Brand loyalty could cost you money this Black Friday: Being willing to switch brands gives you more opportunities to find a better deal.
43% of Black Friday shoppers are keeping their options open: New research finds they're considering multiple brands and waiting for discounts before making a final decision.
A little homework now could pay off later: Comparing similar products, checking price histories, and setting a target price can help you avoid disappointing deals.
If you're already planning your Black Friday shopping, a smart money-saving strategy is to not get too attached to the products you want to buy.
Or, more specifically, don't get too attached to the brands. A new survey from Accenture suggests many shoppers are already figuring this out.
The company's 2026 Holiday Shopping Survey of 4,048 U.S. consumers found that 43% of those planning to shop Black Friday or Cyber Monday have a list of items they want, along with several brands they're considering.
But instead of deciding exactly what they'll buy ahead of time, they're waiting to see which brand offers the best discount. And that flexibility could be one of the smartest ways to stretch your holiday shopping budget.
Why brand loyalty can cost you on Black Friday
Let's say you're shopping for a new 65-inch TV. You've had a Samsung for years, you like it, and you've decided that's what you're buying again.
Then Black Friday rolls around.
The Samsung you've had your eye on drops to $699, down from an advertised $899. Sounds like a pretty good deal, right? But what if a comparable LG or TCL TV is selling for $499?
You could potentially save another $200 simply by being willing to consider a different brand.
Of course, the TVs might have different features, picture quality, or warranties, so the cheapest option isn't automatically the best value. But that's the point. By comparing several brands ahead of time, you're giving yourself more choices when the deals arrive.
Shoppers are doing their homework earlier
Accenture's research suggests Black Friday shopping is becoming a much more deliberate process.
Among consumers planning to shop Black Friday or Cyber Monday:
32% say they research products weeks or months in advance.
45% plan to do their research closer to the sale dates.
Just 3.5% say they expect to make impulse purchases without researching beforehand.
Millennials are particularly big planners, with 46% saying they'll research weeks or months ahead of time, compared with 40% of Gen Z, 26% of Gen X, and 14% of baby boomers.
The takeaway? More shoppers say they're preparing before the discounts arrive rather than simply showing up and hoping to find a bargain.
Here are four ways to use this strategy to save even more money.
Make a three-brand shopping list
When jotting down your want-list for Black Friday, write down "65-inch TV" instead of writing down "Samsung 65-inch TV." Keep the brand out of it. At that point, do some research and come up with three comparable models from different brands that would do the job for you.
Do the same for headphones, kitchen appliances, laptops, and any other big-ticket item you’re shopping for. That way, you're not stuck waiting for one specific product to go on sale.
Set a target price before Black Friday
Don't let the advertised percentage discount determine whether something is a good deal or not.
If you're shopping for a coffee maker, for example, decide ahead of time that you're willing to spend $80. Then compare your options against that number.
A coffee maker marked down 50% to $120 isn't necessarily a better buy than a comparable model selling for $75.
Look for the features you need, not the ones you don't
When comparing brands, make a short list of the features that actually matter to you. This is especially important on Black Friday as many models are made specifically for Black Friday and have inferior specs.
For example, if you're buying a TV primarily to watch sports and Netflix, you might not need to pay extra for specific gaming features you'll never use.
The same goes for laptops, kitchen appliances, and headphones. A less expensive brand may offer everything you need without the premium price tag.
The trick is knowing which features are worth paying for and which ones you can comfortably skip.
Let AI help you compare brands, but verify the deals yourself
Accenture found that 21% of Black Friday and Cyber Monday shoppers plan to use public AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude to help research purchases.
One useful approach is to ask AI to identify three comparable products at different price points and explain the biggest differences.
For example, you could ask: "Compare three highly rated 65-inch TVs under $700. Explain which features matter most and where I might be paying extra just for the brand name."
AI can help narrow your choices, but don't assume its prices, product specifications, or availability are accurate.
Always verify those details directly with the retailer before buying.
The bottom line
Black Friday shoppers who are willing to consider several brands may have an advantage over those waiting for one specific product to go on sale.
That doesn't mean you should abandon a brand you trust or sacrifice quality just to save a few bucks. But it does means doing enough homework to know when a competing product offers similar value for less money.
Because sometimes the best Black Friday deal isn't on the product you originally wanted. It's on the one you were smart enough to consider instead.