Black Friday off to an early start but with fewer sales
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Early Black Friday sales have begun at some stores. Photo: Leonardo Munoz/VIEWpress via Getty Images
The nation's largest retailers are rolling out fewer early Black Friday holiday sales than last year.
Why it matters: Retailers are banking on inflation-weary consumers showing up in stores and logging on to shop Black Friday sales online with the lure of deals.
- Inflation, although less pronounced than last year's high rates, is fueling the season's early start as companies look to help consumers spread out purchases.
- Walmart and Target are among the retailers holding fewer rounds of sales compared to 2022.
Flashback: COVID ended the traditional holiday shopping season and pushed more deals online to reduce crowds in stores.
Meanwhile, most major retailers will be physically closed this Thanksgiving for the fourth year in a row, a change that started in 2020.
Amazon Black Friday 2023 deals
Amazon announced in a news release Monday that its Black Friday sale will begin Nov. 17 and its Cyber Monday sale will run Nov. 25-27.
- This year's sale stretches days longer than last year's 48-hour Black Friday event that started on Thanksgiving.
What's next: Starting Nov. 13, Prime members can sign up for "Invite-only deals" on select products, which Amazon says are expected to sell out this holiday season.
- Amazon said all customers will be able to watch the first-ever Black Friday NFL game streaming free on Prime Video. The New York Jets will take on the Miami Dolphins.
Walmart Black Friday deals 2023
The world's largest retailer announced its Black Friday plans Wednesday and said it would hold two Black Friday sales in November instead of three like last year.
- Event 1: The first sale begins online at 3pm ET Wednesday, Nov. 8 and continues in stores Friday, Nov. 10.
- Event 2: Deals begin online 3pm ET Wednesday. Nov. 22 and in stores Friday, Nov. 24.
- Walmart stores will be open regular hours for their Black Friday sales, which is 6am to 11pm for most stores.
Yes, but: Paid Walmart+ members get a three-hour start for the Black Friday sales and can access the deals starting at noon ET for each of the sales.
What they're saying: Julie Barber, executive vice president of general merchandise at Walmart, told Axios the company is always adapting to customer feedback and shifted to two sales "to simplify things a bit this year."
Target Black Friday 2023 deals
Target started offering its "biggest savings of the season" with early Black Friday deals Oct. 29.
- The retailer is holding a series of weekly sales through Thanksgiving weekend "with deals on new and trending items such as electronics, toys, kitchen appliances, everyday essentials and beauty."
- For the first sale that ends Nov. 4, select iPads are up to $100 off and small kitchen appliances including KitchenAid and Ninja are up to 40% off.
- Target's holiday price match guarantee returned Oct. 22 and pledges price adjustments if prices go down lower later in the season.
Yes, but: Despite the pre-Halloween start, Target's weekly Black Friday sales and holiday price match started weeks earlier in 2022.
JCPenney Black Friday sale 2023
JCPenney will have an early access Black Friday sale Nov. 3-5 and released a preview ad Nov. 1 to its rewards members. The retailer unveiled its holiday plans last week in a news release.
- It will also hold a sale Nov. 6-16 ahead of Black Friday.
- On Black Friday (Nov. 24), stores will open at 5am local time with a coupon giveaway.
Best Buy Black Friday deals
Best Buy started its Black Friday deals for members last week and all shoppers on Monday.
- The official Black Friday sale starts on Nov. 17, the retailer said in a release.
What's next: The Cyber Monday sale will start Sunday, Nov. 26.
Lowe's Black Friday sale
Lowe's kicked off its "Black Friday Every Day" sale last week and it continues through Nov. 22, per a company release.
- The "Black Friday Golden Gable Deals" sale is from Nov. 23 to 29 with "additional deals and doorbusters."
- The Cyber Deals sale will be held Nov. 25-29.
Kohl's Black Friday deals
Kohl's unveiled details about its Black Friday ad and an early access sale in a news release Friday.
- The Black Friday week sale starts Nov. 19 at 12:01am CT online and when stores open and runs through Black Friday. Some offers are only available Nov. 23 and 24.
- Stores will be closed on Thanksgiving and open 5am local time Black Friday with a sweepstakes for the first 200 shoppers in each store.
- The early access sale runs from Nov. 3-9 with $15 for every $50 spent Nov. 3 and $10 for every $50 Nov. 4-9.
Home Depot Black Friday savings
Home Depot is having a month of Black Friday savings that ends on Nov. 29.
- The retailer posted an ad on its website with offers available through Nov. 22.
Editor's note: This story was updated with details about Amazon's Black Friday sale and details throughout.
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