10 Pro Shopper Tips for Black Friday Success

Even though Black Friday isn’t until the end of November, it’s already time to start thinking about deals. Holiday sales events are starting earlier than ever in 2025, with deals running all month long. I’ve covered shopping holidays for more than a decade as a professional deal-hunter, learning what to do—and what not to do—to get the most out of these sales. And if you’re wondering if Black Friday sales continue on Saturday, they certainly do. We’ll monitor them all weekend through to Cyber Monday.

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Look for early deals

Black Friday doesn’t start on Black Friday. Retailers have started running sales already—some started as early as late October—so if you want to nab the best deals, keep an eye out throughout the month. At Buy Side, we’ll only be featuring deals on products we already recommend or that our staff personally vouches for. Keep checking in over the coming weeks so you can save big on the smartest buys. Here are some of the best early Black Friday deals to shop right now:

• AirTag (4 Pack) $99 AT Apple $65 AT Walmart $65 AT Amazon

• Apple Watch SE 3 $249 AT Apple $199.99 AT Amazon

• Legends Hotel Supima Cotton Percale Sheet Set These are some of the lightest and most airy sheets we tested, and they’re made from luxurious American-grown cotton. $176 AT The Company Store

• Always Pan 2.0 $99 AT Our Place $135 AT Amazon

• Travel Pillow $44 AT TRTL $64.99 AT Amazon

Know what you want

It’s easy to get drawn into a particularly good deal on a product you don’t actually need or plan on gifting, but think of it this way: You’ll save more by not buying the item than by getting the discount. Many shoppers turn to online communities, including Reddit, to share tips and ask for opinions on products, which can be useful, but also risks distracting you from your intended purchases. To spend smarter, make a list of what you’re interested in ahead of time and stick to it. If you’re in search of ideas, check out our expert-curated gift guides.

Start your cart now

If there’s something you know you want to buy on Black Friday, whether that’s gifts for loved ones or a new gadget for yourself, add it to your digital shopping cart now. This way, you won’t have to go searching for the products you want when the sales start, and you’ll see any discounts automatically reflected in the cart. Some retailers might even send over promotional offers if they notice there’s something in your cart but you haven’t yet hit “buy.” Being prepared will also save you precious time while shopping for items that are in high demand, which could mean the difference between nabbing that great deal or missing out.

Compare historical prices

Just because something is listed as a sale doesn’t mean the price is actually good. Retailers will sometimes mark up a product before a sales event, only to return it to its typical price as a “discount.” I like to use CamelCamelCamel to examine a product’s price history. You can enter any Amazon link and you’ll be presented with its price history, including historical lows. Even if you’re not shopping on Amazon, this information will show you if the deal price on a product is good.

Set price alerts

CamelCamelCamel also offers price alerts. You can type in your desired price for any product, and if the Amazon price drops below that, you’ll get an email letting you know it’s a good time to buy it.

Watch out for product variants

Find a too-good-to-be-true deal on a product? It likely is. Make sure the product that’s on sale is the one you actually want, and not a slightly tweaked version with lesser specs or a poorer build quality. I’ve seen this happen with pricy electronics, including TVs and stand mixers. Look for the model number to be sure that you’re buying the right one. Even one different digit or letter could mean you’re getting a completely different product.

Optimize your recent purchases

Most retailers have extended return periods during the holiday season. So if you bought something already and then see a deal pop up, you can send it back and buy it again at the new, lower price. Walmart allows items purchased between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31 to be returned until Jan. 31. Target’s generous 90 day return period (extended to 120 days if you’re a Circle Card holder) has specific carveouts: Electronics and entertainment items purchased between Nov. 1 and Dec. 24, with the exception of Apple products, can be returned until Jan. 24. For Apple products, you have until Jan. 9.

Comparison shop

You can’t stick to just one site or store if you want to get the best deals. Shop around the major retailers, including Amazon, Walmart and Target, to be sure that you’re finding the lowest price. Searching on Google Shopping will help you find the best rates from across the web.

Save time by shopping online

Getting up before the sunrise to fight the crowds at the mall the day after Thanksgiving is so 2019. Most deals will be available online, so unless a Thermos of coffee in a store parking lot is a family tradition, you don’t have to push through the masses for that doorbuster.

Use store cards for extra discounts

Many store-branded credit and debit cards will offer additional discounts on top of any Black Friday sales. For example, the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature credit card offers cash-back rewards of at least 5% when used on Amazon.com. Target’s CircleCard delivers a 5% savings at the time of checkout. You may need to apply for these cards ahead of time and have them in hand at the time of purchase, so start thinking about any you might want to apply for now.

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