Black Friday isn't just one day anymore. For many of America's biggest retailers, it's become a weeks-long shopping event, with early discounts appearing well before Thanksgiving.
And that creates a problem for shoppers: How do you know when to buy, especially when Amazon, Walmart, Target, and other major retailers are all running promotions on different schedules?
This year, Black Friday falls on Friday, November 27th. Cyber Monday will be on Monday, November 30.
We've put together a calendar covering 18 major retailers, including online shopping giants, department stores, warehouse clubs, home improvement chains, and electronics retailers.
One important distinction to remember is that a retailer's early holiday promotions aren't necessarily its official Black Friday sale. Some stores announce several separate events, each with different dates and discounts.
The 2026 Black Friday calendar
Here are the announced Black Friday dates for the top retailers, both for online and brick and mortar stores.
Amazon: Nov. 19–30; early deals began Nov. 10
Walmart: Nov. 12–15 early sale; Nov. 23–29 main sale; Nov. 30–Dec. 2 Cyber Monday
Target: Nov. 5–7 early sale; daily deals Nov. 1–Dec. 24; main event not fully announced
Best Buy: Early deals from Nov. 6; main sale Nov. 19–28; Cyber event Nov. 29–30
Costco: Early deals from Oct. 30; next wave Nov. 16–30; Black Friday weekend Nov. 27–30
Sam's Club: Nov. 15–25 countdown; Nov. 26–29 Black Friday
Kohl's: Nov. 6–8 early access; Nov. 22–28 main sale; Nov. 29–30 Cyber Deals
Macy's: Black Friday deals dropping Fridays through Nov. 28; separate main event dates not confirmed
JCPenney: Nov. 20–29, reported sale window
Home Depot: Nov. 5–25 early event; Nov. 27 doorbusters; Nov. 30 Cyber Monday
Lowe's: Deals began Oct. 29; Nov. 16–27 daily deals; Nov. 27 doorbusters
BJ's Wholesale Club: Early deals Oct. 23–Nov. 15; later event dates pending
Ulta Beauty: Early deals through Nov. 21; main sale Nov. 21–28
Sephora: Nov. 26 Black Friday launch reported; full schedule needs confirmation
Nordstrom: Early sale through Nov. 11; additional sale Nov. 19–27
Dick's Sporting Goods: Nov. 22–Dec. 5 Black Friday offers, including discounts on footwear, clothing, and golf equipment
Staples: Early Black Friday access begins Nov. 15; Black Friday deals start Nov. 22; Cyber Week runs Nov. 29–Dec. 5
Newegg: Black November deals run Nov. 1–30, with new daily doorbusters
Here are the five Black Friday sales schedules worth watching closely:
Amazon: November 19–30
Amazon's official Black Friday Week and Cyber Monday events begin at 12:01 a.m. Pacific on November 19 and run through November 30.
Shoppers can expect deals across electronics, toys, clothing, beauty products, and household goods. Amazon has also started offering early discounts ahead of the main event.
Shopping tip: Add products to your Amazon cart or wish list now, then use their price-history tracker to see whether the Black Friday discount is actually a bargain.
Walmart: November 12–15 and November 23–29
Walmart is dividing Black Friday into multiple events, making its calendar especially important.
Its first sale runs November 12–15. The bigger Black Friday event begins online November 23, with in-store deals starting November 27 at 6 a.m. local time.
Cyber Monday promotions follow November 30 through December 2. Walmart+ members also receive early access to certain offers.
Shopping tip: If you're considering a Walmart+ membership for early access, compare the membership cost with the actual savings on the products you want.
Target: Deals throughout November
Target launched its early Black Friday sale November 5–7 and is offering a new Deal of the Day every day through December 24.
The retailer is also introducing additional limited-time offers throughout November, meaning shoppers don't necessarily need to wait until Thanksgiving weekend.
Shopping tip: Watch Target Circle offers and Target Circle Card discounts, but check whether promotions can be combined before calculating your savings.
Best Buy: November 19–28
Best Buy started its early Black Friday promotions November 6, with additional doorbusters scheduled throughout the month.
Its main Black Friday event runs November 19–28, followed by Cyber Monday promotions November 29–30. This makes Best Buy particularly worth monitoring for TVs, laptops, gaming equipment, and other expensive electronics.
Shopping tip: Check the exact model number of any Black Friday television or laptop. Some promotional models have different specifications than similarly named products sold during the rest of the year.
Kohl's: November 22–28
Kohl's held its early access event November 6–8, with its main Black Friday Week running November 22–28.
Stores will open at 5 a.m. local time on Black Friday. The first 200 shoppers at each store can receive promotional Kohl's Cash valued between $5 and $100, subject to the offer's terms.
Cyber Deals follow November 29–30.
Shopping tip: Factor Kohl's Cash into the deal only if you're confident you'll use it during its redemption period. Otherwise, a lower upfront price at another retailer may be the better bargain.
Buy early without worrying about a better deal later
One advantage of shopping early is that some retailers will refund the difference if their prices drop closer to Black Friday.
Target: Its 2026 Holiday Price Match Guarantee covers qualifying purchases made November 1 through December 24. If Target lowers its own price by December 24, you can request a price adjustment.
Best Buy: Its holiday price guarantee covers most eligible purchases made October 30 through December 31. If Best Buy lowers the price, shoppers have until January 15, 2027, to request an adjustment.
Costco: While it doesn't have a special holiday price guarantee, Costco offers price adjustments within 30 days of purchase. So if you buy something in early November and Costco drops the price during Black Friday weekend, you may be able to get the difference refunded.
Keep your receipts and check prices again during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Just remember that exclusions do apply, so not every doorbuster or limited-time deal will qualify.
Three ways to avoid getting burned by early Black Friday deals
Don't assume the Black Friday price will be the lowest. A retailer might advertise a 40% discount in early November, only to offer the same price (or something better) during Thanksgiving week. For this reason, be sure to check price histories on expensive purchases.
Know which deals are online-only. Costco and Walmart are among the retailers offering online promotions that don't necessarily coincide with in-store sales. Before heading out, check whether the advertised price is available at your local store.
Pay attention to return windows. Buying holiday gifts early can be smart, but return policies vary. Check whether the retailer offers extended holiday returns, especially for electronics, appliances and third-party marketplace purchases.