Whether you’re planning to line up outside your favorite store or shop online from the comfort of your own home on Black Friday, you need a plan.
Black Friday, which takes place the Friday after Thanksgiving, is known for steep discounts on electronics, clothing and other goods. Stores advertise doorbuster deals and limited-time sales. These days, however, consumers don’t even have to head to the mall. Some of the best deals are posted online.
Read on for some of the best sales worth checking out for Black Friday 2018.
Best Online Sales
Online retailers have truly made the Black Friday tradition their own. Instead of literal doorbuster sales, they offer deals that appear at specific times and are just as likely to sell out as physical items on store shelves.
[Read: What to Buy and What Not to Buy on Cyber Monday.]
Amazon. The online retail giant has announced a sampling of its Black Friday deals. If you have smart home products on your list this year, this is the sale to shop. Amazon is matching its Prime Day pricing on the Echo ($69, or $30 off full price) and offering the Echo Dot for just $24 ($25.99 off). Plus, you can add a smart plug, which turns your “dumb” appliances smart, for just $5 (a $24.99 value) when you order an Echo device. Amazon’s Black Friday sale has started already, and different sales will drop each day. Remember: Amazon is offering free shipping on all orders through the holidays.
Dell. Looking to upgrade your laptop or desktop on a budget? Check out Dell’s Black Friday sale, which begins at 10 a.m. EST on Thanksgiving Day. Deals drop hourly and will include laptops priced as low as $119.99 and plenty priced under $500. There are also a few gaming deals thrown in, including an Xbox One S 1TB bundle that includes the console and “Battlefield V” game for $229.99 ($70 off the regular combined price).
[Read: Shopping Holidays: The Best Days to Shop in 2018.]
Newegg. The online tech retailer offers everything from 4K TVs to laptops, high-end gaming computers, smart home gadgets and computer components. Its Black Friday sale begins Nov. 19 and runs through Nov. 24, offering up to $450 off gaming computers, $1,000 off large-screen 4K TVs and up to $450 off laptops.
Best Sales Online and In Stores
The vast majority of major retailers fit into this category. These days, the line between in-store deals and online ones is virtually nonexistent, with many stores, such as Walmart, Target and Kohl’s, running their doorbusters and other Black Friday deals both online and in store.
Trying to decide how to shop? Shopping online can often give you an advantage over in-store shopping, as retailers often unleash Black Friday deals online first. Walmart, for example, is beginning its Black Friday sale online on Wednesday, Nov. 21 at 10 p.m. EST. Deals don’t roll out in stores until 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving.
[See: 12 Shopping Tricks to Keep You Under Budget.]
Kohl’s. The Kohl’s Black Friday sale kicks off online at 12:01 a.m. CST Monday, Nov. 19, and in stores at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving. The deals are all valid in store and online. Highlights include the Echo Dot for $24 ($25.99 off) and the Xbox One S console with 1,000 Minecoins (the in-game currency for the game “Minecraft”) for $199 ($100 off) plus $60 in Kohl’s Cash thrown in.
Target. Target’s Black Friday deals are available in store and online, but consumers should strongly consider shopping online because Target is offering free two-day shipping on all orders (no minimum) for the holiday season until Dec. 22. Deal highlights include the Amazon Echo for $69 ($30 off), $250 in Target gift cards with the purchase of the iPhone XS or XS Max, and the Nintendo Switch console with “Mario Kart 8” game for $299 (that’s the usual price of the console, so you’re essentially getting the game for free).
Walmart. Shop online starting on Wednesday or in stores starting Thanksgiving at 6 p.m. local time. Walmart’s Black Friday deals will be available online and in store, but the biggest deals will sell out quickly. So get an early start on your shopping and snag your must-haves online. Highlights include the Walmart-exclusive HatchiBabies Foxfin toy for $34.88 (about $14 off its regular price), an 8-quart Instant Pot for $59 and $100 off the Xbox One X gaming console.
Brick-and-Mortar Store Black Friday Deals
While there are plenty of reasons to shop online, braving the stores on Black Friday is a sentimental tradition for many, and a few stores are offering perks to in-store shoppers only.
Bass Pro Shops. The outdoor supply chain, which now owns Cabela’s, is one of the few retailers that holds its Black Friday sale exclusively in stores. This year’s sale will be six hours long, from 5 a.m. to 11 a.m. If you’re interested in hunting supplies, fishing supplies or outdoor clothing, consider getting in line. As an added perk, kids can get a free photo with Santa and a 4-by-6-inch print photo.
Macy’s. A few items, including select glassware, scents, throw pillows and kitchen items are completely free if you buy them in store only and send in a mail-in rebate. While these are low-value items, they might make good stocking stuffers.
Stage department stores. The chain, which includes Bealls, Goody’s, Gordmans, Palais Royal, Peebles and Stage, has one of this year’s few in-store-only doorbusters: a Haier 50-inch LED 1080p high-definition TV for $199.99 ($300 off). Plus, it’s rewarding the first 75 guests in line with a scratch-off worth a $10 coupon, $50 gift card or $200 gift card.
Walmart. Online shoppers get the same deals that in-store ones do. However, Walmart is doing a little something special for those who line up early: a party called Light Up Black Friday. The celebration begins at 4 p.m. at participating stores, two hours before the in-store sale kicks off, and features free Christmas cookies and coffee.
Companies and products mentioned in this article may be promoted on www.offers.com.
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Best Black Friday Sales for 2018 originally appeared on usnews.com
