Black Friday 2026 Dates: When Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy and Target Sales Start

Black Friday 2026 is Friday, Nov. 27, the day after Thanksgiving (Thursday, Nov. 26), and Cyber Monday is Nov. 30. But the big retailers don’t wait for the day itself. Walmart’s first Black Friday event starts Thursday, Nov. 12, Amazon and Best Buy start their main Black Friday sales on Nov. 19, and Target is already running daily deals. Here’s the full calendar, what members get early, and the price-match and return rules that matter if you buy before the biggest discounts land.

Black Friday 2026 at a glance

Walmart, Best Buy and Target stores are all closed on Thanksgiving Day, so the first in-store Black Friday rush happens Friday morning.

Walmart: three events, starting Nov. 12

Walmart is spreading its deals across three events from Nov. 12 to Dec. 2, according to the company’s holiday announcement. Retail Dive notes that adds up to 14 days of deal events this year, compared with 10 in 2025.

Early Black Friday Deals: Nov. 12–15

The sale opens on Walmart.com at 12:01 a.m. ET on Thursday, Nov. 12 and in stores at 6 a.m. local time. Walmart+ members get first access to “hot Deal drops” at the same 12:01 a.m. start. Anything left opens to everyone at 12:01 a.m. ET on Nov. 13. Select online-only deals are also held for Walmart+ members for the first 24 hours.

Black Friday Deals: Nov. 23–29

The main event goes live online at 12:01 a.m. ET on Monday, Nov. 23. Stores join on Black Friday, Nov. 27, at 6 a.m. local time. The same member head start applies: Walmart+ hot deals drop Nov. 23 and open to all shoppers on Nov. 24.

Cyber Monday: Nov. 30–Dec. 2

Walmart’s Cyber Monday deals run online for three days, starting at 12:01 a.m. ET on Nov. 30. Walmart is also selling a combined Walmart+ and Sam’s Club Plus membership for $120 a year this season.

Amazon: Black Friday Week runs Nov. 19–30

Amazon confirmed on Nov. 9 that its Black Friday Week and Cyber Monday events run Nov. 19 through Nov. 30. Here’s what’s different this year:

• 12 days of themed deal drops under “Today’s Big Deals”: Toys, Tech, Fashion, Beauty, Premium Gifts and Stocking Stuffers.
• Two drops on the biggest days. For the first time, deals drop twice on both Black Friday and Cyber Monday, at midnight and 8 a.m. PT. Amazon says savings go up to 60% off, while supplies last.
• Price History. Product pages have a “Price History” option that shows up to 365 days of pricing, so you can see whether a “deal” is really a low.
• Thanksgiving groceries. Amazon lists frozen turkeys from $0.79 per pound (Nov. 1–26) and fresh turkeys from $0.99 per pound (Nov. 14–26).
• Free Black Friday football. Prime Video’s Black Friday game, the Denver Broncos at the Pittsburgh Steelers, streams without a Prime membership.

Amazon’s lower-priced Haul store runs a separate early “Haul-iday” event from Nov. 9 to 14.

Best Buy: Black Friday deals Nov. 19–28

Best Buy started earliest. Its holiday calendar kicked off with “DoorBOOsters” on Oct. 30 and Early Black Friday deals on Nov. 6, with new deals dropping every Friday. The main schedule:

• Black Friday Doorbusters and Deals: 10 days starting Thursday, Nov. 19 (through Nov. 28, per MacRumors).
• Cyber Sunday and Monday: Nov. 29–30.
• Cyber Week Deals: Dec. 1–6.
• Last-Minute Savings: Dec. 18–24.

My Best Buy Plus and Total members earn double rewards on purchases from Nov. 19 to Dec. 6.

Target: daily deals now, Black Friday dates still to come

Target’s holiday fact sheet confirms its Early Black Friday sale ran Nov. 5–7. A one-day Deal of the Day runs every day from Nov. 1 through Dec. 24, and this year you can preview the next day’s deal a day ahead. Target also plans limited-time offers most Thursdays through Saturdays, plus sales for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Exact dates for those hadn’t been published at the time of writing. Stores are closed on Thanksgiving and open at 6 a.m. local time on Black Friday.

Buying early? Know the price-match and return rules

The biggest risk of shopping the early sales is watching the same item drop again a week later. Policies differ a lot, as Digital Citizen’s comparison lays out:

• Best Buy: Items bought between Oct. 30 and Dec. 31 can be price-matched through Jan. 15, 2027. It matches Best Buy’s own lower price only, not competitors’, and it excludes Marketplace sellers.
• Target: If Target’s own price drops on or before Dec. 24, you can claim the difference with proof of purchase. Clearance items are excluded, and coupons or Target Circle bonuses can’t be combined with a price match.
• Amazon: No holiday price guarantee, but items bought from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31 can be returned until Jan. 31, 2027, according to an Amazon notice to sellers. Normal return conditions still apply.
• Walmart: Its holiday announcement doesn’t include a price guarantee, so treat each of its three events as a separate deal and check the return window on your receipt, especially for electronics.

How to get the most out of the 2026 sales

Set your number before the deals start. With sales stretched over more than three weeks, it’s easy to spend a little every few days and lose track. A firm total and a list per person help, and our guide to a stress-free holiday gift budget walks through how to set one and stick to it. If you’d rather not put gifts on a credit card, a sinking fund is a simple way to plan for next year’s season now.

Check price history on big-ticket items. Use Amazon’s 365-day Price History or a price tracker before you buy a TV, laptop or appliance, so you know what a genuinely low price looks like.

Line up your memberships only if they pay off. Walmart+ early access and Best Buy’s member rewards are worth it if you were going to shop there anyway. A membership bought just for one deal can cost more than it saves.

Mind the in-store dates. If you like shopping in person, Black Friday morning is the main store event at Walmart and Target. And if a holiday coffee run is part of your routine, Starbucks’ free Red Cup Day is Nov. 17. Our post on the Starbucks Bearista Surprise Box and Red Cup Day has the details.

FAQ

What day is Black Friday 2026?

Friday, Nov. 27, 2026. Thanksgiving is Thursday, Nov. 26, and Cyber Monday is Nov. 30.

When does Walmart’s Black Friday sale start?

Walmart’s Early Black Friday Deals start online at 12:01 a.m. ET on Nov. 12 and run through Nov. 15. Its main Black Friday Deals event runs Nov. 23–29, with stores joining at 6 a.m. on Nov. 27.

When does Amazon’s Black Friday sale start?

Amazon’s Black Friday Week starts Nov. 19 and runs together with Cyber Monday through Nov. 30.

Are stores open on Thanksgiving 2026?

Walmart, Target and Best Buy stores are closed on Thanksgiving Day. Online sales continue.

Do I need a membership to get the deals?

No. Walmart+ members get some hot deals 24 hours early, but leftover items open to everyone.

Sources: Walmart (Oct. 26, 2026), Amazon (Nov. 9, 2026), Best Buy (Oct. 27, 2026) and Target holiday announcements; Retail Dive; MacRumors; Digital Citizen. Retailers can change deal details. We’ll update this guide when Target publishes its Black Friday dates.

Featured image: Black Friday shoppers at store opening, photo by Powhusku via Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped).

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