday shopping at this time of year, there’s every chance that you could make some great savings with Black Friday deals.
That being said, not all deals are created equally; sometimes, prices on certain goods will shoot up in the weeks leading up to Black Friday, meaning that the “saving” you’re getting isn’t actually as good as it looks.
To get the most out of Black Friday, we strongly suggest you plan ahead to make the most of Black Friday. Make a list of some of the things you’re looking for, and set a budget that you can reasonably stick to.
By deciding what items, brands, or models you’re in the market for ahead of time, you can navigate the massive deals pages on retailer websites or take a little bit of the stress out of shopping in-store. And if you have a budget to stick to, you might be less likely to overspend or be tempted by regrettable impulse buys.
We've got more tips for shopping smart in the sales and some good reasons not to wait until Black Friday to do your holiday shopping.
