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Black Friday 2026 falls on Friday, November 27, the day after Thanksgiving on November 26. Cyber Monday is Monday, November 30. Retailers have started announcing early sales, so the shopping season for Black Friday 2026 is already under way. This guide separates what is confirmed from what is only expected, and ends with how to spot a fake deal.
One correction to watch for: a Yahoo Shopping article lists Cyber Monday as November 29, but that date is a Sunday. The Monday after Black Friday is November 30, which is also the date in ShopBack’s retailer guide.
Black Friday 2026 dates by retailer
Target (confirmed). Today reported on October 22 that Target will run an Early Black Friday Sale November 5 through 7. Its Deal of the Day returns November 1 with a new featured deal each day until December 24, and new limited-time offers will drop every weekend through the holidays.
Walmart (not confirmed). Walmart had not announced its 2026 dates in the sources we reviewed. Last year, its main sale started online November 14 at 12 a.m. ET, with Walmart+ members getting access five hours earlier, according to Yahoo Shopping. ShopBack describes a second event in late November. Expect a similar pattern, but treat it as a guess.
Best Buy (partly confirmed). ShopBack says Best Buy’s holiday preview, published September 14, said savings start in October and run all season on gaming, computing and home theater. Last year its early deals began October 31, with the official sale running November 20 to 29, per Yahoo Shopping.
Amazon (not confirmed). Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days already ran October 6 and 7, and its Black Friday plans for 2026 were not published in the sources we reviewed. Last year’s sale began November 20, according to Yahoo Shopping, which says Black Friday prices may match or beat Prime Day deals.
How to prepare before Black Friday 2026
- Make a short list now. Write down the few things you actually plan to buy and what you would pay for each.
- Track prices. ShopBack suggests setting a target price against the item’s price history, using trackers such as Keepa or CamelCamelCamel for Amazon. Buy when the price hits your target rather than waiting for a deeper discount that may not come.
- Check price-match rules. ShopBack says Target’s price-match guarantee covers only Target’s own lower prices, within 14 days of purchase, and that Best Buy’s price-match terms commonly exclude limited-time and doorbuster offers. Read the current terms.
- Compare stores by category. ShopBack’s view is that Walmart leads on value TVs and basics, Best Buy on laptops, premium TVs and appliances, and Target on home, toys and apparel. Those are editorial estimates, not guarantees.
- Plan for delivery. Order early enough to hit the posted cutoffs in our holiday shipping deadlines guide.
How to avoid fake deals on Black Friday 2026
The Federal Trade Commission warns that scammers impersonate real companies and run social media ads with unusually low prices. Clicking one can lead to a fake site that sends a counterfeit item, something that looks different from the ad, or nothing. The FTC’s holiday shopping advice comes down to three steps:
- Research the seller. Search the seller’s name and web address along with words like “review,” “complaint” or “scam.”
- Pay by credit card when you can. You can dispute charges for double billing, items that never arrive, or the wrong or damaged goods. A seller that insists on a gift card, wire transfer, payment app or cryptocurrency is “probably a scam,” the FTC says.
- Keep records. Save the receipt and order confirmation number.
Report scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If something does go wrong, our guide to what to do if you were scammed lists the recovery steps in order, and the guide on how to spot a scam text covers the delivery-notice messages that spike this time of year.
Editor’s take
The only firm 2026 date from a major retailer so far is Target’s, and the rest is a pattern from past years. Treat anything else as a rough guide until a retailer posts it. The best protection is not a particular store but a short list and a target price for each item. A holiday forecast shows retailers expect strong spending; see our look at the NRF holiday sales forecast. If you plan to charge your purchases, remember what carrying a balance costs; see current credit card APRs.
