Black Friday Deals – A Guide to Shopping Like a Pro

Black Friday is the most popular shopping event of the year. Millions of people worldwide prepare for this event to take advantage of the biggest Black Friday deals. Customers can score significant discounts on various categories, including electronics, toys, beauty products, clothing, and more. However, you need to be prepared for it otherwise, you’ll have a hard time finding the deals you want. In this article, you will learn about Black Friday, its history, and the best ways to find deals.

When is Black Friday?

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving in the United States. It’s the fourth Friday of November that usually lands between November 23 and 29. The 2024 Black Friday will fall on November 29. In the United States and many other countries around the world, it is the official start of the holiday shopping season. However, in recent years, Black Friday has expanded beyond a single day. You can actually find many great deals from various retailers before the official day of Black Friday. So, for many companies and customers, the holiday deals related to the Black Friday event start even in the early days of November.

History of Black Friday

The term “Black Friday” was used around the 1950s, and it referred to crowds of shoppers and the traffic congestion of the day after Thanksgiving, mainly in Philadelphia. At first, it was a negative term because the event created chaos in major cities. However, in the early 1980s, a new definition emerged that looked at Black Friday as a positive event for retailers. Black Friday became the day that many retailers shifted from losing money (Operating in the red) to making a profit (being in the black) in the holiday shopping season.

Over time, Black Friday evolved into a huge shopping event that spread over many countries. Retailers started offering great discounts, and people made lines to get their hands on Black Friday deals. Now with the rise of online shopping, Black Friday is not just about long lines in front of stores. With online deals, a wide range of audiences can take part in Black Friday without the need to physically be in the store. Even other complementary shopping events emerged such as Cyber Monday, which refers to the Monday after Black Friday.

How to Find Black Friday Deals

Since almost all companies take part in Black Friday and offer various discounts and bundles, it’s not easy to find the most affordable deals based on your needs. To find the best Black Friday deals, customers use different techniques and tools. Here are the most common and effective ways you can find Black Friday discounts:

• Retailer Apps and Websites: If you want a certain company’s products, be sure to check out its official website or app. There is a high chance you will find a special segment dedicated to Black Friday that you can take advantage of.
• Newsletters: Another effective way of finding out about deals is to subscribe to the newsletters of the retailers that you have in your mind. Sometimes, retailers send early offers or exclusive deals only to their subscribers.
• Social Media: Obviously, following the social media accounts of your favorite retailers can help you find deals without much delay. Moreover, you can follow certain Facebook, X, and Instagram accounts that summarize the best deals from various retailers for you.
• Price Comparison Tools: If you want to really get into it and be professional about it, you can utilize price comparison tools such as PriceGrabber and CamelCameCamel. With these tools, you can ensure that the promoted deals are genuine discounts and that the price before the discount was actually higher.
• Deal Aggregator websites: Another way to make it easier to find the best deals is the deal aggregator websites that gather different deals from retailers. With websites such as BlackFriday.com and Slickdeals, you can sort the deals based on various factors such as the company, range of price, and more.
• Deal Apps and Browser Extensions: There are some apps and browser extensions that will notify you when prices drop. Honey and Rakuten are among the best apps and browser extensions out there for Black Friday discounts.
• Create your own wish lists: You can be your own aggregator and make a wish list of your favorite items on various websites. Lots of these websites will notify you if an item on your wish list is discounted on Black Friday.

Best Categories to Shop During Black Friday

Usually, the best categories for Black Friday shopping are the ones that don’t get discounts very often throughout the year. Here are the best categories to shop during Black Friday:

• Electronics: Every year, electronics are the most popular products on Black Friday. People expect to find irresistible discounts on electronic items such as TVs, gaming consoles, smartphones, and personal computers. Many big tech brands like Sony, Apple, Microsoft, and Samsung slash the prices of their products during Black Friday.
• Toys and Games: Since Black Friday is the last great opportunity to buy gifts for children before the holiday season, there is a lot of demand for toys and games during that time of the year.
• Home Appliances: If you need any small or large home appliances that seem expensive for now, wait for Black Friday and there is a good chance that you’ll find great discounts for your favorite items. Home appliances such as refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, microwave ovens, washing machines, and more get deep discounts every year during Black Friday.
• Beauty and Personal Care Products: The market for cosmetics and personal care products really heats up during Black Friday. Many big beauty and personal care retailers such as Sephora and Ulta offer their products with attractive deals.  
• Travel: This may not be at the top of your mind but during Black Friday you can find hefty deals for travelling. Travel agencies, hotels, and airlines compete for people’s attention during this time of the year and start offering great discounts on vacation packages.
• Clothing: Last but not least, seasonal clothing is a big deal on Black Friday. Various fashion retailers provide great opportunities for people to get their hands on winter apparel during Black Friday.

Final Verdict – Shopping Black Friday

Overall, Black Friday deals can save you a lot of money but you need to be prepared for it and be familiar with the best techniques and tools. Black Friday can become overwhelming for many people and you can get tricked into buying stuff you don’t even need. Furthermore, you can encounter fake discounts that don’t represent real prices.

We recommend setting a budget for Black Friday, creating a wish list for items you need to buy, and using reliable sources to find deals. Hopefully, you found out about the best ways to find Black Friday discounts through this guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the usual discount on Black Friday?

The Black Friday discounts depend on the retailer that offers the deal but usually, the discounts are better than you can find on other occasions. On average, you can expect between 20% to 50% discounts on many products. For some electronics and toys, you can even find 60% to 80% off deals that are available for limited quantities and they will be gone very quickly if you wait too long.

When do Black Friday Deals start?

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving but the deals often start much earlier and you can find great discounted items from various retailers even as early as the beginning of November.

Why is it called Black Friday?

The origins of the term “Black Friday” trace back to Philadelphia during the 1950s and referred to chaotic crowds and traffic in the city after Thanksgiving. After that, in the 1980s it turned into a positive term that symbolized Black Friday as the day businesses got “in the black” which means making a profit.