Black Friday is Nov. 27, 2026 and Cyber Monday is Nov. 30. Retailers now run sales around both, so the date matters less than the item. Outlets disagree on which day wins for TVs and other categories, so choose a target price, track it, and buy when it is met.
What each day actually means
Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving, which is Nov. 27, 2026. Cyber Monday is the Monday after that weekend, Nov. 30, 2026. Amazon states both dates on its own page and says Cyber Monday "is always the following Monday" (Amazon, "When is Amazon Black Friday?" FAQ). Thanksgiving is Nov. 26.
The days used to be easy to separate, with Black Friday for stores and Cyber Monday for websites. That split has blurred. The National Retail Federation's post-holiday survey for 2025 counted 85.7 million online shoppers and 80.3 million in-store shoppers on Black Friday, and 75.9 million online shoppers on Cyber Monday. It reported no in-store figure for Cyber Monday, and called Black Friday the top day for both channels (NRF, Dec. 2, 2025). Those are 2025 results, not a 2026 forecast.
How the big retailers frame the two days
| Retailer | What it says or reportedly plans | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | Calls Black Friday "one of the biggest shopping events of the year" and tells shoppers to start early, with deals already in its Holiday Shop. It has not posted a start date for its Black Friday week as of Nov. 4. | Dates for the two days: confirmed by Amazon. Week start: unannounced. |
| Walmart | Reported (Retail Dive, Oct. 26): early deals Nov. 12-15, a second Black Friday event Nov. 23-29, and Cyber Monday Nov. 30 through Dec. 2. TODAY lists the Cyber Monday event as starting at 12:01 a.m. ET. | Reported by outlets; we did not open Walmart’s own page. |
| Best Buy | 9to5Toys (Oct. 30) lists Black Friday deals Nov. 19-28, a "Cyber Sunday and Monday Sale Event," and separate "Cyber Week Deals" in early December. Best Buy’s own page shows a banner reading Nov. 26-27 and text saying Black Friday is Nov. 27. | Contested. Check bestbuy.com. |
| Target | TODAY lists an early Black Friday sale Nov. 5-7, then new weekly deals through the season. | Reported by one outlet. |
The pattern across these three: each retailer now spreads its sale across a week or more and gives Cyber Monday its own named event. Walmart’s Cyber Monday event reportedly runs three days, past Monday itself. See Black Friday 2026 dates by retailer for the full table and what to expect from Amazon.
Online versus in-store
Consumer Reports’ 2017 article, summarizing its 2016 comparisons, found online and in-store prices were comparable on sale days and through the rest of the year. Sale-day savings were sometimes small but larger than typical prices the rest of the year (Consumer Reports, Oct. 26, 2017). That is an old study, so treat it as a caution against assuming a store trip beats a web page, not as a 2026 finding.
Category cheat sheet: where outlets disagree
No outlet we opened says one day wins everything. Here is what each said, with the date of the source. Where two sources conflict, we show both instead of picking a winner.
| Category | What sources say | Do they agree? |
|---|---|---|
| TVs | TODAY (Nov. 3, 2026): tech and big-ticket items like TVs are typically discounted for Black Friday. CNBC (2024): Black Friday is a strong time for TVs and consumer electronics. Consumer Reports (2016 data): TVs were cheapest on Cyber Monday. | No. The newest sources say Black Friday; the oldest data says Cyber Monday. |
| Laptops | Consumer Reports (2016 data): laptops were best on Black Friday. Newer outlets group laptops under electronics generally. | Partly. Only one dated comparison we opened. |
| Smartwatches and fitness trackers | Consumer Reports (2016 data): Cyber Monday. | Single, old source. |
| Beauty and footwear | CNBC (2024): Cyber Monday tends to offer better deals. | Single source. |
| Fall clothing and accessories | CNBC (2024): Black Friday, with coats, denim and flannels often at rock-bottom prices. | Single source. Note it differs from its own footwear advice. |
| Furniture and mattresses | CNBC (2024): other holiday weekends such as Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day often bring better offers. | Single source. |
| Toys | CNBC (2024): waiting until the final two weeks of December may pay off. | Single source. Conflicts with gift deadlines. |
| Travel | CNBC (2024): look to Travel Tuesday instead. | Single source. |
Sources: TODAY, updated Nov. 3, 2026, CNBC, Nov. 26, 2024, and Consumer Reports above. For TVs specifically, see what to know before buying a TV; for laptops, spec traps.
Original tool: which-day decision flow
Use this when you are staring at a wishlist and wondering what to wait for. It sends you to the right question, not to a promised price.
How likely is it?
What is still unconfirmed, how sure we are, and what would settle it. Word labels, not percentages.
Possible Amazon’s Black Friday week starts Thursday, Nov. 19. Slickdeals predicts Nov. 19, and past starts were Nov. 21 in 2024 and Nov. 20 in 2025, but 2023 began on a Friday and Amazon has not announced 2026. What would settle it: Amazon posting its own schedule.
Likely Some Cyber Monday events begin before Monday. Slickdeals reports Cyber Monday ran over a weekend in 2024 (Nov. 30) and 2025 (Nov. 29), and 9to5Toys lists a Best Buy Sunday-and-Monday event. What would settle it: Each retailer’s own announcement.
Contested Best Buy’s Black Friday window. 9to5Toys says Nov. 19-28; Best Buy’s page shows Nov. 26-27 in a banner. What would settle it: Best Buy publishing a single schedule.
Likely Walmart’s dates. Reported by Retail Dive and TODAY with matching dates. What would settle it: Walmart’s own page.
The short rule
Pick the item, pick the price you would be happy with, and track it from now. The day matters less than whether the price hits your number. If you are weighing Prime events, see Prime sale events: what to buy and skip and the wider Black Friday and Cyber Monday landscape. To avoid being fooled by a fake markdown, read how to tell a real deal from a fake one, and see price history tools. A plan helps: Black Friday shopping plan. Older Legit guides to appliances such as air fryers and coffee makers list what to compare before a sale.
Questions and answers
What is the difference between Black Friday and Cyber Monday?
Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving (Nov. 27, 2026), and Cyber Monday is the Monday after that weekend (Nov. 30, 2026). Retailers now run sales around both, online and in stores, so the difference is mostly branding and timing.
When is Cyber Monday 2026?
Cyber Monday is Monday, Nov. 30, 2026. Amazon states that date on its own FAQ, and reported retailer events such as Walmart's run from Nov. 30 through Dec. 2.
When is Black Friday 2026?
Friday, Nov. 27, 2026, the day after Thanksgiving on Nov. 26. Amazon and Best Buy both name Nov. 27 on their own pages.
Is Cyber Monday online only?
It began as an online-shopping day, and the National Retail Federation reports online shopper counts for it with no in-store figure. Retailers can still run store promotions, so check each retailer's page.
Is Black Friday better than Cyber Monday?
It depends on the item, and the outlets we opened disagree. Newer sources lean Black Friday for TVs and electronics and Cyber Monday for beauty and footwear, while a 2016 Consumer Reports comparison found TVs cheapest on Cyber Monday.
Are TVs cheaper on Black Friday or Cyber Monday?
Sources conflict. TODAY (Nov. 3, 2026) and CNBC (2024) point to Black Friday, while Consumer Reports' 2016 data pointed to Cyber Monday. Track your specific model rather than trusting a general rule.
Is it better to shop Black Friday online or in stores?
Consumer Reports' 2016 comparison found online and in-store prices were comparable on sale days. NRF counted more online than in-store Black Friday shoppers in 2025, but that does not say which is cheaper.
Does Amazon treat Black Friday and Cyber Monday differently?
Amazon names both dates but has not posted its 2026 event schedule as of Nov. 4. Slickdeals predicts the Cyber Monday event starts Saturday, Nov. 28, which is a prediction, not an Amazon announcement.
How does Walmart handle Cyber Monday 2026?
Retail Dive reported on Oct. 26 that Walmart's Cyber Monday event runs Nov. 30 to Dec. 2, and TODAY lists a 12:01 a.m. ET start. We did not open Walmart's own page, so confirm there.
What are Best Buy's Black Friday and Cyber Monday dates?
Sources conflict. 9to5Toys lists Black Friday deals Nov. 19-28 and a separate Cyber Sunday and Monday event, while Best Buy's own page shows a banner reading Nov. 26-27. Check bestbuy.com for the current schedule.
Should I wait for Cyber Monday to buy furniture or a mattress?
CNBC (2024) suggests other holiday weekends, such as Presidents' Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day, often bring better offers on furniture and mattresses. That is one outlet's advice, so compare against the price history of the exact item.
Are toys cheaper on Cyber Monday?
CNBC (2024) says waiting until the last two weeks of December may pay off for toys, which could conflict with gift deadlines. Safety matters too, so see our toy safety checklist before buying.
Is Thanksgiving Day itself part of the sales?
Retailers run events around Thanksgiving, and Walmart's reported main event runs Nov. 23-29, which includes it. Whether any given deal is live on Nov. 26 depends on the retailer, so check its page.
How do I know if a Black Friday or Cyber Monday deal is real?
Compare against the item's price history and the retailer's normal price rather than the crossed-out number. See our guide on telling real deals from fake ones and the price history tools explainer.
Sources. Pages we opened on Nov. 4, 2026: Amazon, "When is Amazon Black Friday?" FAQ; Retail Dive on Walmart (Oct. 26, 2026); 9to5Toys on Best Buy (Oct. 30, 2026); Best Buy Black Friday page; TODAY; Slickdeals Amazon predictions; NRF; CNBC; Consumer Reports. Retailer dates other than Amazon's two day names and Best Buy's banner come from secondary reports and may change; check each retailer. Consumer Reports and CNBC comparisons are older and may not reflect 2026.