Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the weekend of savings in between are almost here, and we’ve already seen several early seasonal sales at some of the biggest retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart. The next wave of early savings stretches into the next few weeks, and by Nov. 20, many retailers will kick off their official Black Friday sales a week (or more) ahead of the historic sale day.
Also: The best early Black Friday deals: Costco and BJ’s memberships, Apple, and more
Walmart’s early Black Friday savings begin on Nov. 12 for Walmart+ members and are staggered in three events over the course of the month, and Target’s early Black Friday sale ran Nov. 5-7. Amazon also just unveiled that its Black Friday deals will formally begin on Nov. 19.
I’ve compiled everything I know about shopping sales. Consider this your all-inclusive guide to the 2026 holiday shopping season. Here’s everything you need to know to shop early Black Friday deals and other seasonal savings offers — including discounts on Costco and BJ’s memberships, the best deals at niche retailers like Home Depot and Sam’s Club, and more.
This year in the US, Black Friday is on Nov. 27, 2026, one day after Thanksgiving, which falls on Thursday, Nov. 26.
This year in the US, Cyber Monday falls on Nov. 30, 2026, just a few days after Thanksgiving and Black Friday 2026.
A more recent term that emerged in the last decade, “Cyber Week” refers to the days of savings in late November and/or early December that occur each year around Thanksgiving. During this period, many online and in-store retailers offer significant savings and discounts across nearly every product category. Cyber Week 2026 begins on Thanksgiving and extends through the end of Cyber Monday.
For 2026, Cyber Week will kick off on Nov. 26 and run through Nov. 30, though we’re already anticipating lots of sales that start even earlier and linger beyond Cyber Monday’s close.
The “Cyber 5” is essentially just another name for Cyber Week. These are the five days of seasonal savings that kick off with Thanksgiving on Nov. 26 this year and end with Cyber Monday on Nov. 30. This Thursday-to-Monday stretch each year falls on and after Thanksgiving and historically serves as the most popular time for holiday shopping.
This year, Black Friday falls on Nov. 27, 2026. That means Cyber Monday will fall on Nov. 30, 2026. Those dates, and the days in between, are when you can expect to see some major holiday sales and discounts, and as always, ZDNET will deliver extensive coverage of the top deals across the shopping extravaganza at multiple retailers.
Expect to see the largest number of deals live during this window, from Nov. 26 to Nov. 30. However, keep in mind that retailers roll out deals earlier and earlier every season, so there will still be numerous instances of savings throughout November. In fact, major retailers like Target started early sales as early as Nov. 5, and Walmart’s first wave of early deals begins Nov. 12.
Other stores, like Costco and BJ’s are also running early sales through the month.
Black Friday savings will likely stretch the entire month of November, starting as early sales events and rolling into week-of sales. Cyber Monday deals will likely wrap up shortly after Nov. 30 this year, though lingering deals are always a possibility. However, keep in mind that Cyber Week isn’t the only time to save, and even if some deals end, others will likely linger for a few days after the Black…
