So, you're looking back and trying to pin down the exact Black Friday 2023 date. It feels like a lifetime ago, doesn't it?
Technically, Black Friday 2023 fell on November 24.
But honestly, if you were actually out there trying to snag a deal, that single Friday was just a tiny piece of the puzzle. The "day" has basically turned into a month-long marathon. Most people think they missed out if they didn't wake up at 4:00 AM on the 24th, but the reality is way more complicated—and kinda weird when you look at the data.
Why the Black Friday 2023 date was just a suggestion
Retailers didn't wait for the turkey to get cold. Actually, they didn't even wait for the turkey to be bought. Walmart and Target started dropping "Early Black Friday" deals as early as the first week of November.
By the time November 24 rolled around, a huge chunk of the "limited" inventory was already sitting in people's living rooms.
The old-school "doorbuster" is dying. Experts like Michael Brown from Kearney have pointed out that we just don't see those "kick-the-doors-down" crowds anymore. Why would you? In 2023, the real action was on your phone while you were still in your pajamas.
The numbers that actually matter
Check out how the spending shook out during that window:
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- Total Online Spend: A massive $9.8 billion on Friday alone (up 7.5% from 2022).
- Mobile Dominance: Over $5.3 billion of that came straight from smartphones.
- Thanksgiving Day: Even before the official date, people dropped $5.6 billion online.
It's sort of wild to think about. We used to wait in physical lines; now we just refresh browser tabs while passing the gravy.
The inflation "elephant" in the room
There was a lot of chatter leading up to November 2023 about whether anyone would actually spend money. Inflation was hitting everyone's wallets. Gas prices were wonky. People were stressed.
But then, something funny happened.
We spent record amounts.
Adobe Analytics noted that while we spent more, we weren't necessarily buying more stuff. Prices were higher, so the total dollar amount looked impressive, but the actual volume of items moving through warehouses was a bit sluggish.
One thing that really saved the season for retailers was "Buy Now, Pay Later" (BNPL). Usage of services like Affirm and Klarna spiked by 47% compared to the previous year. Basically, America decided to deal with the bill in January so they could have the OLED TV in November.
What we learned from the 2023 cycle
If you're looking back at the Black Friday 2023 date to plan for future years, there are some pretty clear takeaways.
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First, the best tech deals—the really high-end Sony headphones or those Dyson vacuums—usually hit their lowest point about 10 days before the actual Friday.
Second, "Cyber Monday" (which was November 27 in 2023) actually beat Black Friday in total online sales, raking in $12.4 billion.
Actionable insights for the next round:
- Track, don't guess: Use tools like CamelCamelCamel or Honey to see if a "deal" is actually the lowest price. In 2023, many "Black Friday" prices were identical to prices seen in October.
- Skip the Friday store rush: Unless you're looking for the social experience of a crowded mall, the in-store inventory is often worse than what's available in the warehouse for shipping.
- Watch the "Cyber Five": That's the period from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday. 2023 proved that Sunday is often the "forgotten" day where you can find stock that was sold out on Friday but replenished for Monday.
The Black Friday 2023 date of November 24 was a record-breaker, but it also proved that the "holiday" is now a digital-first season of endurance rather than a one-day sprint. If you want the best value, you have to play the game long before the calendar hits late November.