Are Black Friday Deals Worth It? How the Sales Really Work
Are Black Friday deals worth it?
Sometimes, but far less often than the ads suggest. Black Friday can be the cheapest time of year to buy certain things, especially software subscriptions, some electronics and items you were already planning to buy. But many "deals" are prices that were available before, or will be again in a few weeks. The trick is knowing which is which.
Black Friday 2026 falls on Friday, November 27, with Cyber Monday on November 30. See our full guide to when Black Friday 2026 is for every key date.
How Black Friday sales really work
Retailers use Black Friday to bring in a lot of shoppers at once. A few tactics explain most of what you see:
- Loss leaders: a small number of headline products are priced very low, sometimes at a loss, to get you into the store or onto the website, where you'll buy other things at normal margins.
- Reference prices: a deal is shown as "was $X, now $Y". The "was" price is sometimes a list price the item rarely sold for, which makes the discount look bigger than it really is.
- Limited stock and countdowns: "only 3 left" and timers push you to buy before comparing prices.
- Special models: some TVs and appliances are made in versions sold mainly during Black Friday, with cheaper parts or fewer features than the model they look like. Their model numbers differ slightly.
- Sale seasons: the event now runs for weeks, from early November through Cyber Week, so stores can spread out their deals.
None of this is unique to Black Friday, but the volume of advertising makes it easy to stop comparing.
Have Black Friday deals gotten worse?
Many shoppers feel deals have gotten worse, and there is some truth to it. Prices are more spread out across the year than they used to be:
- Sales happen all year. Amazon Prime Day in July, Prime Big Deal Days in October, Singles' Day on November 11 and end-of-season sales all compete with Black Friday.
- Consumer research keeps finding repeat prices. UK consumer group Which? has repeatedly found that the large majority of Black Friday "deals" it tracked were available at the same price, or cheaper, at other times of the year.
- Doorbusters are rarer. The extreme one-day, in-store bargains that made headlines years ago have mostly given way to longer, online-first sales.
That said, some categories still reliably hit their lowest price of the year, as the next section shows.
What is usually worth buying on Black Friday
| Category | Usually worth it? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Software and subscriptions (VPN, hosting, design tools) | Yes | Annual plans are often at their lowest price of the year |
| Big-name TVs (not special models) | Often | Prices drop ahead of new models in the spring |
| Headphones, smart-home devices, e-readers | Often | Popular Black Friday deals that repeat each year |
| Gaming consoles | Sometimes | Usually bundles rather than real price cuts |
| Laptops | Sometimes | Good deals exist, but check specs and model numbers carefully |
| Small appliances (air fryers, coffee machines) | Often | Frequent and real discounts |
| Fashion | Sometimes | Sitewide discounts are common but also repeat during the year |
| Toys | Sometimes | Prices can drop further in December |
| Furniture and mattresses | Rarely | Often on "sale" all year round |
Why software and subscriptions are the safest bet
Digital products don't have stock or shipping costs, so software companies can afford genuine discounts on annual and multi-year plans. VPNs, web hosting, design suites and AI tools often run their deepest discount of the year over Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The thing to watch is the renewal price: the discount usually only applies to the first term. See our Black Friday software deals and Black Friday hosting deals.
Black Friday vs Prime Day: which is better?
| Black Friday / Cyber Monday | Amazon Prime Day | |
|---|---|---|
| When | Late November | Usually July, plus an October event |
| Who runs it | Almost every retailer | Mainly Amazon (some competitors run rival sales) |
| Membership needed | No | Yes, Amazon Prime |
| Best for | Broad shopping, holiday gifts, software, TVs | Amazon devices and Amazon-sold items |
| Price comparison | Easy to compare many stores at once | Often matched by other stores |
For Amazon's own devices, such as Echo, Kindle and Fire TV, prices on Prime Day and Black Friday are often similar. For everything else, Black Friday gives you more stores to compare.
Do Black Friday sales get better closer to Christmas?
Sometimes. Some items, like toys and certain fashion lines, can drop further in December when stores need to clear stock. But popular products often sell out during Black Friday, and the deals that come back in December are rarely much lower. If an item is at its lowest recorded price on Black Friday and you were going to buy it anyway, there is little benefit in waiting.
What about 50%, 70% or 90% off deals?
Very large percentages are usually a warning sign rather than a good sign:
- They often apply to low-value or older stock, not the products in the ads.
- The "original" price may be a list price the product never really sold for.
- 90% off offers from unfamiliar websites are a common sign of scam stores, especially ones promoted on social media.
A 20–30% discount on a product you actually want is usually better value than a 70% discount on something you don't.
How to tell if a Black Friday deal is real
- Check the price history. Price trackers such as CamelCamelCamel or Keepa (for Amazon) show what an item has sold for over months, not just the "was" price.
- Compare the exact model number. Make sure it's the same model you saw reviewed, not a special Black Friday version.
- Compare at least two other stores. Many retailers price-match during the sale season.
- Look for coupon codes that stack on top of the sale price. Check our coupon stores before paying.
- Read the return policy. Some Black Friday items are final sale, while others come with extended holiday returns.
- Stick to your list. The best way to save on Black Friday is not to buy things you didn't plan to buy.
Are Black Friday sales final?
Not usually. Most retailers apply their normal return policy, and many extend holiday returns into January. But clearance and "final sale" items, opened software, digital purchases and some electronics may not be returnable. Check before you buy, and keep your receipt or order confirmation.
What about "Black Friday in July"?
"Black Friday in July" is a marketing name some retailers use for summer sales, often timed to compete with Amazon Prime Day. These sales can be useful, but they are not the real Black Friday, and prices are often higher than the November event.
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to buy on Black Friday?
For software, subscriptions and some electronics, yes. For many other products, the same price shows up at other times of year.
Is Black Friday or Cyber Monday cheaper?
They are often the same. Cyber Monday tends to be stronger for online-only tech and software deals.
What is a typical Black Friday discount?
Most genuine discounts are in the 15–40% range. Annual software plans can go higher, often 50% or more off the first term.
Should I wait until Black Friday to buy a TV or laptop?
If you can wait a few weeks, it's usually worth checking. Compare model numbers and price history so you know you're getting a real deal.
Bottom line
Black Friday is worth it when you go in with a list, compare prices, and focus on categories where discounts are real, especially software and subscriptions. It is not worth it if you're buying something just because it's on sale. Check when Black Friday 2026 starts and plan your shopping before the deals go live.
