Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday: When to Score the Best Deals
The winter holiday shopping season officially is in full swing come Black Friday, and even more so on Cyber Monday.
However, according to the National Retail Federation, the holiday season runs from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, and many of its spending predictions are based on that timeframe. This year, holiday spending is predicted to reach record levels. The NRF expects it to reach $902 per person across decorations, gifts and food in 2024. That’s up by $25 per person from last year.
“The winter holidays are a treasured time for Americans, and they are prioritizing spending on family this holiday season,” said Katherine Cullen, NRF Vice President of Industry and Consumer Insights. “Despite the shorter window of time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, retailers are prepared to meet the needs of consumers by providing holiday shoppers with earlier deals and sales and by ensuring inventory is available for the most in-demand items this year.”
Even though most consumers are ready to spend, they’re still looking for deals. So, when looking at Cyber Monday vs. Black Friday, which one should you save your shopping spree for? We talk about that and how to make the most of both shopping holidays.
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Cyber Monday vs. Black Friday
Good deals abound this holiday season, but which is better — shopping on Black Friday or Cyber Monday?
What Is Black Friday?
Black Friday — the day after Thanksgiving — at one point was the unofficial start to the holiday shopping season.
Stores would offer insane discounts on things like televisions, electronics, appliances and other items to get people into their doors.
Some retailers would open early in the morning on Friday, even as early as midnight. The most dedicated shoppers camped outside stores for the best spots in long lines, all in the hopes of scoring a massive discount.
Often, quantities were limited, so only the first few people in the stores would snag the best deals.
Part of the fun was the thrill of it all, but online shopping started to chip away at Black Friday’s prominence.
What Is Cyber Monday?
When online shopping began to take hold, online retailers wanted to jump on board the Black Friday frenzy, creating Cyber Monday deals to attract online shoppers.
They knew many people would be back at work and looking at a screen come Monday morning, so online shopping deals on the Monday after Thanksgiving was the obvious next step.
How Retailers Are Adapting to Changes in Holiday Shopping Behavior
The NRF says retailers understand that people are looking for holiday items earlier than ever before, which is why many traditional red and green items were already on display right next to the Halloween stuff.
Both brick-and-mortar stores and online retailers held Black Friday sales leading up to the actual day. The NRF reports that for the 2024 holiday season, 57% of shoppers plan to do at least some of their shopping online, 45% plan to shop at discount stores, 46% say they’ll shop at department stores, and 46% will shop at grocery stores and supermarkets.
Retailers are ready for the rush, regardless of how people choose to shop. The NRF expects retailers will hire about 500,000 seasonal workers.
How to Prepare for Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sales
Here’s how to make your overall shopping experience a bit easier and possibly save yourself some money or earn rewards.
- Make a list: (And check it twice). Having an idea of what you want to buy can help you focus your energy when you either go into a store or shop online.
- Know sale dates: If you wait, it may be too late to get that popular item you’re coveting. If there is something you know you want, look at the store’s website to see if you can get it now. Many stores offer price matching if prices go down.
- Follow stores on social media, and sign up for their emails: Stores might offer specials or codes only for people who follow them on social media or sign up for their emails.
- Join a store’s membership program: Some stores have special deals or offer early access to customers who are members of their membership or rewards clubs. Sometimes even the return policies are different for club members. Some charge a monthly fee, so check if the savings will justify the cost.
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Ready To Shop? Get the Most Out of the Holiday Shopping Deals
Many of the large retailers have already started their promotions. Here’s a rundown of some of them.
Amazon
Like many retailers, Amazon sticks to a week-long event to give consumers a chance to buy, buy, buy. Its Black Friday event is now through Nov. 29, 2024.
The sales and deals will continue throughout the holiday season, and now customers can use the popular payment app Venmo to pay for purchases.
Best Buy
Best Buy began its Black Friday sales on Nov. 21, 2024. Then, it dropped new doorbusters on Nov. 22. It will do so again on Nov. 29. Top deals are expected to include a Samsung 75-inch smart TV and MacBook Air 13” M2.
Kohl’s
Kohl’s kicked off its Black Friday deals with the Black Friday Early Access event, which was Nov. 8-10.
The store is also doing a six-day Black Friday Week of deals beginning Nov. 24, as well as offering deals specific to Thanksgiving day (online) and on Black Friday (in-store and online). Physical stores will be closed on Thanksgiving Day.
As for returns, Kohl’s accepts returns for most items up to 180 days after purchase, but there are exceptions for some products.
Target
Target has already started offering discounts with Early Black Friday Deals and a deal of the day. Its Black Friday deals are happening now through Nov. 30, 2024.
Both types of deals are available in-store, online and through the Target app. Although Target advertises that the deals feature their best-planned prices for the holiday season, they do have a price match guarantee in place.
Walmart
Walmart kicked off the holiday season earlier than ever in 2024. Starting on Oct. 8, members of Walmart.com and the app gained access to Walmart Holiday Deals and got six days to shop on most-wanted items before anyone else. Its Black Friday deals are now through Dec. 1.
As for returns, Walmart is allowing most items purchased in-store or online from Oct. 1, 2024, through Dec. 31, 2024, to be returned through Jan. 31, 2025. Notable exceptions include luxury items, precious metals, AppleCare, wireless phones and Walmart protection plans.
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Tiffani Sherman is a Florida-based freelance reporter with more than 25 years of experience writing about finance, health, travel and other topics.
Adam Palasciano is a personal finance-obsessed and money-savvy individual who loves to create content on all things saving and making money. His work also appears on The Smart Wallet, FinanceBuzz, Yahoo! Finance, JoyWallet, GoBankingRates.com and The Money Manual.
