Black Friday deals: Amazon, Walmart, Target and more have unveiled holiday shopping plans
The second holiday shopping season of the pandemic continues to be different from past years.
This year, shoppers should expect a triple whammy with fewer deals, more items out of stock and shipping delays due to ongoing supply chain bottlenecks.
While stores started rolling out deals ahead of Halloween, the official shopping season began Nov. 1 and runs through Dec. 31, according to Adobe.
Experts recommend consumers not delay and start shopping for holiday gifts ahead of Thanksgiving and Black Friday, which for years signaled the official start to the shopping season.
Many retailers have announced Black Friday sales will start days before the turkey starts to defrost. For the second year, most major retailers are breaking with tradition and keeping stores closed on the holiday.
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The National Retail Federation, the nation’s largest retail trade group, expects that holiday sales gain could shatter last year’s record-breaking season even with higher prices expected.
Adobe said in its holiday forecast on Oct. 20 that messages saying items are out of stock have increased by 172% this year. Last week, Adobe said shoppers have seen more than 2 billion out-of-stock messages in October, a 250% increase when compared to January 2020 and up 325% from October 2019.
Amazon, Walmart and Target all unveiled their official Black Friday sales Monday after holding earlier sales. Other retailers also have early deals that are spread out like last year.
Visit this page often for ongoing updates
Will Black Friday and holiday sales bring discounts?
The short answer is yes.
Taylor Schreiner, director of Adobe Digital Insights, said in an interview with USA TODAY that while prices are expected to be cheaper in November than in October the discounts aren’t going to be as big this year.
And Adobe said in its forecast that it expects shoppers will pay 9% more during Cyber Week compared to the same time last year and markdowns will range from 5% to 25% over the holidays instead of the typical 10% to 30% range.
When is the best time to shop for deals?
According to Adobe, the best days to shop include:
♦ Thanksgiving (Nov. 25) for toys
♦ Black Friday (Nov. 26) for furniture, bedding and tools, home improvement
♦ Saturday (Nov. 27) for electronics and appliances
♦ Sunday (Nov. 28) for apparel and sporting goods
♦ Cyber Monday (Nov. 29) for televisions
♦ Wednesday (Dec. 1) for computers.
Amazon Black Friday 2021 deals
Amazon started rolling out “Black Friday-worthy deals” in early October. The online retail giant announced it will hold a 48-hour sale starting 12:01 a.m. PST Thanksgiving.
While supplies last, the deals will be available at Amazon.com/blackfriday, on the Amazon app, Amazon Book Stores, Amazon 4-star stores or by asking "Alexa, what are my deals?"
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Walmart Black Friday sale
The world’s largest retailer is spreading out its Black Friday deals for the second year in a row and has already held two “Black Friday Deals for Days” sales.
Instead of one sale that has traditionally started on Thanksgiving, Walmart holds three events and the official Black Friday sale starts online Monday, Nov. 22. Then stores will open 5 a.m. Nov. 26 after being closed this Thanksgiving for the second time since the late 1980s because of the coronavirus pandemic.
This year, Walmart is offering paying members of its Walmart+ membership program early access this year. Members can start shopping four hours ahead of the scheduled online start times.
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Target Black Friday 2021: Two sales ads
Halloween was the first day Target started rolling out its early Black Friday or "Holiday Best" deals after having a sale in October and launching a holiday price match guarantee.
The approach is similar to how Target spread out the season last year amid the pandemic, a change from the traditional short holiday shopping extravaganza.
Target unwrapped the closely guarded details of its last two Black Friday ads early Monday.
A weeklong sale will go live early Sunday morning and ends the day after Black Friday on Nov. 27. Additional deals will be added on Thanksgiving Day.
Target stores are closed for Thanksgiving for the second year in a row for the second time since 2011. The retailer said most will reopen at 7 a.m. local time on Black Friday.
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Best Buy Black Friday 2021
Best Buy held an early sale in October but then will start its Black Friday sale on Nov. 19 – a week earlier than Black Friday proper. Most deals will be available early and stores will open on Nov. 26 at 5 a.m.
Members of the Best Buy Totaltech program, which costs $199.99 a year, and the free My Best Buy loyalty program, get access to "special deals on most Mondays throughout the season."
There's an extra benefit of the paid program, the company said, "Totaltech members will also get more opportunities than anyone else to hopefully score some of this year’s hardest-to-find products, like gaming products."
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Lowe's Season of Savings, early Black Friday deals
Lowe’s started its second annual "Season of Savings" sale Oct. 28 and says it will have new deals dropping every week through December.
The savings will be available while supplies last and in categories including tools, smart home, appliances, décor and more.
Lowe's Black Friday sale starts online on Thanksgiving and then in stores on Black Friday. It runs until Dec. 1.
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JCPenney Black Friday ad out
JCPenney quietly announced its stores would open at 5 a.m. on Black Friday and unveiled its full Black Friday ad online. Stores will also be closed Thanksgiving for the second year.
There will also be deals throughout November leading up to the three-day Black Friday sale that runs Nov. 26-28.
The retailer’s annual Cyber Days event is from Monday, Nov. 29 through Wednesday, Dec.1, at JCP.com.
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Macy’s Black Friday deals underway
A month before Thanksgiving and its famous holiday parade, Macy’s shared a "sneak peek" of its Black Friday specials with savings across fashion, fine jewelry, tech, beauty, toys and home departments.
The department store chain said the deals will start rolling out Nov. 3 and there will be "unbeatable deals each week with an updated assortment of specially-curated, early-access specials." Prices start as low as $3.
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Home Depot Black Friday deals
Home Depot started its Black Friday sale in early November and says there will be "Black Friday prices through December."
The home improvement store chain keeps stores closed on Thanksgiving and frequently asked questions about its Black Friday sale says "the top online Black Friday deals" go online at 6 a.m. EST the day after Thanksgiving.
Stores will also open early on Black Friday.
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Kohl's Black Friday 2021
Kohl's Black Friday sale begins Sunday, Nov. 21 and as in past years, shoppers will earn $15 Kohl’s Cash for every $50 they spend instead of the usual $10 Kohl's Cash during the sale. The extra Kohl's Cash can be earned through Black Friday and is redeemable Nov. 27 through Dec. 8.
Kohl's will also have two days of "Super Deals" that roll out Thanksgiving through Black Friday.
Stores are closed on Thanksgiving Day for the second year in recent years and open 5 a.m. local time on Black Friday.
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This story will be updated.
Follow USA TODAY reporter Kelly Tyko on Twitter: @KellyTyko. For shopping news, tips and deals, join us on our Shopping Ninjas Facebook group.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Black Friday 2021 deals: Walmart, Amazon, Target to start sales early
