Black Friday is fast approaching, but that time will fly by. We’ll be updating this article as more sales go live and information comes out, so be sure to bookmark this page. Here’s everything you need to know about Black Friday 2023.
When Is Black Friday 2023?
Officially, this shopping "holiday" falls on Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. In recent years, however, Black Friday has become Black November (and in some cases, Black October), as retailers offer mini-sales in the lead-up to Black Friday. That means you can get a head start on loading up those carts and maxing out those credit cards.
The majority of brick and mortar retailers are closed on Thanksgiving Day; you can find a full list of store closures here so you can plan your IRL shopping accordingly.
What Time Do the Black Friday Sales Start?
The time varies from retailer to retailer, but you can bet that online sales will begin in the early morning hours (if not days earlier). Physical store hours also vary by location, but why leave the comfort of your home and run the risk of getting caught up in the crush of shoppers?
Where Are the Best Tech Deals on Black Friday?
Even though certain popular items may have limited availability during the holiday season, you have tons of options. There’s sure to be a laptop, tablet, smart speaker, or TV that fits your needs and budget.
Amazon has been offering "Black Friday-worthy deals" since early October; currently, you can get deals on its Blink home security devices, Amazon Fire 10 Tablets, and Amazon Fire Omni Series TVs. They’re also running a Holiday Deals sale right now.
Best Buy’s Black Friday sale is underway now. Plus and Total Members save more, but non-members can cash in on the savings as well.
Target’s Black Friday started on the Monday before Black Friday last year. You can sign up for email notifications so you’ll know the moment when the sale goes live. You can also check out their adscan here.
Walmart did a three part sale last year and signs point to that happening again this year. It also has deals live right now that are worth giving a look.
Costco sent out its holiday mailer and if you don’t already have the physical catalog, you can also find it online. We’re expecting more deals as the date approaches.
Can't wait? Below are some deals you can already snag:
Blink Video Doorbell and Outdoor Cam Bundle
Elevate your security with a smart home system. $89.99 at Amazon$179.98 Save $89.99 See It
Don't fall prey to porch pirates this holiday season. The Blink video doorbell allows you to see your front step from wherever you are via the Blink app and offers features like two-way talk to ensure you never miss another delivery or visitor.
Dell XPS 13 13" Laptop
(Intel i5/256GB SSD/8GB RAM) $599.00 at Dell$799.00 Save $200.00 See It
While this XPS laptop may not offer top of the line specs, it's more than sufficient for daily use and it's at the lowest price to-date. The XPS line is ultraportable and the metal chassis is both durable and attractive.
The Alienware m16 gaming laptop
(Ryzen 9/RX 7600M XT/1TB SSD/16GB RAM) $1,299.99 at Dell$1,799.99 Save $500.00 See It
The Alienware m16 gaming laptop features a generous 16-inch display with a crisp 2,560-by-1,600 resolution and a 240Hz refresh rate. The RX 7600M XT is the equivalent of the 40-series RTX 4060, giving you power in spades while also providing AMD's power efficiency to stretch out battery life even longer.
Editor's note: the landing page mislabels this configuration as the m18.
Asus ROG Ally 7” 1080p Gaming Handheld
Play ALL Your games on the go. $619.99 at Best Buy$699.99 Save $80.00 See It
This is the first significant price drop we've seen on Asus's Windows-powered handheld gaming device. Powered by an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme Processor and sporting a 7-inch 1080p display with a 120Hz refresh rate, this device is perfect for gamers on the go.
34" Samsung Odyssey G8 Curved OLED 1440p MGaming Monitor
Get your head in the game. $899.99 at Best Buy$1,499.99 Save $600.00 See It
This huge, curved OLED monitor will make you feel as though you stepped right into the action of your favorite games thanks to its incredible image quality. Also included with your purchase is a media remote for easy access to the volume settings and your favorite streaming platforms.
65" Sony Bravia XR A90J 4K OLED Smart TV
PlayStation 5 owners will want one of these. $1,398.00 at Walmart$2,198.00 Save $800.00 See It
The A90J is a premium 4K TV offering from Sony's flagship OLED lineup and it includes all of the top-notch features one would expect: two HDMI 2.1 ports, a 120Hz refresh rate, eARC compatibility, and Dolby Vision support. The OLED panel provides that incredible image quality and the built-in smart TV platform will give you buffet of content to consume.
65" LG C3 Evo OLED TV
OLED displays have higher contrast and brighter colors. $1,599.99 at Best Buy$2,499.99 Save $900.00 See It
In our review we gave the 2023 LG C3 high marks due to its unparalleled gaming performance and stunning picture quality. Now you can see what all the fuss is about for a whole lot less.
Eufy Clean L50 SES Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum
Just in time for hosting season. $198.00 at Walmart$499.00 Save $301.00 See It
Robot vacuums make the task of daily home maintenance a breeze. This Eufy Clean L50 SES uses LiDAR technology to map out your floorplan and avoid obstacles while effortlessly cleaning up messes with powerful suction. Once the job is complete (or if its battery is low) it will return to its dock and await the next cleaning or resume where it left off.
Nintendo Switch Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Bundle
Nintendo Switch console + Digital copy of Mario Kart 8 + 3-month subscription to Switch Online $299.99 at Best BuySee It
The Nintendo Switch by itself costs $299.99, but with this bundle you can also nab a fantastic party game as well as 3-months of Nintendo's online service at no additional charge.
PlayStation 5 DualSense Wireless Controller
These make great stocking stuffers. $49.99 at Amazon$74.99 Save $25.00 See It
Sony's DualSense controllers bring the feel of the game to your fingertips like no other thanks to adaptive triggers and haptic feedback. With a host of colors available, you're guaranteed to find one that you or a loved one will like.
Additionally, you can check out our other Black Friday articles:
Why Is it Called Black Friday?
To most, the term itself signifies the day that retailers turn a profit and go from being "in the red" to "in the black." The internet has some interesting theories as to how the day after Thanksgiving became known as Black Friday.
One such tall tale is that the holiday was named after the 1869 stock market scare, which was also called Black Friday, but that myth was debunked and it’s been revealed that the coinciding names have nothing to do with one another.
Black Friday as we have come to know it—a day where retailers actively encourage shoppers to spend their hard earned money with deeply discounted products and limited time offerings—came around in the 1980s because the industry wanted to give the day a more positive spin.
How Do I Shop on Black Friday?
Click "add to cart" and then "checkout." It couldn't be easier! On a more serious note: While Black Friday sales originated in the world of brick and mortar, most holiday shopping is now accomplished online. Instead of lining up around the block the way we once did, it’s safer and more convenient to access multiple sites from the comfort of our homes.
Black Friday officially marks the beginning of the holiday shopping season and according to the National Retail Federation, shoppers are expected to spend around $900 on their holiday lists in 2023.
Should I Wait to Shop Until Black Friday?
Great deals are already available in the weeks leading up to Black Friday, so if you have your eye on something, and the price drops now, buy it. Many retailers offer price matching, so in the unlikely event that the price drops further, you’ll be covered. This is on a case-by-case basis, so be sure to familiarize yourself with the retailer’s services before committing to that purchase.
Bear in mind your FedEx, UPS, Amazon, and USPS drivers are going to be overburdened in the next few weeks, so don’t wait until the last minute lest your delivery get delayed.
How to Stay Safe on Black Friday
Don’t let your guard down in the name of a good deal. Now is a good time to do some research on the retail cost of your must-have items so that when Black Friday rolls around, you’ll know if you’re actually getting a deal. Some stores will temporarily inflate an item’s retail price to make it look like a deal when the cost comes down on Black Friday when in reality you’d be paying original retail. (Here are a couple apps to help you compare prices.)
Here are some resources from our experts to keep yourself safe:
How to Get Ready for Black Friday
Make sure your payment information is up to date. Many doorbuster deals are limited in terms of stock and some only run for a set amount of time, so that extra step of fumbling for your credit card to update the information may spell the difference between getting the deal and missing out on it.
For those with Alexa-enabled devices like an Amazon Echo, you should take some time to configure it to allow for voice purchases if you haven’t already. In the past, Amazon has had a number of exclusive deals through its Alexa service, so it's worth having that smart assistant shopper in your corner if that happens again.
Finally, if your favorite online retailer has a loyalty program or paid membership, they’ll often allow early access or even exclusive deals. Be sure to take note of which ones do.
