Black Friday 2026: sale dates and categories with expected discounts
- Black Friday is on November 27, but deals start earlier; Target kicks off on November 5, Best Buy on November 6, while Amazon’s date is still unconfirmed.
- Discounts are expected on 4K TVs, Apple products, toys, and physical media, though popular new LEGO sets may not get cheaper.
- Game consoles, PCs, graphics cards, RAM, and 4K Blu-ray players may remain expensive or hard to find.
Sale calendar: the main date and early launches
In 2026, Black Friday falls on November 27, the day after Thanksgiving. But don’t focus only on that date: major retailers have started launching deals early, and the sale period is no longer limited to a single Friday. For shoppers, this means a longer window for deals, but no guarantee that the item they want will be cheaper on the main day. It’s more important to check each retailer’s schedule and the product category.
Among the announced dates, Best Buy’s sale is set to start on November 19, Walmart’s on November 23, and Target’s and Costco’s on November 27. Amazon’s start date is still listed as TBD, or to be determined. This distinction matters: the general Black Friday calendar doesn’t replace individual retailers’ schedules, and launch dates alone don’t indicate how large the discounts will be or which specific products will be included.
Early deals don’t all start at the same time, either. Target plans to hold an early sale from November 5 to 7, while Best Buy is launching its early deals on November 6. Walmart and Costco have also announced early sales, but their schedules don’t list specific start dates. So not all the details are known in advance: some of the calendar remains open, and early access to deals doesn’t mean the discounts will be the same across retailers.
Which products are expected to be discounted
Among the categories where notable deals are expected, 4K TVs are at the top of the list. Black Friday is traditionally considered a good time to buy a TV at a reduced price, and the same outlook applies to computer monitors and projectors. However, this refers to the category as a whole, not a guaranteed discount on every model: whether a specific device will be on sale, and how much it will be discounted, is not known in advance.
Another category that regularly features in November sales is Apple tech, including AirPods, iPad, and Apple Watch. Prices for these devices are expected to be at the lower end of the usual sale range; major retailers compete by offering lower prices on the latest AirPods models to attract online shoppers. However, the category forecast does not guarantee a discount on every product, so sale dates and specific models may vary.
November may also be a good time to look for toy discounts, especially on less popular products and franchises. LEGO is named as an appealing category, but there’s an important caveat: most popular new 2026 sets are not expected to be discounted. The main deals are more likely to cover older toys and LEGO sets that are due to be discontinued by the end of the year. This is not a promise that the entire range will be on sale.
Categories where good deals may be scarce
Discounts are also expected on physical media, although the selection may vary widely. Book deals at retailers like Amazon may appear as early as the beginning of November, before the main sale dates. 4K Blu-ray discs, board games, and vinyl records may also be included in promotions, with offers such as “buy one, get one.” However, terms and available selection won’t necessarily be the same at every retailer.
Physical copies of video games for Nintendo, Xbox, and PS5 may also start getting cheaper before Black Friday itself. But game discounts shouldn’t automatically be taken to mean console deals: prices have already been reported to rise for Switch 2, Xbox, and PS5, and the prospects for new deals are considered slim. The report also mentions a console shortage and Xbox’s recommendation to trade in unused devices to help address the deficit.
The likely exception among consoles is Nintendo Switch 2 bundles. They may not offer a major discount on the system itself, but could save you some money on games and accessories. The forecast also links cautious expectations for console deals to the release of GTA 6 just before Black Friday. So a bundle may be more practical than a standalone discount, but that doesn’t change the fact that the Switch 2 has already had a price increase.
How to navigate deals and uncertainty
Buyers of gaming PCs, laptops, graphics cards, and RAM aren’t being promised especially steep discounts either. Rising AI use, higher graphics card prices, and a RAM shortage that the forecast says could worsen in the coming years are cited as reasons for a difficult year for PC gaming. Discounts are still possible, but they’re expected to be less substantial than on the same products two years ago; according to the article, it will be difficult to find a good gaming PC for under $1,500.
4K Blu-ray players are a separate issue. Amid growing interest in physical media, these devices have become unexpectedly hard to find, with reports of both sharp price increases and items being out of stock. So discounts on 4K Blu-ray discs themselves don’t mean buyers will be able to find an affordable player to watch them on. The gap between the availability of media and playback devices is especially significant here.
The practical takeaway from the schedule and category outlook is to watch for specific deals rather than treating every “sale” label as proof of a good price. Be especially cautious with products already reported to be facing price increases, shortages, or weak discounts: gaming systems, computer components, and disc players. For updates, the IGN Deals team recommends signing up for its newsletter, visiting its Amazon storefront, following its social media accounts, and choosing IGN as a preferred source on Google.
Source: IGN
