Black Friday 2025 offers huge savings to US shoppers: find out more

Each year, the specific date for Black Friday shifts, and this year it is Friday, November 28th. The day typically marks the start of the holiday shopping season, offering a wealth of deals across many different retailers, brands, and services. These days, retailers capitalize on the day, often starting their deals early and running them past Black Friday and even after Cyber Monday. As there's such a lot to consider, this guide is designed to help US shoppers navigate their way through all that this day can offer.

What is Black Friday and why it still matters

Black Friday is tied to post-Thanksgiving shopping. To find out why is it called Black Friday, one needs to go back to when the day originated in Philadelphia in the 1960s: at the time, the police dubbed the day after Thanksgiving 'Black Friday' due to the huge crowds and traffic that inevitably occurred as people flocked into the city to get their hands on great shopping deals or head to the stadium for the big game. As the 80s rolled around, retailers had taken control of the narrative, and linked 'black' to retailers being out of the red due to the huge amount of shopping taking place.

These days, the day has continued to expand. While originally it was a single day of shopping, retailers have extended this period to a week or even longer, making it a successful retail opportunity. With the increased sale duration, most sales slide into Cyber Monday, pushing the sales period even longer.

When does Black Friday start and end?

If you ask someone when is Black Friday 2025, they'll tell you that the official date is November 28th, but realistically, the day transcends that. Some stores start their sales weeks in advance, with major retailers such as Walmart, Best Buy, and Amazon all starting their sales early, typically in mid-November. Not only that, but the sales usually continue on past Black Friday and into the following weekend, culminating on Cyber Monday or later. Importantly for shoppers looking for a good deal, some Black Friday offers land as early as the start of November, making it worthwhile to keep an eye out for the whole month.

How to shop smarter on Black Friday 2025

While Black Friday already offers some great deals, there are some additional tips to consider which can make getting a proper deal more likely.

• First, shoppers should create a product wishlist in advance to avoid making unwanted or spur-of-the-moment purchases.
• Price tracking tools should be used in the run-up to the day, to ensure the discounts are real. Spotting the real discounts over the fake ones is a must.
• Shopping online is also the way to go as it's not only more convenient, but it's also more cost-effective. Some of the best Black Friday deals are only available online. Additionally, shoppers are usually able to combine discounts already offered by retailers with further Black Friday promo codes or coupons to maximize savings. 
• Finally though, shoppers need to be aware that early shopping is a must. Some deals are limited by stock availability, shopping speed, or return conditions, and all of these must be considered when making these purchases prior to Christmas.

Find out what stores are having Black Friday sales in 2025

• Amazon Black Friday 2025

One of the leaders in the retail market when it comes to sales and deals, Amazon is usually one of the first off the mark when it comes to kicking off Black Friday. This year, the company launched their Black Friday deals on November 20th. Sales also continue on through Cyber Monday (Dec 1st), giving shoppers plenty of time to get their hands on a deal. Many top categories tend to have offers with electronics such as the Echo or Fire TV Stick, home devices, beauty, and entertainment, typically leading the way.

• Walmart Black Friday 2025

Similar to Amazon, Walmart starts its Black Friday sales early: in 2025, promotions will be released on Nov 25th, 12am ET. These deals can be found both online and in-store making it a good option for all types of shoppers. As with Amazon, most products can be found with some deal or discount, but it's worth noting here that these are often staggered across the categories. Some days the deals will be on home entertainment, while others it will be for household essentials or smart devices. For those shopping in-store, deals and opening hours will vary by location.

• Target Black Friday 2025

Another early start, Target also tends to release some of its Black Friday deals at the start of November. As with other major retailers, the early deals typically cover all the most popular categories such as home goods, toys, clothing, and electronics. Deals can be found in-store and online, but shoppers should check opening hours as well as return policies to avoid any disappointment.

• The Home Depot Black Friday 2025

Beginning its Black Friday deals early, Home Depot's offers wil run until December 3rd. Past sales have seen discounts on power tools, appliances, smart home gadgets, holiday decorations, and home improvement materials. Deals are available online and in-store, but stock availability can vary, and they also come with fast free delivery on most products.