Black Friday or Cyber Monday? Which day has better holiday deals?

November 26, 2024

Although they were separate events in the past, Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales now often overlap.
Many retailers are offering early Black Friday deals, both online and in stores.
Cyber Monday deals are expected to last throughout the weekend and into Monday.

The top-class shopping weekend is just around the corner.

According to an annual survey by the National Retail Federation, 183.4 million people plan to shop in stores and online between Thanksgiving Day and Cyber Monday in 2024, up from the previous record of 182 million in 2023.

The survey found that Black Friday still reigns supreme. 131.7 million people (72%) said they planned to shop that day. This is followed by Cyber Monday, on which 39% of respondents or 72.3 million people plan to make a purchase.

According to 57% of respondents, deals that are “too good to pass up” are the main reason why shoppers are still so keen to make money on the official holidays, followed by love of tradition , said 28% of those surveyed.

With so many millions of people planning to do the majority of their shopping within about four days, the question arises: Is one day better than another to shop? When comparing Black Friday to Cyber Monday, which shopping holiday comes out on top? Here’s what you should know.

Earn rewards for your spending: Best credit cards for shopping

What is Black Friday? When is Black Friday 2024?

Black Friday occurs the day after Thanksgiving, which this year is Thursday, November 28th, meaning the shopping holiday falls on Friday, November 29th.

It is believed to have received the title “Black Friday” in the 1950s, when Philadelphia police coined the term to describe the chaos they were witnessing due to suburban shoppers flooding the city, USA TODAY previously reported reported.

The name stuck in Philly until 1961, but it didn’t spread nationwide until the late 1980s, when retailers seized the opportunity to frame the day as something more positive by making the analogy to stores that were no longer in the red “ wrote a financial deficit) until sales exploded the day after Thanksgiving and they were back in the black (profitable).

What you should know about Black Friday 2024:Where and when you can shop

What is Cyber Monday? When is Cyber Monday 2024?

Cyber Monday occurs on the first Monday after Thanksgiving. This year it falls on Monday, December 2nd.

It emerged as a kind of reaction or complement to Black Friday and eventually became equally lucrative for retailers. The official term was coined by the National Retail Federation in 2005, when the organization noticed a surge in online shopping on the Monday after Thanksgiving as people returned to work and began using their – at the time – faster internet connections in the office than at home Vacation lists.

As with Black Friday, retailers took advantage by turning it into a full-fledged sales event, this time focused on online shopping and sales.

What to know about Cyber Monday 2024:Where and when you can shop

Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday: Which is better?

Black Friday and Cyber Monday used to be two different events, especially when brick-and-mortar stores and in-store flash sales were more popular.

However, between online shopping, which is becoming the preferred method of bargain hunting for many consumers year-round, and the now widespread practice among retailers of making money by extending shopping holidays into multi-day events, the two are more or less related intertwined. And the COVID-19 pandemic has likely managed to shift some of the last in-store reluctance into the digital realm.

The shopping holidays now often flow directly into one another without any real break, such as Amazon’s Black Friday Week, which ends on November 29th and flows directly into the Cyber Monday sale from November 29th to December 2nd. While the offers are marked as part of two different events, they function as a single long sale.

In some cases, the same sales can simply be rolled over into the “new” Christmas promotion and renamed. In other cases, stores may choose to save certain types of sales for one day or another. Even if Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become more or less the same, be sure to pay attention to the official sales dates of the items you really want.

Top offers for Black Friday

With the increasing preference for online shopping, retailers have started rolling out “Black Friday” deals earlier and extending their duration to give customers more time to make money. There are already discounts at a number of retailers, including Best Buy and Amazon, Walmart, Staples, BJ’s Wholesale Club and Target. However, some of the biggest deals are usually reserved for the day.

Amazon’s Black Friday week began on November 21st and runs until Friday, November 29th. Deals include up to 55% off select Amazon devices, including Amazon Fire Smart TVs, Kindles, Ring doorbells and Beats headphones. There’s also up to 50% off family denim from Levi’s and apparel from OROLAY, along with thousands of other deals.

Walmart launched its early Black Friday online deals on November 11, offering up to 70% off everything from cookware and beauty products to toys and clothing.

Top Cyber Monday Deals

Like Black Friday, Cyber Monday has also expanded its domain to include a single day.

The biggest deals from retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and Walmart are often reserved for Cyber Monday itself, but are also often available for at least two days, if not an entire “Cyber Week.”

Amazon’s Cyber Monday event begins ahead of the actual day, starting on Friday, November 29th and running until Monday, December 2nd. As usual, the offer is varied and includes up to 50% off technology such as JBL headphones and Eufy security cameras, 55% off Zinus mattresses, 40% off select Bissell and Tineco vacuum cleaners and 20% on Stanley drinkware.

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Taylor Reeves

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