Mark your calendars. When is Black Friday 2023? It officially falls on November 24, 2023.
But honestly? That date is kinda a lie. If you wait until Friday morning to start looking for deals, you've already lost the game. Retailers like Walmart, Amazon, and Target stopped caring about the "Friday" part of Black Friday years ago. Now, it’s more of a month-long marathon of price cuts that starts somewhere around Halloween.
The "official" date is always the day after Thanksgiving. Since Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday of November, the math lands us on the 24th this year. It's late. Last year it was the 25th, but the shift of just one day changes the entire psychological flow of the shopping season.
The messy reality of the November 24th kickoff
Retailers are desperate. They have warehouses full of inventory they need to move before the new year kicks in. Because of this, the "Black Friday" you remember—standing in a freezing line at 3:00 AM outside a Best Buy—is basically a relic of the past.
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Walmart announced their "Black Friday Deals for Days" events will likely start weeks before the 24th. They’ve done this for three years running. They split the sales into stages. You get a wave of electronics in early November, toys in mid-November, and then the "big" stuff on the actual day. It's a strategy to keep you clicking their app every single morning.
Amazon is even more aggressive. Following their October "Prime Big Deal Days," they usually transition straight into early holiday previews. By the time November 24th rolls around, half the stuff you wanted might already be sold out or backordered until January.
Why the late date matters for your wallet
Because November 24th is relatively late in the month, there are fewer shopping days between Black Friday and Christmas.
Twenty-seven days.
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That is the window. Retailers panic when the window is short. They worry they won't hit their Q4 targets, so they tend to drop prices harder and earlier to lock in your budget before you spend it elsewhere. According to Adobe Analytics, we saw record-breaking spending in 2022 despite inflation, and 2023 is shaping up to be a battle of the discounts. You’re going to see "Black Friday" branding on websites as early as November 1st.
When is Black Friday 2023: The real timeline for major stores
Don't just look at the 24th. Look at the week.
- Thanksgiving Day (Nov 23): Most major physical stores like Target, Kohl's, and Best Buy will stay closed. They learned during the pandemic that they don't actually need to open on the holiday to make money. Online sales, however, will peak between 6:00 PM and midnight. This is when the "doorbusters" actually go live on the web.
- Black Friday (Nov 24): The main event. Doors usually open at 5:00 AM or 6:00 AM. This is for the brave souls who want to touch the product before they buy it.
- Small Business Saturday (Nov 25): Often overlooked, but great for unique gifts.
- Cyber Monday (Nov 27): This is traditionally for tech, but it has basically merged with Black Friday into one giant "Cyber Week."
I spoke with a floor manager at a major big-box retailer last year who told me that the "Friday" stock is often just the leftovers from the online sales that started Tuesday night. Think about that. If you're waiting for the 24th to buy a PS5 or a specific Dyson vacuum, you might be looking at an empty shelf because the "Online Early Access" crowd picked it clean forty-eight hours prior.
Stop falling for the fake "Original Price"
Here is a dirty secret about Black Friday deals. A lot of those "70% OFF!" stickers are based on the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP), which nobody actually pays.
A TV might be listed at $900 "regular price" and on sale for $499. But if you look at price tracking data from sites like CamelCamelCamel or Honey, you'll see that TV has been $550 for the last six months. You're only saving $50, not $400.
Also, watch out for "derivative models." These are products—specifically TVs and laptops—made specifically for Black Friday. They have slightly different model numbers. They look like the high-end version but use cheaper components, fewer HDMI ports, or lower-quality panels. If the model number ends in a weird string of letters you can't find on the manufacturer's main website, it’s probably a "Black Friday special" build. It's not necessarily bad, but it isn't the premium product you think you're getting for a steal.
The Psychology of the "Flash Sale"
Retailers use countdown timers. "Only 2 hours left!" "3 people have this in their cart!"
It's all "dark patterns." These are design choices meant to make you anxious so you check out without thinking. On November 24, 2023, your inbox will be flooded. My advice? Unsubscribe from everything now and only resubscribe to the three stores you actually plan on shopping at. It cuts the noise. It keeps you sane.
How to win Black Friday this year
You need a plan that isn't just "showing up."
First, build your "Wish List" on Amazon and Best Buy right now. Don't add things later. Add them today. This allows the apps to send you push notifications the second the price drops.
Second, check for "Price Match Guarantees." Some stores, like Target, have historically offered a price match guarantee for anything bought in November. If you buy a mixer on November 10th and the price drops even lower on November 24th, they will often refund you the difference. This takes the stress out of wondering if you should "wait for a better deal."
Third, use a credit card with purchase protection. If you buy a laptop and it gets stolen off your porch or breaks two weeks later, many high-end cards (like certain Amex or Chase Sapphire cards) will cover the loss. This is especially important during the holiday chaos when porch piracy is at an all-time high.
What about Cyber Monday?
Is there any point in waiting for Monday? Honestly, not really.
The distinction between Black Friday and Cyber Monday has almost completely evaporated. Usually, Cyber Monday is just a "last chance" for the deals that didn't sell out over the weekend. The only exception is software and travel. If you’re looking for Adobe Creative Cloud subscriptions, flights, or hotel bookings, those tend to have better "Cyber" specific promos.
For physical goods like clothes, air fryers, and iPhones? If you see it at a price you like on Friday (or the Wednesday before), buy it.
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Actionable Next Steps for November 2023
- Download Price Trackers: Install browser extensions like Keepa or CamelCamelCamel. These show you the price history of an item so you can see if the "discount" is actually real.
- Verify Model Numbers: If you are buying a big-ticket item like a 4K TV, search the specific model number on the manufacturer's site. If it doesn't exist there, it's a derivative model made with cheaper parts.
- Check Store Hours: While many malls will open early on the 24th, confirm your local store's hours on their specific Google Maps listing, as corporate "blanket" hours often vary by location.
- Set a "Hard Budget": Decide on a total dollar amount on November 1st. Once that's gone, delete your shopping apps. Black Friday is designed to make you spend on things you never knew you wanted.
Black Friday 2023 is going to be a frenzy of inventory clearing. Be smart, stay skeptical of the "original" prices, and remember that the best deals usually happen on your phone while you're still eating Thanksgiving leftovers on Thursday night.