Black Friday 2025: Everything to know (including when holiday sales actually start)
Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.
The most notorious shopping event of the year is slowly making its way to us: Black Friday is less than three weeks away.
That’s right: Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the weekend of savings in between is almost here, and there will be plenty of seasonal sales at some of the biggest retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart, kicking off as early as Nov. 14. ZDNET has been tracking early deals, and we’ll continue monitoring all-time low prices and significant price drops on categories our editors test and love.
Also: Our favorite early Black Friday deals
That’s why I’ve compiled everything I know about shopping sales as ZDNET’s deals and shopping editor. I’m passing my favorite tips, tricks, and need-to-know info to you so you can shop savvy this holiday season. Consider this your all-inclusive guide to the 2025 holiday shopping season. Here’s everything you need to know to shop Black Friday deals and other seasonal savings offers exactly like a shopping editor.
Also: The 15+ best tech stocking stuffers perfect for holiday gifting (all under $75)
When is Black Friday?
This year in the US, Black Friday is on Nov. 28, 2025, one day after Thanksgiving, which falls on Thursday, Nov. 27.
When is Cyber Monday?
This year in the US, Cyber Monday falls on Dec. 1, 2025, just a few days after Thanksgiving and Black Friday 2025.
What is Cyber Week?
A more recent term to emerge in the last decade, „Cyber Week“ refers to the days of savings in late November and/or early December that occur yearly just after Thanksgiving. During this period, many online and in-store retailers offer significant savings and discounts across nearly every product category. Cyber Week 2025 begins on Black Friday (one day after Thanksgiving in the US), and extends through the end of Cyber Monday of the following week. For 2025, Cyber Week will kick off on Nov. 28 and run through Dec. 1, though we’re already anticipating lots of sales that start even earlier and linger beyond Cyber Monday’s close.
What is the Cyber 5?
The „Cyber 5“ is essentially just another name for Cyber Week. These are the five days of seasonal savings that kick off with Black Friday on Nov. 28 this year and end with Cyber Monday on Dec. 1. This Friday-to-Monday stretch each year falls right after Thanksgiving and historically serves as the most popular time for holiday shopping.
When will Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals be live?
This year, Black Friday falls on Nov. 28, 2025. That means Cyber Monday will fall on Dec. 1, 2025, and the days between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday are dubbed „Cyber Week.“ That’s when you can expect to see some major holiday sales and discounts, and as always, ZDNET will deliver extensive coverage of the top deals across the shopping extravaganza at multiple retailers.
Expect to see the largest number of deals live during this window, from Nov. 28 to Dec. 1. However, keep in mind that retailers roll out deals earlier and earlier every season, so there will still be numerous instances of savings throughout November ahead of Black Friday and through December ahead of the winter holidays. November will be a month packed with savings, and you don’t want to miss out by failing to prepare.
How long will these holiday deals be available?
Black Friday savings are already slated to begin earlier in November, and wind down by Cyber Monday on Dec. 1. However, keep in mind that Cyber Week isn’t the only time to save, and even if some deals end, it’s likely that others will linger for a few days post-Black Friday weekend. Plus, we will certainly see more savings events and sales in December, too.
What is the difference between Black Friday and Cyber Monday?
Semantics, really. Black Friday is a decades-old shopping extravaganza traditionally associated with in-store savings and discounts following the Thanksgiving holiday in the US. Cyber Monday, like Cyber Week, is a much more modern term that was born as a result of the online shopping boom, thanks to the likes of Amazon and other retailers shifting to online modes of sale.
Cyber Monday more closely reflects seasonal savings offered online only, especially on tech products like laptops, tablets, phones, and more. But the bottom line? In 2025, both terms are pretty synonymous with holiday savings, and Black Friday has certainly grown to include a much larger online presence, too.
What are the best products to shop during Black Friday?
Black Friday is the traditional opening of the holiday shopping season, and is perhaps one of the busiest times of year for both in-person and online retailers. There will be plenty of products to shop on Black Friday, and you’ll be able to find savings in basically every item category. You’ll be able to snag savings on tech products like streaming services, gift cards, video games and consoles, TVs, laptops, tablets, headphones and speakers, and robot vacuums. Plus savings on broader categories like luggage, clothing, beauty, kitchen and household, toys, and more. There will even be opportunities to save on products that don’t often see sales, like on flagship Apple devices.
What retailers will have Black Friday sales?
Nearly every major retailer will undoubtedly offer competing sales, deals, and discounts during Black Friday and through the holiday season. Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Costco, and other retailers (like Kohls and Macy’s) will try to compete with each other’s offerings, often price-cutting the same items during the same periods, extending their own sales, or offering member-exclusive sales or access. But don’t worry — we’ll cover all the best deals on top tech through the season, including deals surfacing elsewhere beyond the usual culprits (Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy).
Walmart Deals Events
On Oct. 27, Walmart released the details of its Cyber Week event. The first sales will kick off on Nov. 14, and the brand promises thousands of gifts under $20 and up to 60% off top brands. Walmart will roll out savings in three major sale waves, and unlike last year, it doesn’t look like there’s a 50% off offer on a Walmart+ membership.
- Walmart Black Friday Deals Event 1: Nov. 14-16: Deals available online and in stores for the entire event. Walmart+ members get five hours of early access online beginning Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. ET.
- Walmart Black Friday Deals Event 2: Nov. 25-30. Deals available online only from Nov. 25–27, followed by online and in stores from Nov. 28–30. Walmart+ members get five hours of early access online beginning Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. ET.
- Walmart Cyber Monday Deals Event: Dec. 1: Deals are available online only. Walmart+ members get five hours of early access online beginning Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. ET.
Also: Best Black Friday Walmart deals
Best Buy Holiday Sales
Best Buy was one of the first retailers to roll out its set of dates for holiday sales. On Oct. 20, the brand released its full schedule of events through the end of December. The brand’s Door(BOO)ster deals technically kicks off over a full month of savings, starting on Halloween. Here’s the details:
- Early Black Friday Deals: Oct. 31-Nov. 19
- Black Friday Sale: Nov. 20-29
- Cyber Sunday and Monday: Nov. 30-Dec. 1
- Last-Minute Savings: Dec. 15-24
Also: Best Best Buy Black Friday deals
Amazon Black Friday
Last year, Amazon’s Black Friday specific sale ran from Nov. 21-29. It’s likely the retailer will offer something similar again, (though nothing has been definitively confirmed), perhaps kicking off savings around Nov. 20 to match Best Buy and other competitors. Amazon is also offering savings as early as now, with select products fluctuating in price leading up to the big sales in a few weeks.
Also: Best Amazon Black Friday deals
Target Black Friday
On Oct. 30, Target unveiled its early plans for the 2025 holiday shopping season. The retailer will offer various savings via daily deals, weeklong offers, and an early Black Friday sale. Target will also honor a Holiday Price Match Guarantee from Nov. 1 – Dec. 24. If a customer’s purchased item drops lower at Target later in the season, Target will price match.
The brand didn’t detail specifics about its true Black Friday sale, though. They did advertise generally that Black Friday sales will start online on Nov. 27 and in stores Nov. 28. I would also expect the retailer to kick off more deals or savings opportunities around Nov. 20 as well to compete with Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart, specifically, but we’ll have to wait and see.
- Early Black Friday Sale: Nov. 6-8.
- Weeklong Holiday Deals: No. 2- Dec. 24: Target will launch new deals every Sunday, offering new opportunities to save each week. Consumers can preview the upcoming offers every Friday in the Target Weekly Ad.
- Deal of the Day: Nov. 1 – Dec. 24: Target’s Deal of the Day promotion offers one-day-only deals of up to 50% off, plus exclusive deals for members of its free-to-join Target Circle program.
How do I make the most of Black Friday?
The best way to maximize Black Friday and other holiday sales is to shop with a clear direction of what you want (and need). Of course, it’s helpful to have a plan in mind before you hit add to cart, too. Here are a few more helpful tips I recommend as ZDNET’s deals and shopping editor that you can do even before Black Friday sales kick off:
- Update your payment options.
- Set up a shopping-only email.
- Trade in old devices and check/use gift cards.
- Enable a price tracking tool.
- Explore cash back services.
Also: Don’t shop Black Friday until you do these 5 simple things (a shopping editor’s advice)
Do stores still have Black Friday sales in person?
While a bulk of holiday shopping has certainly shifted online, Black Friday sales are still available in many stores, including popular options like Target, Walmart, Best Buy, and more. However, there are certainly still some sale offers that will only be available online (and vice-versa), and it’s a good idea to keep in mind that if you’re shopping for popular tech products, you might have better opportunities to score the models, colors, or sizes of products online if you shop early, or in-store if products are selling out fast online. Whether or not you shop in person is really a personal preference, but as a tech editor with experience covering Black Friday and Cyber Monday, I find it easier to shop online as soon as possible on Black Friday, presuming you’ve already researched and planned your purchases.
When is the next Amazon Prime Day?
Amazon’s October Prime Big Deal Days event ended on Oct. 8, 2025. If Amazon sticks to its traditional sale calendar, the next Prime Day won’t return until sometime in July, likely after Independence Day. However, Amazon’s Big Spring Sale will likely return in March — a longer sale event that is not Prime-exclusive.
When is the best time of the year to save the most?
Generally, some of the best deals of the year fall during the holiday shopping period, before the December holidays. Most notoriously, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the rest of Cyber Week are great times to grab savings on top tech, especially last year’s (or prior) device models. This is because tons of new tech is released from the spring into late summer, making the fall and winter ideal times to slash prices. However, the holiday season isn’t the only time to save. Thanks to the growth of online shopping, retailers can leverage savings whenever they want, and many turn to members-only discount events like Prime Day to do so.
Prime Day, Prime Big Deal Days, and other exclusive events like those from Walmart can be great opportunities to score exclusive products or offers, and for Amazon, that often includes flagship tech products like Echo devices, Fire tablets, and more — many of which aren’t sold at other major retailers. So while the holiday season likely remains your best chance at scoring savings on the most amount of products, keep in mind that you can genuinely save whenever, as long as you know how to keep a watchful eye on products, compare prices, use helpful shopping tools, and trusted brands that do the grunt work for you (that’s us).
How do I pick the best deals for Black Friday 2025?
Throughout the holiday shopping season, we’ll be extensively updating ZDNET.com live with all the best deals on products we’ve tested and would recommend. We’ll also curate, share, and update hand-picked lists of top deals in several product categories, including laptops, security cameras, tablets, and more.
Do brands offer price matching during Black Friday?
Yes and no. Some major retailers don’t offer price matching at all and other major retailers, like Best Buy, do not offer price matching during member-exclusive events, like Prime Day. The good news is that at most places, you won’t need to worry about grabbing the best price — most of the retailers are already doing that for you. Black Friday and early holiday sale periods are the most competitive times of the year and are great opportunities for major retailers to offer the very same deals on the same products to compete for your purchase. If you find something on sale at one retailer, you’re likely going to find the same offer at another store, with exceptions only for retailer-exclusive items. However, some retailers will offer price matches, but your best bet is to read each retailer’s policy before making a decision to rely on price matching elsewhere.
Will there be any early Black Friday deals on flagship Apple devices?
Black Friday is the kick-off to the holiday shopping season for many, so it is likely we’ll see Apple products at a price cut. Keep in mind that most Apple products don’t see major discounts throughout the year, and 15-20% is typically the most savings you’ll see — especially on newer products. Apple released the new iPhone 17 lineup, Apple Watch Series 11, SE 3 and Ultra 3 this fall, so it is possible some of those products may see first-time discounts.
Last year, the Apple Watch Series 10 saw its first significant discount for the holiday season after it was released in Sept. 2024. In fact, two of Apple’s newest watches have already seen a discount. The Apple Watch SE 3 dropped to $200 (save $49) in the Starlight color and the Apple Watch Ultra 3 dropped to $699 (save $100) in two colors.
Why should you trust ZDNET?
As a member of the ZDNET staff, I only write about deals I or a team member would want to buy — devices and products we desire, need, or would recommend. I look for deals that are at least 20% off (or are hardly ever on sale), using established price comparison tools and trackers to determine whether the deal is actually on sale and how frequently it drops.
I also looked over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the deals I recommend. These recommendations may also be based on my own testing (or testing by another ZDNET expert) — in addition to extensive research and comparison shopping. The goal is to deliver the most accurate advice to help you shop smarter. ZDNET offers 33 years of experience, 30 hands-on product reviewers, and 10,000 square feet of lab space to ensure we’re bringing the best of tech to you.
What are the best early Black Friday deals?
ZDNET’s full slate of early Black Friday coverage will be launching soon, but keep an eye out for individual offers surfaced on our site as well as opportunities to save at major retailers that may fly below the radar. We also broke down our favorite tech for the holiday season that’s perfect for gifting to yourself or a loved one. Shop our gift guides below:
