Black Friday Expert Predictions: Insider Tips and Tricks

Should you wait until November to start your holiday shopping? Absolutely not. Find out why and learn what our shopping experts expect from Black Friday this year.

Black Friday has changed dramatically over the past several years. Gone are the days of doorbusters and standing in line after having Thanksgiving dinner with your family. In fact, Black Friday is not just a single Friday in November anymore. It’s become a months-long holiday shopping season that begins as early as September.

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So, does Black Friday even exist anymore? It does—and likely always will for retailers—but it is changing. We still predict that you’ll see the best discounts stores can offer, but with inflation and supply chain issues we don’t expect to see the same price lows we’ve seen in the past. Here’s what to expect this Black Friday shopping season.

Insider Tips for Black Friday 2022

Black Friday Shopping Predictions

This year we predict that sales will start earlier than ever. While Black Friday hype used to focus on doorbusters and waiting in line for an all-time low price, now it’s all about getting to you first. With many retailers facing overstock issues and vying to get your attention, we will see some early and competitive sales. Target has had Black Friday deals and pricing on their site since October 11 and will likely offer deals through Christmas. Our experts are researching all of the sales to make sure they are quality deals worth your time and money.

In 2021, we advised you to shop early to avoid shipping delays. This year, we think it will be smart to shop early to ensure you get the deals you want for the holidays. Don’t hesitate on a deal thinking you’ll see a deeper price drop later in the year because it likely won’t happen. Your best bet is to jump on a gift or purchase you need as soon as you find it on sale.

Black Friday Deal Predictions

Our in-house experts have some pretty insightful predictions for Black Friday tech deals this year.

Smart TVs: We’ll see some great discounts on the mid-range and lower-tier sets. Since demand has been down all year, OLED and QLEDs may see some decent—though likely not significant—discounts as well. The chip shortage is easing, but shipping ports are still reporting delays. Due to scarcity-driven demand, we may not see many good deals on large products that relied heavily on chips, like appliances.

Video Game Consoles: Not many discounts to be found on video game consoles again. Black Friday deals veer more into the bundle territory and retailers will offer holiday bundles with the PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox.

Smartwatches: There will be some big discounts on smartwatches. Black Friday will be at the tail end of some launches from big-name brands. Garmin recently issued a rare update to their slate of watches so expect Apple, Samsung, and Fitbit to respond accordingly. This could result in smartwatch deals from brands vying for your attention.

Smartphones: Lastly, the demand for smartphones has decreased by 12% this year, which could mean some best-of-year pricing on a new smartphone this holiday season.

Shoes & Apparel: Retailers are still seeing overstocks of apparel and shoes from pre-pandemic consumer demand. We should see some great discounts from retailers hoping to clear shelves and start fresh in 2023.

Vacuums: Probably not as many deals on vacuums as we have in years past. Dyson was always a front runner, but we expect demand to be low for items customers already own and expensive Dyson vacuums fall into that category. However, if you are looking for a robot vacuum, Amazon recently acquired Roomba so expect to see some deals during Prime Day or Black Friday.

Bedding & Towels: Inflation has definitely impacted pricing on bedding and towels, but there will be some strong discounts on those items for Black Friday. In fact, Casey expects we’ll witness some of the lowest prices of the year, especially on the lower-priced towels and comforter sets we see each year during Black Friday sales.

Black Friday Ads

Each year we patiently await the arrival of the Black Friday ads. But now, with everything online and the lack of doorbusters, will we still see these ads? Yes and no. Instead of seeing huge ads released just a few weeks before Thanksgiving, we expect to see a more multi-phased approach to sales or Black Friday deals added to weekly ads.

For the past couple of years, both Walmart and Target both had phased Black Friday sales, with new deals announced each week. From what we've seen so far this year, we expect the same this year. So while we still expect the releases of Black Friday ads from major retailers, the experience will likely be different than in years past. We'll still be uploading them and analyzing the deals, letting you know which deals are worth it and which deals are a bust. We think you can expect ever-changing articles with new deals added and sold-out deals removed.

Black Friday Value

You may have seen some of our deals with a Black Friday Value flag on them and wonder, "What does that mean?" A Black Friday Value means that the deal is at a price we predict to see in Black Friday sales and it's worth buying now. With 20 years of Back Friday experience, we’re able to compare deals with the lowest prices historically so we know if the deal is at a price worth grabbing. Plus, with Black Friday sales expected to be spread out across several months this year, we’re excited to help you save even earlier by highlighting the deals you should snag now.

Start Your Black Friday Shopping Now

Our shopping experts scour the internet daily for the best deals anywhere. Instead of banking on a single day or waiting for upcoming holiday sales, start your shopping now. We’ll be reporting on all early sales and posting the best deals to help you navigate holiday shopping challenges and trends. Our team is closely monitoring sales every day and knows historic Black Friday values to help you find the best prices all year and avoid that last-minute rush.

To start your holiday shopping off on the right foot, be sure to download our free app and browse deals from anywhere. Setting up a deal alert can also help you snag a discount on an item for the holidays as soon as it goes on sale.