Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Lululemon, and more: Prep early for deals starting Oct. 8.
Unlock early Black Friday 2024 deals
It’s pumpkin-spice-latte season which means it’s Black Friday season. While it may seem too soon to think about holiday shopping, it’s never too early to prep for the year’s best deals. We’re here to help you get your wallet in order so you’re ready when Black Friday hits.
While it used to be just one day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday arrives a lot earlier than Thanksgiving and lasts far longer than a day.
And snagging the best deal doesn’t happen just by chance. You need to be prepared, knowing what Black Friday sales will drop and when — especially when it comes to Black Friday early access sales.
Here’s what you need to know about early Black Friday shopping this holiday season.
Get ready for this year’s best early deals
Although Thanksgiving is nearly two months away, there’s a lot of pre-game activity happening now leading up to the holiday shopping season.
Black Friday deals happening now
Large online retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart are offering killer deals on clothing, laptops, and TVs.
Right now, you can get the LG 55-inch 4K AI-powered OLED TV for just $1,299 at Best Buy or Amazon, for a discount of $700 and the lowest price we’ve ever seen. It even breaks the record-low price of $ 1,399 that Tom’s Guide reported last month. Best Buy offers 24-month interest-free financing, which is great news if you’ve ever considered the card before but were waiting for the right big-ticket item to pull the trigger.
Nectar Mattress is rolling out big savings too. The company is known for its forever-warranty on all its mattresses, and promises “a Nectar should be the only mattress you’ll never need.” Right now, mattresses are on sale for up to 63% off. Its signature contouring comfort mattress is on sale for $349.
Pro tip: Shop with store apps. Many retailers release exclusive app-only deals or sneak peeks. Download apps like Target, Amazon, or Walmart to access early discounts. Also, when you’re in-store, compare the store price to the online price. If the online price is lower, ask the cashier to match it.
Other early Black Friday deals to check out
Many retailers, including high-end athleisure brands like Lululemon, are offering Black Friday-worthy savings now as they gear up for November.
- Adidas open-hem fleece pants from $10.60 on Amazon for 79% savings (original price $50)
- Lululemon Align High-Rise leggings from $39
- Patagonia web specials: Apparel from $13.99
- Nintendo: Switch games from $9.99 at Best Buy
- Crocs sale: Deals on clogs from $22.99 and Jibbitz charms 50% off
- GameStop: Games from $4.99
- Amazon Fall Prime Day: A 48-hour sales event starting October 8 will offer 50% off select items from Keurig, Bissell, Samsung, and other brands.
- Walmart: Will host a competing sale starting October 8 with similarly priced deals.
- Target Circle Week: Rival sale that kicks off October 6 and lasts for 7 days. Deals include 30% off apparel, up to 30% off LEGO sets, up to 50% off appliances, and BOGO 50% off grocery deals.
Pro tip: Work price-match policies and loyalty programs to your advantage.
Stores like Target will honor competitor prices even for Black Friday deals. In addition to Target dropping their price to match another retailer’s, you can save an additional 5% if you use their Target Circle debit or credit card (formerly the Target RedCard).
When do Black Friday sales start early?
There are two dates customers can look at as the early start of Black Friday: October 6 when Target kicks off Target Circle Week or the first week of November when Target, Amazon, Walmart, Costco, and Best Buy begin rolling out their Black Friday deals in waves of sales events.
While Target Circle Week (October 6-13) does not have a Black Friday theme, the sale is meant to rival Amazon Fall Prime Day (October 8-10) and Walmart’s first official holiday deal event (October 8-13). In a news release, Walmart states they want to be ready for the nearly 50% of customers who begin holiday shopping in August and September.
Top deals for Walmart’s first Unwrapping the Holidays sale include:
- 98” Roku TV – $1498
- BISSELL Little Green Pro Portable Carpet Cleaner – $109 (from $153)
- GTRACING Gaming Chair Office Chair PU Leather with Footrest & Adjustable Headrest for Adults and Kids, Black – $99.99, (from $249.99)
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem Pizza Fire Delivery Van – $29 (from $49)
- Frigidaire 7.5 Cu. ft. Refrigerator, Platinum Series, Standard Door Style, Stainless Look – $198 (from $499)
- Restored Apple MacBook Air Bundle – $226 (from $299)
- DR. J Professional HEPA Air Purifier – $70 (from $180)
- 24V 2 Seater Ride on Cars, Licensed Ford Bronco Raptor Powered Ride on Toy Truck with Remote Control – $330 (from $500)
- MSI Thin 15.6″ i5 3050 16GB/512GB Gaming Laptop – $599 (from $699)
- HART 215-Piece Mechanics Tool Set, Multiple Drive, Chrome Finish – $98 (from $158)
Pro tip: Bookmark flash sale times.
Set reminders for flash sales or limited-time offers during Black Friday as some major discounts only last for a few hours. You can use calendar alerts or AI assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant to remind you.
Which stores offer Black Friday deals early?
Most retailers who offer Black Friday bargains offer deals before Thanksgiving Day. Most major retailers like Walmart, Target, Amazon, Best Buy, Kohl’s, and Macy’s start early in the month. This year, Walmart officially launches its holiday promotion on October 8.
Make sure to plan and pace out your budget because many stores offer their Black Friday deals in waves to stagger their holiday deals and keep foot traffic strong all season long.
Smaller retailers commonly offer a Black Friday week of deals starting the week of Thanksgiving, although many still wait until Thanksgiving or the day after.
Pro tip: Buy discounted gift cards ahead of time.
Using sites like Raise or CardCash, you can buy gift cards for your favorite retailers at a discount, stacking extra savings on top of Black Friday deals.
Which store hours are the earliest for Black Friday?
For the largest retailers, stores can open as early as 5 a.m. For a short period before COVID-19, many big-box chains would open on Thanksgiving Day. But with the consumer backlash (for making employees come in on a holiday) and the Covid outbreak, many stores reverted their policies to close and give workers the day off.
Looking at store hours for 2023 gives us a good idea of what to expect for 2024:
- Walmart: 5 a.m.
- Target: 6 a.m.
- Best Buy: 6 a.m.
- Macy’s: 6 a.m.
- GameStop: 5 a.m.
- Sam’s Club: 10 a.m.
- Costco: 10 a.m.
- Bath & Body Works: 6 a.m.
- Dick’s Sporting Goods: 6 a.m. (most stores)
- Apple stores: 8 a.m. (some stores)
- Lowe’s: 6 a.m.
- Home Depot: 6 a.m.
- TJ Maxx: 6 a.m. or 7 a.m.
- Kohls: 5 a.m.
- Ulta Beauty: 6 a.m.
- Academy Sports: 5 a.m.
- Nordstrom: 8 a.m.
- Old Navy: 5 a.m.
- Five Below: 8 a.m.
- Dollar General: 7 a.m.
- JOANN Fabrics: 6 a.m.
Other tips to prep for holiday sales
Trust but verify
Make sure that you’re truly getting the best price. Browser extensions and deal-alert tools track prices over time and let you know if you’re truly getting the lowest price, or if it’s better to wait until Presidents’ Day or another date in the year.
Honey, Capital One Shopping, or Camelcamelcamel can show you the price history of items and let you know if a different merchant is offering a better deal.
Easy on the bulk purchases
Often shoppers will buy a gazillion square feet of wrapping paper. Per inch, it’s such a good value that they want to stock up on dozens of jumbo multi-packs. You likely will get sick of those colors and prints before you’re even halfway through the stockpile. Buy one or two rolls that you truly like, or better yet, work your way through last year’s stash.
The same goes for holiday platters, mugs, blankets, napkins, and home decor. Easy does it.
Know the store’s return policies
Before diving into Black Friday deals, keep an eye on return policies. Many stores extend their return windows for holiday purchases, but restrictions often apply to electronics or clearance items. Check for restocking fees and make sure the item is unopened to ensure a smooth return if needed.
If they have everything, you might not need to buy them anything
Many parents opine that they don’t know what to buy their kids for Christmas because they already have a playhouse, two nuggets (plush play couches), an iPad, a Toniebox, the Barbie Dreamhouse, a bike, a ride-on electric car, and hundreds of LEGO sets.
If you’ve already bought a person everything, it may mean you don’t need to buy them anything. Personalized gifts like photo books or a craft project you can do together could be very thoughtful. Or consider donating to a charity on their behalf, funding their college savings account, or gifting a family museum membership. And if you must get a physical gift, my dad always said to go with tube socks — the tackier the better.
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