Everything You Need to Know About Finding the Best Black Friday Deals 2019

The 2019 Black Friday deals are here. This year, Black Friday falls on November 29th, and just about every retailer in the country is going to be offering excellent opportunities to shop for all the things that you love. It’s also the best time to beat the rush and pick up Christmas presents at discounted prices.

Since there’s a lot of information to navigate surrounding the nation’s largest shopping event, we’ve assembled this guide so you can be the most prepared when braving the crowds of eager customers. You can learn about which products will have the biggest price drops, how to spend less time searching for items, where to look for advertisements and more.

The first Black Friday ad from a major retailer came out October 30th, and it's the Costco Holiday Savings Book. It's 32 pages long and features sales spanning from November 7th to December 2nd, so it includes their Cyber Monday sale as well. Costco will be closed on November 28th in observance of Thanksgiving. The Costco Black Friday ad includes deals on items such as Xbox One S bundles, MacBook Pros, Dell laptops, HP laptops and Lenovo laptops. They also have a 65" 4K TV from LG for $499.99, which includes both Alexa and Google Assistant.

For current Costco coupons, check out the Costco coupon book for November here.

The Kohl's Black Friday ad came out on November 1st this year and they are having their $15 Kohl's Cash promo for every $50 spent this year again. So if you get a lot of stuff at Kohl's you will rack up store credits (essentially) that you can use for a purchase on another day. As for Kohl's Black Friday deals, they include a PS4 Fortnite bundle for $199.99 plus $60 Kohl's Cash, an Xbox One S Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order bundle also for $199.99 and $60 Kohl's Cash, Instant Pot for $67.99, Ring doorbell for $139.99 and a Nest thermostat for $179.99. The entire ad scan is 65 pages long, so there are plenty more deals to look through and you can find them all over here.

The Target Black Friday ad came out November 6th, and it features deals such as a 65" 4K TV for $279.99, Beats Solo 3 wireless headphones for $129.99 and a Google Home Mini for $19. Target will have hundreds of doorbuster deals spanning Black Friday and the following Saturday. They will be available online and in stores. Many Black Friday TV deals are not of the best quality, but Target has a 60" 4K TV from LG for only $429.99, which is $170 off. The Apple Watch Series 5 is also starting at $399 this Black Friday. Check out the full Target Black Friday ad here today.

When Is Black Friday 2019?

Black Friday begins on Friday November 29th this year. It's later in the month compared to 2018 when the shopping event kicked off on November 23rd. Some stores begin their Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving Day, so there will be opportunities to get a head start for those interested. There are also plenty of "pre-Black Friday sales" and "lead-up" events to make note of. Amazon, for example, usually start their pre-sale event on November 1st. Walmart actually beat them this year by starting their early Black Friday deals on October 24th.

What Are the Best Black Friday Deals?

TVs are obviously a hot-ticket item each year, but there are plenty of other price breaks to be had. Laptops, smart home devices, video games and small kitchen appliances are always popular this time of year. Check back here in early November to see which deals are the best ones for 2019.

Here are the top 10 discounts from 2018 (as voted on by the Slickdeals community):

1. 65-inch TCL 4K HDR Roku Smart LED TVSale Price: $398 | Reg. Price: $598
2. PlayStation Store’s Sony PS Plus 12-month Digital MembershipSale Price: $39.99 | Reg. Price: $59.99
3. GameStop’s Nintendo Switch Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Bundle + $50 GameStop Gift CardSale Price: $299.99 | Reg. Price: $359.99
4. Kohl’s’ Google Home Hub + $15 Kohl's CashSale Price: $99 | Reg. Price: $149
5. Target’s Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS)Sale Price: starting at $199.99 | Reg. Price: starting at $279.99
6. Kohl’s PlayStation 4 Slim 1TB Spider-Man Bundle + $60 Kohl's CashSale Price: $199.99 | Reg. Price: $299.99
7. Best Buy’s Roku 4K Ultra Streaming Media PlayerSale Price: $49.99 | Reg. Price: $99.99
8. Best Buy’s Sony 1000XM2 Premium Wireless Noise Cancelling HeadphonesSale Price: $199.99 | Reg. Price: $349.99
9. Instant Pot LUX80 8-Qt Pressure CookerSale Price: $59 | Reg. Price: $99
10. Best Buy’s Dell Inspiron 15.6" Touch-Screen LaptopSale Price: $399.99 | Reg. Price: $599.99

Which Stores Have the Best 2019 Black Friday Sales?

The previous year’s 10 most popular price drops came from six different retailers: Walmart, Kohl’s, Best Buy, GameStop, Target and the PlayStation Store.

When it comes to low prices for TVs, Walmart is usually the one to beat (like last season’s $398 Sharp/TCL 65” Class 4K Roku Smart TV). Just keep in mind that the best television discounts will most likely require a trip to the store. Look for Dell, Sam’s Club, Costco and Best Buy to offer desirable savings on these entertainment essentials as well. (Plus, Costco offers several of its online-only markdowns to members and non-members alike.)

How Big Are the Black Friday Discounts for a Doorbuster Item?

As always, you can expect to see a huge range of doorbusters in 2019. In the past, Macy’s offered free products valued at up to $40, while Dell and Walmart slashed $200-$490 off select laptops, PCs and more.

Our advice? Be sure to research the exact model number on things like 4K Televisions and other electronics to make sure you’re getting all the features you need.

Most doorbuster promotions center on LCD televisions, QLED displays, gaming consoles, laptops, kitchen appliances and home electronics—and they’re almost always available for a limited time. Fortunately, our forums let you review an item’s price history in a flash and help you buy with confidence.

How Much Can You Really Save During The 2019 Black Friday Sale?

In 2018, Target slashed $80 off the Apple Watch Series 3 with GPS, while GameStop discounted the Nintendo Switch Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Bundle by $60 (with a $50 GameStop gift card thrown in for good measure). Kohl’s even reduced the PlayStation 4 Slim 1TB Spider-Man Bundle by $100 and gave customers $60 Kohl's Cash to boot.

We expect more of the same this year (think 60% off home appliances, $50+ off Instant Pot pressure cookers and $200+ off laptops.)

When Are The 2019 Black Friday Ads Released?

In 2018, retailers released their ads on the following dates:

• October 27: Costco
• November 1: Target, Kohl’s, JCPenney & Dell
• November 5: Macy’s
• November 7: Walmart
• November 8: Best Buy
• November 11: Sam’s Club
• November 13: Lowe’s
• November 15: Home Depot & Sephora
• November 18: ULTA Beauty

The 2019 ad releases will likely follow a similar pattern. Look for the earliest leaks at the very end of October followed by a flurry of ads throughout the first week of November.

What Are the Store Hours on Black Friday and Thanksgiving 2019?

Store hours for 2018 were as follows:

THANKSGIVING DAY

• JCPenney: 2 p.m-10 p.m. on Friday
• Kohl’s: 5 p.m.-1 pm. on Friday (doorbusters)
• Target: 5 p.m.-1 a.m.
• Best Buy: 5 p.m.-1 a.m.
• Macy’s: 5 p.m.-2 a.m.
• Walmart: 6 p.m. until close on Friday
• Sephora: 6 p.m.-1 a.m.
• Ulta: 6 p.m.-2 a.m.

CLOSED: Home Depot, Lowe’s, Costco and Sam’s Club

BLACK FRIDAY

• Target: 7 a.m.-11 p.m.
• Home Depot: 6 a.m.-10 p.m.
• Macy’s 6 a.m.-1 p.m. (doorbusters)
• Ulta: 6 a.m.-10 p.m.
• Lowe’s: 6 a.m.-10 p.m.
• Sephora: 6 a.m.-9 p.m.
• Sam’s Club: 7 a.m. until close (prices valid through Sunday)
• Best Buy: 8 a.m. until close
• Costco: 9 a.m.-8:30 p.m. (prices valid through Monday)

If you’re shopping in stores on Thanksgiving Day, you’ll probably want to plan on starting anytime between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Home Depot, Lowe’s, Costco and Sam’s Club all have a tradition of being closed on Thanksgiving Day, so you can either shop their products online or in stores on the next day.

When Do the 2019 Black Friday Deals Begin Online?

Contrary to what the name says, this is no longer a one-day event; in fact, some stores now start their sales days if not weeks in advance. (Walmart actually kicked off the 2018 season with 18 online-only deals on November 8th.)

Some stores—like Dell and Amazon—offer select discounts online before launching complete sales on Thanksgiving Day or Black Friday itself. Lowe’s, for example, offered online deals from November 11th to November 28th, while Costco and JCPenney went live with select price breaks on November 18th.

More Ways to Save During Black Friday 2019

With so many limited-time deals in such a short time frame, it’s easy to get tricked into making impulsive purchases. These tips can help you shop smarter during the seasonal madness:

1. Hold off on certain purchases. Wait for Cyber Monday deals to buy toys or apparel at Amazon. The retailer is known to drop its prices in these categories even further after the weekend.
2. Avoid shipping fees. Many stores waive or lower their free-shipping thresholds on Friday, while others hold off until Cyber Monday. If the deal won’t wait, opt for in-store pickup to dodge the charge altogether.
3. Join the clubs. Most retailers have loyalty programs or welcome offers for new email subscribers, so be sure to opt in prior to shopping to take advantage of any rewards or perks. (For instance, a MyLowe’s membership includes free shipping, and it’s free to enroll.)
4. Do your homework. Use our forums to browse current offers on items of interest to make sure you’re getting the best price available.
5. Try a promo code. Always double-check a store’s Slickdeals coupon page to look for any additional ways to save. For example, you can usually stack a Sephora promo code with the retailer’s current promotion to snag a free deluxe sample or an exclusive holiday set.
6. Consider a trade-in. If you’re on the hunt for new devices or video games, it’s smart to look for trade-in opportunities at stores like Best Buy and Amazon. Your older model may very well earn you store credit at these retailers that you can then apply to the latest version.
7. Download the apps. More and more retailers are offering additional in-app savings—especially around this time of year. For instance, Target let customers schedule a curbside pickup last year when they purchased products via the app.
8. Use a store card. We don’t advocate opening up store credit cards like they’re going out of style, but this technique can help you save big at the stores you frequent most. The Target REDcard, for example, nets you an extra 5% off plus free shipping and longer return times.
9. Add a dot. Want to take advantage of a new customer promotion, but hate opening up a new Gmail account? Subscribe with your same email address, but insert a period somewhere before the @ sign. Most retailers will perceive it as a new account, but you’ll receive the promo code in the same-old inbox.
10. Set a Deal Alert. Shopping for something in particular? Create a Deal Alert to get notified if a relevant offer pops up on our forums.

How Long Do Black Friday Deals Last?

Several stores limit their Black Friday promos to just Thursday and Friday, but others extend their savings throughout the entire weekend.

JCPenney, for instance, maintained select discounts through Saturday last year and offered customers additional $10-off-$10 coupons after the main event. Sam’s Club and Costco also kept the savings going over the weekend while supplies lasted.

2019 Black Friday Deals FAQ