Black Friday 2021 falls on Friday, November 26 this year, giving you plenty of time to prepare for this exciting period of the year. This article will give you an idea of everything that you can expect from the 2021’s Black Friday sale based on what information we already have and last year’s shenanigans.
Last year, deals covered everything from Apple’s latest products to top-notch 4K TVs. Appliances are also one of the most discounted items during Black Friday. Brands such as Keurig, Roomba, and Instant Pot are some of what you’ll find at lower prices.
While we know the date of Black Friday this year, we expect sales to start popping up earlier than ever due to the pandemic. Most retailers are pushing their sales to late October to avoid shipping delays and create a much safer shopping experience. And while we can’t really predict what this year has in store for us, we can expect the retailers to keep the earlier online sales trend around.
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When Is Black Friday 2021?
Black Friday happens on the Friday immediately after Thanksgiving, when most retailers being ritualistic-like holiday shopping season. The date obviously shifts from one year to another, but it always happens on the Friday after Thanksgiving.
This year, it’ll be on November 26th, closer to Christmas than ever (less than a month before Christmas Day). In other words, you can use it as an opportunity to shop for Christmas gifts online.
Last year, the sales started earlier than usual in order to ensure a safer shopping experience for people during the Coronavirus pandemic. Judging from what’s currently happening, we can expect the virus to stick around till November, which means that this trend of earlier sales will persist.
The Origin of Black Friday: A History Lesson
The first mention of “Black Friday” was in the journal “Factory Management and Maintenance” in November 1951, used to describe the phenomenon of people calling in sick the day after Thanksgiving to get an extra day off work.
During that time, US police were also using the terms “Black Friday” or “Black Saturday” to describe the bad traffic that happens around the time of the pre-Christmas shopping season.
Exactly a decade later, some local governments tried to change the name of the shopping season to “Big Friday” and “Big Saturday”. However, this never caught on. The term “black” was later employed by retailers, and they did their best to bring some sense of positivity to the term, eventually succeeding.
Black Friday Deals 2021: What to Expect
Black Friday this year should be the same as last year, offering discounts on items that you would actually want to buy (including sweet, sweet outdoor gear).
According to Adobe Analytics, 2020’s Black Friday event saw a more than 20% rise in online spending, making it the second-largest online spending day in the history of the U.S. behind Cyber Monday 2019. The most popular items were AirPods, Apple Watches, Samsungs Televisions, Logo Sets, Hot Wheels, etc.
We expect this year’s Black Friday to offer similar discounts on these items, especially Apple and Amazon devices, as well as quality toys, appliances, and outdoor gear.
When Will We See the Official Black Friday Deals?
With the rise of eCommerce (and social media sites, notably Facebook) and the almost total move to online shopping, expect to see more sales on the web than ever. Amazon is definitely going to be leading the charge with some appealing prices. This will definitely lead to fierce competition between retailers, and the sole winner in all of this is obviously you, the consumer.
Now that we agreed on the fact that the deals will happen way ahead of Friday the 26th, you will want to be fully prepared. Worry not as we will continuously update this article with the latest information even when the sales start happening later this year. We’ll include the hottest deals as well as where to find them, so get your credit card ready and make sure to bookmark this page and return to it in the next couple of months.
2020 had some of the best online deals in history, which caused more traditional stores to lower their prices even further to compete against online retailers like Amazon and eBay. Walmart Plus, for example, offered better deals as early as September to keep up with shipping and such since their infrastructure isn’t as good as Amazon’s, for instance.
In conclusion, online is the way this year. In other words, getting yourself a pair of AirPods for cheap at the comfort of your own room wearing your pajamas has never been easier.
How Do I Get the Best Black Friday Deals in 2021?
It’s easy really, just do your homework before falling for any “special offer”. Certain retailers up prices from August until October to give the impression of huge discounts and savings on Black Friday. This is just one amongst many other tricks that you should be wary of.
Retailers usually do this with expensive electronics such as laptops and TVs, especially ones with product numbers rather than names. If you fancy a Samsung Ultra HD TV, for example, it’s best to choose and compare rather than sticking to a specific model number. In other words, try to get an almost identical set specifications-wise but with an actually discounted price tag.
However, don’t be fooled into thinking that these TV Sets are identical since certain elements such as image procession and screen quality are different. Still, it won’t be that big of a difference, and at the end of the day, the final decision is yours and yours only.
The Best Deals During Black Friday and Cyber Monday
There was a time were buying items that weren’t going under the tree on Christmas Day was exclusive to post-holiday sales. However, those days are long gone. Retailers now offer anything, and I mean anything, from smartphone gadgets, sports items, and camping gear to kayaking equipment and mountain bikes during these pre-holiday sales.
In order to get the best out of these sales, simply do the following:
- Make a thorough list of your outdoor needs. Do some research online for item recommendations and try to narrow down your list to specific items from specific brands. Determine your budget and prioritize your list based on how much you want the items.
- Start looking up for those items online. Some of them might already be on sale. If the sale doesn’t cut it for you, make sure to add the item to your mailing list to get notified of any important sales in the near future.
- If you find a deal that fits your budget, just go for it. Don’t take any chances, as items can be sold out in a blink of an eye, especially during special periods such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Cyber Week.
Here are the best deals you can get today (ps: we earn a small affiliate commission on anything you buy from the links below. That doesn’t cost anything extra for you and it helps us keep this site up and running):
How to Shop on Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Similar to any sales event, it is important to go into it with a well-thought-out game plan. Here are a few tips that you can follow:
Create a Wishlist:
This is perhaps the most important step. Your list can include anything from a new women-specific MTB to hiking boots to tents and canopies.
Stick to Popular Brands:
During these massive sales, online retailers tend to flood the market with “low-quality” suppliers. So, if you don’t recognize the brand or you can’t find any positive mentions of it online, stay away from it.
Not every discount is the same:
Just because the discount or coupon has a big percentage stuck to it doesn’t mean that it’s actually that good. That’s one of the main reasons this article exists in the first place. Before falling for big discounts, make sure they’re legit.
So, stay safe during these troubling times, and make sure to check this article from time to time for important updates!
