UPDATE: Nov. 5 2021, 3 p.m. EST This story has been updated with the latest deals.
We’ve rounded up all of the best early Black Friday deals as of Nov. 5 — here are our top picks:
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BEST TV DEAL: Amazon Fire TV 50-inch Omni Series 4K UHD smart TV, an all-new 4K display that supports hands-free voice control and two-way video calling; it’s on sale for the first time ever — $359.99 $
509.99(save 29%) -
BEST ROBOT VACUUM DEAL: iRobot Roomba j7 is the newest and first Roomba with obstacle-avoiding PrecisionVision Navigation — $499
$649.99(save $150.99) -
BEST APPLE DEAL: Apple 21.5-inch iMac with Retina 4K display (Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD), a powerful desktop from early 2019 with an AMD Radeon Pro 560X graphics card for gaming — $999
$1,499(save $500) and get six free months each of Apple Music and Apple News+ -
BEST SMART HOME DEAL: Echo (4th Gen) is a snappy and sleek smart speaker from 2020 that boasts impressive bass for its size — $59.99
$99.99(save $40) and get a free six-month trial of Amazon Music Unlimited -
BEST GAMING DEAL: SteelSeries Ultimate Gaming Bundle is a stellar value that includes the Arctis 1 Wireless headset, an Apex 3 keyboard, a Rival 3 Wireless mouse, and a QcK mousepad — $139.99
$199.99(save $60) -
BEST KITCHEN DEAL: KitchenAid Professional 5 Plus Series 5-Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer, a legendary appliance that’s available in five colors at its lowest price in a while — $219.99
$429.99(save 49%)
Did it hurt? When you realized we’re in the thick of our second pandemic holiday shopping season?
Stores began soft-launching their Black Friday deals in October to get a jump on the supply chain chaos that’s making “availability” a central theme in this year’s sales. But now that November is here, things are really ramping up.
Below, you’ll find a complete list of all the Black Friday doorbusters that are live right now (with sales grouped by retailer, category, and brand). We continue to update this post as more deals pop up, but don’t hold out too long if something on your shopping list is already enjoying a discount — it may not be in stock for much longer.
Here are the best deals at each retailer
Amazon: Amazon got the earliest start on this year’s Black Friday sales and will continue to drop holiday doorbusters every day in the lead-up to Black Friday proper. (Its inventory tends to change the most, so check back often — you can find out what’s up for grabs by visiting its Early Black Friday Deals page, installing its mobile app, or by asking your smart home device, “Alexa, what are my deals?”) At the time of writing, its best deals included some deep discounts on its new Fire TV Omni and Fire TV 4-Series smart displays, savings of up to 38% on KitchenAid stand mixers and attachments, and a massive sale on Echo smart devices for Alexa’s birthday.
Bed Bath & Beyond: This year’s slow burner, BB&B is having a five-day early holiday sale from Nov. 3 to 7 that features “don’t-miss deals” on select cookware, appliances, toys, and home decor. (How’s about $150 off the Shark IQ Robot Self-Empty XL, $20 off the new Ninja ice cream maker, and 41% off the Revlon One-Step?) Stay tuned for its official Black Friday ad scan reveal.
Best Buy: The electronics store’s official Black Friday sale begins a whole week early (on Friday, Nov. 19), but don’t bother waiting: It’s treating the entire month of November like one big Black Friday celebration, running thousands of deals across multiple events that are all covered by its new “Black Friday Price Guarantee.” (Early doorbusters included some dirt-cheap Google Nest devices, this $999 iMac, and a $250 markdown on TCL’s stunning 55-inch display with mini-LED backlighting.) My Best Buy and Best Buy Totaltech members can also shop some exclusive “Member Mondays” series of deals at the beginning of each week, so there are plenty of opportunities to save.
Dell: A few other stores beat Dell to the punch this year — it’s usually among the first to release its holiday ad scan — but its official Black Friday event will begin earlier than most on Monday, Nov. 15. In the meantime, you can shop a preview sale featuring some “lowest prices of the year” on things like gaming PCs (up to 33% off), XPS and Inspiron laptops (up to $300 off), and brand-name monitors (up to 45% off).
HP: The techies over at HP are rolling their Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals into one big ol’ sale from Nov. 25 to Cyber Monday (its “biggest savings event of the year,” per the ad scan), which drops prices on Microsoft Office software and tons of its Windows 11 laptops and PCs. As far as early pickings go, you can currently score 20% off the HP15t-dy200 laptop, save $150 on the HP Pavilion TG01 Gaming Desktop, and get the HP X24ih Gaming Monitor for just $215 as part of its Holiday Kickoff sale.
JCPenney: The department store is keeping things pretty traditional this year with a three-day Black Friday sale from Nov. 26 to 28. But like most of its peers, it’s also putting a sprinkling of weekly deals and doorbusters up on its website all month long. (See: $13 appliances with mail-in rebates, up to 60% off select mattresses, 65% off this hardside suitcase, and this $10 karaoke mic.) If you’re patient/brave enough to wait for the big day, make sure to keep an eye out for some seriously good kitchen deals — select gadgets from Black + Decker and Bella Essentials will be marked down to a mere $8 each (!) after some rebates.
Kohl’s: After teasing some of its holiday offers in mid-October, Kohl’s officially dropped its ad scan and kicked off a Black Friday preview event on Nov. 5. That sale is scheduled to run in stores and online through Nov. 7, but it’s worth getting in there ASAP — you’ll earn $15 in Kohl’s Cash for every $50 spent through the end of the day today; on top of that, you can also take an extra 15% off select items using the code GET15. Highlights include a $350 KitchenAid stand mixer bundle (now 27% off plus $105 in Kohl’s Cash) and an $85 Keurig K-Duo (now 53% off with GET15 plus $15 in Kohl’s Cash).
Macy’s: The mall stalwart is offering “unbeatable deals” and “early-access specials” each week of November ahead of its big holiday sale (which begins a few days early on Tuesday, Nov. 23 and goes through Saturday, Nov. 27). It’s getting things started with a Black Friday Early Access event from Nov. 3 to 7 that’s shaping up to be a must-see for home chefs: The last time we checked, there were a dozen sub-$10 small kitchen appliances and some steep discounts on Ninja gadgets (including $100 off this blender and $50 off the Foodi Smart XL Grill). You can also take an extra 20% off select clearance items using the code SALE. A word to the wise: Macy’s often dabbles in price anchoring — i.e., inflating its list prices to make deals seem better than they really are — so cross-check items across another retailer or two if you come across discounts that seem too good to be true.
Target: The bullseye brand is getting a head start on Black Friday with a series of weeklong Holiday Best sales, the first of which goes from Oct. 31 through Nov. 6 — peep these $100 Beats headphones, this $60 Instant Pot Duo Plus bundle, this KitchenAid stand mixer that’s almost half off, and these LEGO sets that get you a $10 Target gift card for every $50 spent. It’s also worth noting that Target’s holiday price match policy is now in effect through Dec. 24, and you can also take advantage of two new “buy now, pay later” payment options through Sezzle and Affirm.
Walmart: The big box store has revived its popular Black Friday Deals for Days event from 2020, this time spreading it out over three sales throughout the month of November. (Like Target, it’s also nixed layaway in favor of a new “buy now, pay later” program as part of its partnership with Affirm.) The first sale began online on Nov. 3 and continued in stores on Nov. 5 with can’t-miss deals like $59 Samsung Galaxy Buds+, a $99 eufy robot vacuum, and 50% off a 1,500-piece LEGO set. If you’re worried something on your list will sell out, join Walmart+ — paying members receive online access to its holiday offers four hours earlier than everyone else, as a treat.
Best tech deals
Credit: Amazon
23andMe: Save up to 52% on select DNA tests (starting at just $79).
AeroGarden: Take 40% off its Sprout and Harvest indoor gardens (now $59.99 and $89.97, respectively), 44% off the Harvest 360 (now $83.99), 35% off the Harvest Elite (now $116.97), and $80 off the Harvest Elite Slim (now $99.99).
Amazon Echo: Save up to 55% on select Echo Show smart displays (including Echo Show/Blink Mini bundles), take 25% off the second-gen Echo Buds (now $89.99), and get 40% off the latest Echo smart speaker (now $59.99, plus six free months of Amazon Music Unlimited) as part of Alexa’s birthday sale.
Amazon Fire tablets: Save up to 50% on select Fire Kids tablets (starting at just $59.99), get half off the 32GB Fire HD 8 Plus (now $54.99), or take 33% off the new 32GB Fire HD 10 (now $99.99).
Amazon Fire TV: Get half off the newest Fire TV Stick 4K (now $24.99), save 27% on the Fire TV Stick Lite (note $21.99), and take 21% off the new Fire TV Cube (now $94.99). Plus, grab one of the new Fire TV Omni or Fire 4-Series smart displays on sale for up to 30%.
AncestryDNA: Save 40% on a DNA test kit (now $59).
ASUS: Get $110 off a VivoBook Flip 14 Laptop with an Intel Core i3-10110U processor, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage (now $379).
Blink: Take 44% off a 2-camera Blink Outdoor kit (now $99.99).
Bose: Save up to 29% on select earbuds and take 40% off the QuietComfort 35 II noise-canceling headphones (now $179.99).
Canon: Score up to 38% off select cameras and accessories.
Cricut: Get a free $30 Target gift card when you buy the Cricut Explore Air 2 on sale there for 26% off (now $169), or head to Walmart to grab a Cricut Maker Holiday Bundle (worth $493.96) for just $259 — a 48% savings.
Dyson: Take $200 off the Outsize Total Clean (now $649.99), $130 off the V8 Motorhead Origin (now $249.99), and $100 off the V10 Allergy (now $379.99).
Facebook: Get up to 56% off Facebook Portal smart video-calling devices (now $79).
Fitbit: Save up to 40% off select fitness trackers (starting at just $59.95).
Fujifilm: Get $10 off the new Instax Mini 11 instant camera (now $59.99).
Garmin: Save 43% on the Garmin Venu GPS smartwatch (now $199.99), get up to 35% off the Garmin Venu Sq fitness/sport smartwatch (starting at $129.99), or take 43% off the Garmin Instinct rugged outdoor watch (now $169.99).
Google: Take 23% off the new Nest Thermostat (now $99.99), get half off the Nest Hub smart display and the second-gen Nest Mini smart speaker (now $49.99 and 24.99, respectively), and save $50 on the battery-powered Nest Doorbell (now $129.99). Plus, enjoy three free months of YouTube Premium when you grab the stellar Nest Audio on sale for only $59.99 (normally $99.99).
GoPro: Get $50 off the GoPro HERO9 Black (now $349.99).
HP: Take 20% off the HP15t-dy200 laptop (now $599.99), save $150 on the HP ENVY x360 15 2-in-1 laptop (now $669.99), get 17% off the HP X24ih Gaming Monitor (now $214.99), or grab a Pavilion TG01 Gaming Desktop on sale for just $699.99 (a $100 discount).
Insignia: Save 41% on the brand’s bestselling 24-inch smart TV (now $99.99) and get a free 30-day trial of fuboTV Plus when you buy its 58-inch Class F30 Series 4K smart TV on sale for $230 off (now $349.99).
JBL: Get half off select JBL Tune headphones and earbuds (starting at only $24.95) and take 40% off the JBL Flip Essential speaker (now $59).
Kindle: Save 44% on a 10th-gen Kindle (now $49.99), or grab a 2019 Kindle Kids for 45% off its usual price of $110 (now $59.99).
Lenovo: Take 57% off the ThinkSmart View for Microsoft Teams (now $149.99) and get 24% off a Yoga 7i 2-in-1 laptop with an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of memory, and 256GB of storage (now $649.99).
LG: Get up to 22% off select NANO90 Series 4K smart TVs and save as much as 28% on C1 OLED displays, our No. 1 pick for next-gen gaming.
Marshall: Save $100 on the Kilburn II portable Bluetooth speaker (now $199.99).
Microsoft: Save up to $150 on the Surface Laptop 4, get up to $200 off the Surface Laptop Go, and take up to $400 off the Surface Pro 7.
Revlon: Save 41% on the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer (now $34.99), a budget-friendly alternative to the Dyson Airwrap.
Roku: Save 43% on the Roku Premiere (now $19.88 — its lowest price to date) and get 42% off the new Roku Streaming Stick 4K (now $29).
Samsung: Take $50 off the new Galaxy Watch 4, up to 35% off select Samsung TVs, 61% off the Galaxy Buds+, 41% off the Galaxy Buds Live, up to $230 off select tablets, and up to 31% off select monitors.
Sennheiser: Get up to 54% off select headphones and earbuds (starting at only $19.95).
Sony: Save up to 29% on select X85J 4K UHD smart TVs, up to 57% on select headphones and earbuds, and up to 51% on select speakers, subwoofers, and sound systems.
TCL: Get $250 off its 55-inch 6-Series 4K QLED smart Google TV (now $699.99), take 35% off the 43-inch 4-Series 4K Roku smart TV (now $279), and save up to 42% on select Roku smart TVs 50 inches and up (starting at $449).
MORE BLACK FRIDAY DEALS ON TVS AND LAPTOPS
Best robot vacuum deals
Credit: Bissell
Bissell: Save $100 on the SpinWave Wet and Dry Robotic Vacuum (now $299.99).
eufy: Take 34% off the RoboVac 25C (now $99), 57% off the RoboVac G30 Verge (now $149), and 37% off the RoboVac 15C MAX (now $175.99).
iRobot: Save $150.99 on the brand new Roomba j7 and j7+ (now $499 and $699, respectively), get 34% off the entry-level Roomba 694 (now $179.99), shave 43% off the price of the WiFi-enabled Roomba e5 (now $199.99), or take 47% off the self-charging Roomba 670 (now $174).
Roborock: Get $240 off the S6 Pure robot vacuum and mop (now $359.99) with an extra savings coupon.
Shark: Take $55 off the Shark Ion Robot 750 (now $144) and $150 off the Shark IQ Robot Self-Empty XL (now $449.99).
MORE BLACK FRIDAY DEALS ON ROBOT VACUUMS AND ROOMBAS
Best Apple deals
Credit: Apple
AirPods: Take $70 off the AirPods Max (now $479), $59.01 off the AirPods Pro (now $189.99), $40 off the second-gen AirPods (now $119), and $4.02 off the new third-gen AirPods (now $174.98 — hey, it’s something).
Apple accessories: Save $5 on the MagSafe Charger (now $34) and take 9% off the second-gen Apple Pencil (now $117.64).
Apple TV: Get six months each of Apple TV+ and Apple Music on top of a 30-day FuboTV trial when you grab a 32GB Apple TV 4K on sale for $30 off (now $129.99).
Apple Watch: Save $50 on the 40mm Apple Watch Series 6 (now $349) and get $30 off the 38mm Apple Watch Series 3 (now $169), or buy any Apple Watch with cellular connectively directly from the Apple Store and get $100 back after activation.
Beats: Get $180 off the Studio3 wireless noise-canceling headphones (now $169.99), half off the Solo3 wireless headphones (now $99.99), $20 off the new Studio Buds (now $129.95), and $100 off the Powerbeats Pro totally wireless earphones (now $149.99).
iPad: Save $60 on an iPad Air with 64GB of storage (now $539) and get $100 off the 128GB and 256GB configurations of the new 12.9-inch iPad Pro (now starting at $999).
iPhone: Get up to $1,000 off the all-new iPhone 13 with a trade-in and qualified activation on a Verizon plan.
iMac: Take $500 off the 21.5-inch iMac with a Retina 4K display, 256GB of storage, 8GB of RAM, and an Intel Core i5 processor (now $999).
MacBook: Save $199.01 on an M1-equipped MacBook Pro with 256GB of storage (now $1,099.99) with an extra savings coupon, or get $99.01 off an M1 MacBook Air with the same amount of memory (now $899.99).
MORE BLACK FRIDAY APPLE DEALS
Best fitness deals
Credit: NordicTrack
Hydrow: Save $500 on the Hydrow Connected Rower (now $1,794.99).
NordicTrack: Get $700 off the new S22i Commercial Studio Cycle and the Commercial 2950 Treadmill (now $1,499 and $2,499.99, respectively ), $400 off the Commercial 1750 Treadmill, and $600 off the RW200 Rower (now $699.99).
ProForm: Take $500 off the Pro 5000 Treadmill (now $1,199.99).
MORE BLACK FRIDAY FITNESS DEALS
Best gaming deals
Credit: EA
2K: Save on select games for the Nintendo Switch, including BioShock: The Collection (now $20) and The Outer Worlds (now $24).
Amazon: Take 20% off the Luna Controller (now $55.99).
ASUS: Save up to 28% on select gaming accessories.
Dell: Save up to 33% on select gaming PCs, including laptops from the brand’s premium Alienware line (starting at $699.99).
EA: Get 33% off Mass Effect: Legendary Edition (now $39.99) for Playstation 4, Xbox One, or PC.
JBL: Get up to 25% off its Quantum line of gaming headsets.
Lenovo: Take $160.99 off a Legion 5 gaming laptop with an AMD Ryzen 5 5600H processor, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics (now $749).
LG: Take $70 off the new 32-inch UltraGear FHD 165Hz monitor (now $229.99).
Logitech: Save $40 on the G432 wired gaming headset (now $39.99) and get up to half of select gaming accessories.
Microsoft: Get your first three months of Xbox Game Pass for PC for just $1.
MSI: Get 25% off the GS75 Stealth Gaming Laptop (now $1,349).
Nintendo Switch: Get up to 50% off select accessories.
Razer: Take 33% off the Huntsman Elite gaming keyboard (now $129.99).
Rockstar: Save 66% on a copy of Red Dead Redemption II for PS4 (now $19.99).
Square Enix: Save 50% on Marvel’s Avengers for Playstation 4 and the Day One Edition of Outriders for PS5 (now $19.99 each).
SteelSeries: Save $60 on a gaming bundle featuring the Arctis 1 Wireless headset, the Apex 3 keyboard, a Rival 3 Wireless mouse, and the QcK mousepad (now $139.99).
Target: Get up to 60% off select video games, including Hitman 3 (now $24.99) and Madden NFL 22 (now $29.99).
Turtle Beach: Get 50% off the Recon 200 gaming headset (now $29.99).
WD: Take up to 39% off select My Passport SSDs (starting at $229.99).
MORE BLACK FRIDAY GAMING DEALS
Best kitchen deals
Credit: Le Creuset
Bella: Get 50% off its 2-quart and 4.2-quart Pro Series Analog Air Fryers (now $19.99 and $29.99, respectively).
Breville: Save up to 36% on select smart ovens (starting at $215.95).
Instant Pot: Save up to 35% on select Instant Pots and air fryers on Amazon, including the new 6-quart Instant Pot Pro (now $119.95) and the new 6-quart Instant Vortex Plus (now $99.95), or head to Target to grab a 6-quart Instant Pot Duo Plus bundle on sale for just $59.99 (a 54% savings).
Keurig: Save 38% on the Keurig K-Mini (now $49.99) and 20% on the K-Duo Essentials coffee maker (now $79).
KitchenAid: Get 49% off its 5-quart Professional 5 Plus Series stand mixer in your choice of five colors (now $219.99), 36% off its 5-cup Food Chopper (now $44.99), $60 off the K400 Blender (now $169.99), and up to 30% off select kitchen tools (starting at just $7.64).
Le Creuset: Take 40% off the French brand’s 3.5-quart Sauteuse (now $179.95).
Ninja: Save 50% on this Kitchen System with Auto IQ Boost and a 7-Speed Blender (now $99.99), get $90 off the Foodi Dual Heat Air Fry Oven (now $179.99), take $80 off the 6.5-quart Foodi TenderCrisp Pressure Cooker (now $149), and score $50 off the Foodi Smart XL Grill (now $249.99).
PowerXL: Get 50% off its 10-quart Dual Basket Air Fryer (now $99.99) and 42% off the 5-quart Single Basket Air Fryer (now $59.99).
MORE BLACK FRIDAY DEALS ON INSTANT POTS AND AIR FRYERS
Best house and home deals
Credit: Tuft & Needle
Amazon: Get up to 30% off select rugs.
JCPenney: Take up to 60% off select mattresses and up to 40% off select furniture.
Tuft & Needle: Save up to 20% on select mattresses and sleep accessories.
Best toy deals
Credit: LEGO
Amazon: Take up to 37% off select STEM and learning toys and save up to 50% on a handful of children’s books.
Barbie: Save up to 10% on select dolls and playsets.
Elmer’s: Take 12% off a metallic slime kit (now $10.99).
Fisher-Price: Take 27% off the Little People Sit ‘N Stand Skyway vehicle playset (now $29).
Kinetic Sand: Save 15% on the Kinetic Sand Sandisfactory Set (now $16.97).
LEGO: Get a free $10 gift card when you spend $50 on select LEGO sets at Target, or grab a 1,500-piece LEGO Classic Bricks and Animals Building Set on sale at Walmart for half off (now $29).
L.O.L. Surprise!: Get half off a 6-pack of L.O.L Surprise! Bling Series dolls (now $35), or pick up an L.O.L. Surprise! Remix Hair Flip Tot figurine with 15 surprises for just $5 (a 69% savings).
PAW Patrol: Save 42% on a three-piece City PAW Patroller playset inspired by PAW Patrol: The Movie (now $34).
Pokémon: Score a Single Strike Urshifu VMAX Premium Box for 56% off (now $20).
Razor: Take 31% off the Tekno Electric Scooter (now $90).
Ruko: Save $20 on the voice-controlled Ruko Smart Robot (now $109.99) with an extra savings coupon.
Target: Save 20% on select board games and buy one, get one 50% off select toys from brands like Play-Doh, Marvel, and LeapFrog.
MORE BLACK FRIDAY TOY DEALS
Credit: Vicky Leta / Mashable
Ready or not, Black Friday is here
Stores began cramming our inboxes with Black Friday-worthy deals in early October (starting with Amazon’s “Epic Daily Deals” event, which kicked off Oct. 4). It probably felt a bit preemptive, like those neighbors who insist on putting up their Christmas lights while the trees are still green, but they actually had a very good reason to get a jump on this year’s sales.
And no, it wasn’t just a good, old-fashioned cash grab in response to some strong holiday spending forecasts.
Shipping delays and supply chain chaos
The global economy is grappling with some unprecedented supply chain challenges as the result of the Delta variant, which continues to inflame pandemic-related material scarcities, labor shortages, and shipping bottlenecks across industries of all kinds. (Under circumstances absolutely no one had on their bingo card, pickles and paper bags have gotten as elusive as Playstation 5s.)
Unsurprisingly, the ordeal has left most major manufacturers and retailers scrambling. Amazon is trying to lure in an extra 150,000 seasonal employees with the promise of $3,000 sign-on bonuses and higher pay for certain shifts, while Walmart, Home Depot, and Ikea have all gone so far as to charter private cargo ships to make sure their shelves are stocked for the season. Apple, meanwhile, is “predicting that we’re going to be short of demand by larger than $6 billion” heading into the holidays, CEO Tim Cook said in a recent interview with Reuters.
For us consumers, this all means that finding the best deals this holiday season will likely be an ongoing question of availability more so than price.
“There will always be sales, but they won’t be as deep and as plentiful,” Bain & Company’s Aaron Cheris told CNBC. (He’s the head of the consulting firm’s Americas Retail practice.) “As a retailer or a brand, I don’t have the same motivation when I know I’m going to stock out.”
If you missed out on October’s whirlwind of early sales, fret not. Backorders and “sold out” notices haven’t besieged stores just yet, but mapping out a game plan now will help you avoid them when they inevitably crop up in the coming weeks. Here are all the must-know details you can use to strategize this holiday shopping season:
What is Black Friday?
Black Friday is a shopping holiday that takes place every year on the day right after Thanksgiving. It used to be synonymous with viral fistfights and stampedes and lines that stretched around city blocks before 3 a.m., but COVID-19 has turned it into a mostly online event.
When is Black Friday?
While Black Friday proper falls on Nov. 26 this year, most stores have already begun rolling out their holiday doorbusters.
Black Friday versus Cyber Monday — what’s the difference?
The National Retail Federation officially coined the term “Cyber Monday” in 2005 after it noticed that in previous years, the Monday after Thanksgiving saw a massive uptick in online sales. It credited the phenomenon to two factors: Online retailers were starting to vie for a piece of the Black Friday pie, and shoppers were waiting to peruse the deals on their faster work computers come Monday morning. (At the time, office PCs had better broadband than home setups.)
Last year’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales effectively bled together since in-person shopping wasn’t really a thing. We’ll almost certainly see that repeat this year.
What stores will be open for in-person shopping this Black Friday, if any?
All major retailers with brick-and-mortar locations have made the call to stay closed on Thanksgiving Day. That’s another big change from pre-pandemic years, when many stayed open on the federal holiday so that eager shoppers could start perusing their best deals early. (If you feel the urgent need to do some post-pie shopping that day, you’ll have to crack open your laptop instead.) In-person shopping is making a comeback for Black Friday, but be mindful of COVID-related safety procedures and limited store capacities:
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Bed Bath & Beyond: Closed on Thanksgiving; Black Friday hours TBD. Masks are required for all customers (unless you’re fully vaccinated) as well as associates, and all stores are following safety plans that include extra cleaning, free wipes and hand sanitizers, employee health screenings, and occupancy limits. Curbside and in-store pickup are available.
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Best Buy: Closed on Thanksgiving; Black Friday hours TBD. Face coverings (available in stores) are recommended for all customers and required for all employees, who are abiding by enhanced safety procedures such as daily wellness checks and regular cleaning of high-touch areas. Curbside and in-store pickup are available.
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JCPenney: Closed on Thanksgiving; doors open at 5 a.m. local time on Black Friday. Its mask policy varies based on local and state mandates, but all locations are following safety measures like regular nightly cleanings, socially distanced queues, contactless checkout, and capacity limits. Curbside pickup is available.
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Kohl’s: Closed on Thanksgiving; stores open at 5 a.m. local time on Black Friday. The company is requiring all associates to mask up, recommending that customers in high-risk counties do the same; it’s also implemented extra cleaning and safety measures that include placing sanitizer at every register, removing beauty testers, and installing signage that encourages social distancing. Drive-up and in-store pickup are available.
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Macy’s: Closed on Thanksgiving; stores are open from 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. local time on Black Friday. Its COVID-19 safety policy includes pre-shift wellness checks for all associates, readily available hand sanitizer, increased cleaning in high-touch areas, extra ventilation, and social distancing; masks are recommended but not required for vaccinated customers except where mandated. Curbside and in-store pickup are available.
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Target: Closed on Thanksgiving; Black Friday hours TBD. Face masks are required for team members and strongly recommended for shoppers in areas with a substantial or high risk of transmission, per CDC guidelines, and increased cleanliness/disinfecting measures have been implemented. (Haven’t gotten a vaccine yet? You can do so at select CVS locations within Target stores.) Drive-up and in-store pickup are available.
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Walmart: Closed on Thanksgiving; Black Friday hours TBD. All associates are required to wear a mask (regardless of vaccination status) in areas where there are mandates, and customers are strongly encouraged to do so, too. Stores are spraying carts after use and keeping plastic shields at registers, among other enhanced safety procedures. Curbside and in-store pickup are available.
