Black Friday is no longer just an ordinary day for international shoppers; it's a day of celebration. On this day, all overseas merchants and websites hold massive promotional events. Compared to the modest price drops of Double Eleven from many domestic merchants, Black Friday truly focuses on real discounts. However, there are few overseas aggregation platforms, which can leave shoppers feeling overwhelmed.
Especially since promotional events start earlier each year, and Cyber Monday itself also offers huge deals, making a shopping plan is more meaningful than ever.
Narrowing down your list of overseas shopping sites should be one of the first steps when making a plan. Below, we recommend 6 must-visit websites for Black Friday 2023.
6 Must-Visit Overseas Shopping Sites for Black Friday
Best for: Prime members who have the time and energy to track Amazon Lightning Deals.
Amazon always ranks at or near the top of the list for the best Black Friday deals. Last year, we listed a wide variety of deals from Amazon between November 1st and December 4th. About 14% of them were worth recommending, meaning they ranked among the "best deals" of Black Friday.
This percentage isn't high, but it's a treasure trove among retailers; after all, you have to dig through these offers on Black Friday to find the best ones. Many of these deals appear daily, but their frequency increases during the Black Friday period. These deals are absolutely real, and new ones appear every five minutes. You can track these deals on the Amazon website or through their app, but be prepared to buy immediately once they go live. Otherwise, you might miss out entirely.
Hottest Deals: Amazon is quite competitive on pricing for large items, but it's hard to beat on its own devices. For example, Fire tablets could see discounts of up to 50% this year, while select Fire TV Sticks might be priced as low as $18. As for Echo devices, you can find previous generations bundled with smart lights or plugs for around $20, while the latest Echo speaker might drop to $50 on Black Friday. If you're interested in other devices, keep an eye out; the rest of the Amazon Alexa electronics line could see discounts of up to 50%. You might even find some Alexa devices discounted by up to 70%!
Best for: Shoppers looking to buy an Apple iPhone or TV. Ideal for those hunting for the best electronics deals on Black Friday.
Best Buy is a major destination for consumers – and for good reason. This retailer is known for offering substantial discounts on TVs and the latest electronics, especially Apple products – because Apple generally doesn't offer many discounts.
Hottest Deals: In mid-November last year, Best Buy slashed prices on select Apple products by up to $1,000. The retailer showcased the latest iPhones, MacBooks, and Apple Watches during the event. Earlier, the retailer offered discounts of up to $900 on the then-new iPhone, up to $500 on MacBook Pro computers, and up to $150 on select iPad Pro models.
As for TVs, Best Buy had 39-inch televisions priced as low as $140. But even large TVs from big brands like LG (e.g., 77-inch models) enjoyed similarly impressive discounts.
Best for: People interested in refurbished or open-box electronics.
Given that you can find almost any item on eBay, it's no surprise it's one of the best stores for online Black Friday deals. Besides having a huge selection of specific brand discounts, it's also a great place to buy certified refurbished or open-box items. For example, last year, over 20% of the eBay deals we listed between November 1st and December 4th were considered certified refurbished products, while about 4% were open-box items.
During the eBay Black Friday sale, outlet store deals are also worth watching. For instance, last year we saw discounts on brands like Dyson, ASICS, Herman Miller, Milwaukee Tool, and adidas. We also saw offers for certified refurbished Acer and Bosch direct-from-manufacturer items.
Hottest Deals: One of the main deals to watch for is coupons you can use across the site. Last year, eBay offered 20% off with a code, along with free shipping. Even better, the retailer didn't require a minimum purchase to use the code. You can also look for general discount offers, like last year's eBay Brand Outlet deal, which offered up to 80% off clothing, computers, tools, and watches, including brands like Louis Vuitton, Rolex, Cartier, Lenovo, and Bissell.
Best for: Regular Kohl's customers.
When you think of online Black Friday shopping, Kohl's might not come to mind, but this retailer has been expanding its digital presence over the past few years. For example, last year we listed nearly 200 deals from Kohl's, of which about 34% were deemed staff picks.
What makes Kohl's deals so impressive is that many of them come with Kohl's Cash. For instance, you can get $10 in Kohl's Cash for every $50 you spend, which you can then redeem using coupons on specific dates. Therefore, these deals are best suited for regular Kohl's shoppers, as they are most likely to use the Kohl's Cash offers and get the full value of the Black Friday deals.
Hottest Deals: Kohl's is a great store for buying home goods, as well as clothing and shoes. One standout deal last year included three Toastmaster appliances for a total of $6, which shoppers could get after using a coupon code and redeeming a mail-in rebate. We also saw home decor items like holiday doormats for $4, hoodies for $8, and boots for $17. Other home goods specials included a 20-piece food storage set for $15, a 12-piece bath towel set for $18, and a 10-piece ceramic cookware set for $51.
Best for: Shoppers looking for discounts on small appliances and home goods.
Macy's used to have a strong physical store presence, but in recent years, the company has closed several locations. Even so, this store is still worth shopping online for Black Friday. Between November 1st and December 4th last year, we listed about 275 deals from Macy's, of which about 25% received our staff pick.
Hottest Deals: This store is famous for its excellent doorbuster deals, especially those involving small kitchen appliances. Despite concerns about inflation and rising prices, such deals are almost certain to return this year. Last year, small appliances from brands like Hamilton Beach and Bella were promoted at prices ranging from $8 to $10 each.
Macy's is also a great place to shop if you need affordable but well-made suits. Last year, we saw discounts of 50% to 80%, including deals on designer brands like Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, and DKNY. This retailer is also a good place to buy home goods. Notable deals from last year that might return in 2023 include pillows starting at $5, reversible sherpa blankets for $10, and 8-piece comforter sets for $30.
Best for: Anyone who walks into a store for one thing and leaves with a cart full of items.
Target's appeal is undeniable – just search "Target memes" on Google and see all the images that pop up. The retailer has a wide variety of categories, and reasonable prices make it easier to add impulse buys to your cart. During Black Friday 2022, Target offered a huge number of tempting deals, with about 28% earning our staff pick badge. Adding to Target's appeal are its free loyalty program and store credit/debit card, which offer great benefits for regular shoppers.
Hottest Deals: Expect Black Friday specials including DC figures for $4, Disney dolls for $5, and general toy discounts of up to 50%. The retailer may also run "buy two get the third free" promotions on Nerf toys, as well as other games, activities, books, and movies.
Category discounts should also be significant. Expect up to 40% off bedding and bath items, up to 30% off holiday apparel, up to 40% off Christmas trees, and up to 10% off Target gift cards.