Black Friday Deals: When They Start and Where to Find Them
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Black Friday 2021 is right around the corner! The post-Thanksgiving bonanza of deals, sales, and shopping is a yearly event for many Americans. It’s the best time to do some holiday shopping, and to maybe even upgrade your TV for watching next year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
While Black Friday used to be limited to just one day, it’s stretched beyond that. Nowadays there are early deals, cyber weeks, and flash sales to take advantage of. It’s a lot to keep track of, but it pays to know what you’re doing before you start shopping. Learn more in the Optimum guide to Black Friday deals.
When Does Black Friday Start?
Black Friday starts on the Friday after Thanksgiving. This year, that’s November 26th. Black Friday also doesn’t end when the sun comes up on November 27th. There’s Cyber Monday on November 29th, and a whole Cyber Week to follow. Finally, there’s Green Monday on December 13th. That's a lot of deals to prep for!
Some stores also put out early Black Friday deals in the weeks leading up to the big day. While these aren’t always as good as the traditional Black Friday doorbusters, they’re worth looking out for.
Black Friday TV Deals
The television is the quintessential Black Friday purchase. Because of that, there are sales already running for TVs. Some places do save the best for Black Friday itself, though. Sam’s Club is one example: you’ll be able to save up to $300 on two very nice LG 4K TVs on the big day.
Early Black Friday TV Deals
If you want to get a deal on a TV now, you’ve got plenty of options. Amazon is offering up to 35% off a selection of Samsung 4K TVs. Best Buy is slashing prices on some Vizio and LG models. Walmart and Target are offering entire bundles. It’s a very good time to buy a TV.
Black Friday Phone Deals
Phone retailers are Black Friday traditionalists. While there will be a deal or two in early November, expect the best smartphone Black Friday deals to show up on the week of Thanksgiving at the earliest. Generally speaking, you should look out for two types of Black Friday cell phone deals: deals from the carriers, and deals for unlocked phones from retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Don’t expect to see many deals on unlocked iPhones: Apple rarely puts them on sale, so if you want a good deal on iPhone 13, expect to go through a carrier.
Early Black Friday Phone Deals
For early sales, Optimum Mobile is offering savings of up to $300 off on the latest 5G phones. Boost Mobile is offering 50% off a pretty large selection of smartphones. There are two great deals from Amazon on the excellent OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro. Motorola also has a nice deal running on their Edge smartphone.
Black Friday Laptop & Desktop Deals
Black Friday is the perfect time to upgrade your laptop. There are some stellar deals on the horizon. Dell is offering some incredible deals on their lineup of laptops, with savings of over $700 in a few cases. There are also some great Dell desktop deals. If a gaming desktop Black Friday sale is what you’re looking for, Dell’s Alienware line is also on sale.
Lenovo also has a solid selection of laptops on sale, though many of them are limited-time doorbusters. If you’re looking to build your own desktop (or pick up a new monitor), check out Newegg. The PC part supplier will have all sorts of components on sale come Black Friday, though they’re being coy with the details for now.
Early Black Friday Sales - Laptops and Desktops
In the lead up to Black Friday, Newegg is running their Black November promotion, which features weekly rotating sales. Keep tabs on it for deals on pre-built laptops and desktops, as well as monitors, computer components, and even gaming chairs. Dell is also running a Black Friday sneak peek with some excellent early laptop deals.
Black Friday Video Game Deals
If you’ve been after a new console, you’ve probably had a rough 2021. The Playstation 5, Nintendo Switch OLED and Xbox Series X/S have been out of stock throughout the year. They’ve been selling so well that it’s hard to imagine any of them actually going on sale. Still, all hope is not lost for Black Friday gaming deals.
Expect some very good bundle deals, especially for older consoles like the Playstation 4 and non-OLED Switch. Next-gen consoles have been hard to find, but next-gen accessories should be available and discounted. The same goes for the games themselves. If you’re a PC gamer, be on the lookout for Valve’s annual Autumn Sale on Steam. That kicks off on November 24th.
Early Black Friday Sales - Video Game Consoles
Best Buy early Black Friday deals are already up on their website, including accessories and games. Amazon also has some games (like Immortals Fenyx Rising and Madden NFL 22) on sale.
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