The annual Black Friday shopping event is just around the corner! Major retailers across the United States have already rolled out their Early Black Friday promotions for 2026, featuring significant discounts on various products. In addition, these retailers have unveiled their official sale schedules.
In recent years, the Black Friday shopping season has been extended and pushed earlier. Retailers are no longer focusing solely on the days following Thanksgiving; instead, they are stretching their promotions over several weeks, with some discounts even available into early December.
This year’s Black Friday falls on November 27. However, major retailers are not waiting for the day after Thanksgiving to kick off their promotions.
Walmart has introduced a three-phase promotional campaign, with the first round of early Black Friday sales starting on November 12 and lasting for four days. Their physical stores will open at 6 a.m. local time, and online sales will begin at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time. The company has announced that consumers can find thousands of gifts priced under $20, including popular toys available for under $25.
Prior to this, home improvement retailer Lowe’s began its four-week Black Friday promotions starting October 29, while Costco also launched its holiday sales on October 30.
Best Buy kicked off its Early Black Friday offers and limited-time deals on November 6, planning to unveil new bargains every Friday thereafter.
Target initiated its “Daily Deals” campaign on November 1, which will run until December 24. The retailer has stated that this year it will offer over 8,000 new gifts, with thousands of items priced at $5 or less.
Macy’s has also commenced its promotional activities. Currently, their official Black Friday offer page lists over 500 products, with some items seeing discounts of up to 70%, covering categories like clothing, home goods, jewelry, and electronics.
Home Depot’s “Black Friday Savings Event” runs from November 5 to November 25, featuring both in-store and online sales. Major deals include buy-one-get-one promotions on select power tools and savings of up to $1,250 on qualifying appliances.
Despite the flurry of discount advertisements from retailers, analysts note that the best deals and optimal purchase times vary for different products. Consumers are advised against making impulsive decisions but should also avoid waiting indefinitely for the actual Black Friday. Strategic planning is essential to saving money.
Consumer Reports recommends that shoppers shouldn’t rely solely on the discounts advertised by retailers, but instead track price trends in advance and compare prices across different channels to ensure they are truly making a wise purchase.
According to Adobe Analytics, which specializes in tracking e-commerce, the biggest discounts on televisions, appliances, toys, apparel, and furniture are likely to occur on Black Friday itself, November 27. In contrast, the most substantial reductions on electronics and computers may fall on Cyber Monday, November 30, while sports equipment could see its largest discounts during Thanksgiving.
Interviews conducted with consumers and shopping enthusiasts reveal that to find great value products, one must invest time and effort into preparation. Creating a shopping list and comparing prices in advance can prevent impulse purchases and excessive spending on items not included in their lists.
As per Costco’s holiday offers webpage, the promotions began on October 30 and will continue until November 30, featuring five distinct rounds of deals: the first round is from October 30 to November 15, the second from November 16 to 30, with a network-exclusive offer on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, followed by Black Friday weekend promotions from November 27 to 30, and concluding with another online exclusive on November 30. Each round features different items, which are available while supplies last.
Walmart’s primary Black Friday discounts will be available from November 23 to November 29. Online promotions will commence at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on November 23, while physical stores will start at 6 a.m. on November 27. Following this, Walmart will also offer Cyber Monday deals from November 30 to December 2.
The longstanding American retailer JCPenney will hold its Black Friday promotions for 10 days, from November 20 to November 29.
Lowe’s will kick off its “12 Days of Deals” on November 16, featuring different discounts each day as a lead-up to Black Friday. The most substantial offers are expected to be launched during Thanksgiving week.
As is customary, Home Depot typically rolls out one-day-only flash sales on Black Friday, with some offers available exclusively on that day. These promotions also extend into Cyber Monday.
Best Buy’s 10-day Black Friday flash sales and promotions are set to begin on November 19, followed by additional offers for Cyber Monday. Furthermore, an online shopping week is scheduled for December 1 to December 6.
Amazon’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales events will commence on November 19 at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time and will continue through November 30.