Black Friday is a major event for overseas shopping, but many newcomers don't know exactly when Black Friday falls. Keep in mind that the Black Friday shopping holiday always occurs on the day after Thanksgiving, meaning Black Friday in 2023 is Friday, November 24th, the fourth Friday of November.
Based on previous years, most "official" Black Friday sales start on Thanksgiving (or even before) and extend through the entire Black Friday weekend and Cyber Monday. Pre-Black Friday deals begin appearing in October and continue into early November. Given the prevalence of early promotions in recent years, we expect many retailers to offer Black Friday sales spanning several weeks or even months in 2023.
2023 Black Friday Predictions
Given that Black Friday is still months away, things could change between now and the start of the holiday shopping season. However, based on what we saw during Black Friday 2022 and what has been announced so far, we've made some predictions for what to expect in 2023.
1. Promotional events will continue to start early in the season
The "Black Friday creep" we've witnessed over the past few years isn't going away. In 2022, we saw many major retailers host multiple pre-Black Friday sales starting as early as October, and we expect this trend to remain strong.
While some hot-ticket and popular items may only last minutes on Black Friday itself, there will be plenty of online deals throughout the entire long weekend and even the whole month of November.
2. More mobile app and in-app shopping
Retailers have been working to improve their online mobile shopping experience, and it's paying off. According to data from Adobe Analytics Insights, last year's Thanksgiving and Cyber Week set new mobile records. During Thanksgiving, 55% of sales came from smartphones (up from 51% in 2021), and during Cyber Week, 51% of sales came from smartphones (up from 46% in 2021).
3. Retail membership programs take center stage
Black Friday shopping benefits for retailer members grew as a trend in 2021 and continued in 2022, and we expect to see even more of this in 2023.
In 2022, Amazon held a pre-Black Friday Prime Day event in October, offering exclusive deals to Prime members. Meanwhile, Walmart also offered early deals to Walmart Plus members again. We know that Amazon will hold another Prime-style event in October. We don't have specific dates yet, nor do we know if other retailers like Walmart will follow a similar schedule.
We also got a glimpse in July of what might be coming in November. During the July 2023 Black Friday sales event, we expect multiple retailers to offer savings benefits and early access to their members. Amazon's Prime Day deals were exclusive to Prime members, Walmart offered early access for Walmart+ members, Best Buy had select deals exclusively for Best Buy Totaltech members, Nordstrom offered early access for Nordy Club members, and Target's deals were only available to Target Circle members (though membership is free to sign up).
4. "Buy Now, Pay Later" options will become more popular
We saw "Buy Now, Pay Later" plans gain popularity during Black Friday 2022, and that was indeed the case. According to data from Adobe Analytics Insights, "Buy Now, Pay Later" orders increased by 85% and revenue increased by 88% compared to the previous week. We expect this trend to continue throughout 2023 and into the 2023 Black Friday shopping season.
The 2023 Black Friday season remains to be seen. Xiao O will continue to share all the latest news and insights about Black Friday 2023 to ensure you get the best prices.
Past Black Friday Dates
Black Friday 2016 was Friday, November 25, 2016.
Black Friday 2017 was Friday, November 24, 2017.
Black Friday 2018 was Friday, November 23, 2018.
Black Friday 2019 was Friday, November 29, 2019.
Black Friday 2020 was Friday, November 27, 2020.
Black Friday 2021 was Friday, November 26, 2021.
Black Friday 2022 was Friday, November 25, 2022.
Future Black Friday Dates
Black Friday 2024 is Friday, November 29, 2024.
Black Friday 2025 is Friday, November 28, 2025.
Black Friday 2026 is Friday, November 27, 2026.
Black Friday 2027 is Friday, November 26, 2027.
Black Friday FAQ
Still have more questions about the Black Friday date? We've broken down the answers to common Black Friday questions below.
Is Black Friday the same day every year?
Yes. Black Friday always falls on the same day of the year. Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving (which is typically the fourth Thursday of November).
How many times a year is Black Friday?
Black Friday only occurs once a year. However, there are different sales throughout the year that use the term "Black Friday" in their marketing slogans. For example, July Black Friday sales.
When is Black Friday 2023?
This year, Black Friday is Friday, November 24th. However, Black Friday sales could start as early as October, with "official" promotions potentially beginning around Thanksgiving and the start of Black Friday week.
Is Black Friday the best time to shop?
Black Friday offers the best discounts of the year across nearly all product categories, from tech gadgets and toys to clothing and home essentials. The only items typically excluded from Black Friday sales are seasonal products, like summer clothing and backyard gear, as retailers don't stock these items during this period.
Are most stores open on Black Friday?
Yes, all physical retailers also open their doors to shoppers on Black Friday. Some stores follow their usual Friday schedule, while others open at dawn to allow eager shoppers to get an early start.
Thanksgiving is a different story. In recent years, it has become less common for retailers to be open on Thanksgiving than closed. Target is definitely closed on Thanksgiving, as the retailer announced in 2021 it would be closed every Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, Walmart CEO John Furner stated in 2022 that keeping stores open on Thanksgiving is "a thing of the past."