Black Friday 2018: What You Need to Know

Black Friday is up on us; this year it's set for Nov. 23. Every year, online retailers expand the scope of the discounts, and this shopping season is no different.

Companies large and small have taken to using this unofficial start of the shopping season to offer a staggering amount of year-end sales. If you want to get the most out of every dollar you spend on gifts, this commercial holiday is the very best time of the year to do your online shopping.

This story will serve as our Black Friday hub, and will be updated as deals are announced, so check back for more. But here's what you need to know now.

Why Is it Called Black Friday?

To most, the term itself signifies the day that retailers turn a profit and go from being "in the red" to "in the black." But if you ask the internet, there are various explanations for how the day after Thanksgiving became known as Black Friday.

One such story—that it was a day for slave owners to sell their slaves—is untrue. In fact, as History.com outlines, its origins date back to the 1950s, when Philadelphia law enforcement faced headaches due to an influx of suburbanites headed into the city to shop and take in the Army-Navy football game that weekend. The term really caught on around 1961 with cops who dreaded being on duty that time of year.

The more modern incarnation—a day where retailers actively encourage shoppers to storm the mall, big box stores, and their favorite internet stores—cropped up in the 1980s when the industry wanted to give the day a more positive spin.

While Black Friday sales originated in the world of brick and mortar, most holiday shopping is now accomplished online. Instead of lining up at Toys 'R' Us (RIP) or Kmart in the shivering cold, many of us now kick back on the couch and order gifts from our phones, on the hunt for deals. According to the National Retail Federation, 64 million shopped both online and in stores in 2017, while over 58 million shopped only online, and over 51 million shopped only in stores. You can cover more ground digitally, and that's exactly what we recommend.

When Does Black Friday Begin?

These days, Black Friday has become Black November. Retailers often start the deals early, especially Amazon, which has been known to discount some of its own devices ahead of Black Friday. So keep an eye out as we approach Nov. 23.

In recent years, meanwhile, "Black Friday deals" have started on Thanksgiving Day, and not just online. Many brick-and-mortar stores open around 6 p.m. local time on Thursday, close up shop a few hours later and open up again early Friday morning. Online deals, of course, are available around the clock, but if you want to check out deals in person, BestBlackFriday.com has a list of stores that won't force its employees to finish dinner early and will remain closed on Thanksgiving Day.

Deal Predictions

If your credit card is ready to go, the biggest draws will be the early morning doorbusters and rotating Lightning Deals. Especially for Amazon, but don't forget about Target, Walmart, Best Buy, Newegg, eBay, Fry's, and other electronics retailers, all of which will be eager to take your cash.

Okay, so which gadgets will get a discount? Smart speakers have only grown in popularity this year, and with several on the market now, you can likely snag a good deal. Amazon has quite the Echo lineup, and you can likely count on deals for the Echo and Echo Dot, Echo Spot, and perhaps the newer Echo Show. If you're more of a Google fan, it's safe to say you can probably find a discounted Google Home or Home Mini this Black Friday.

Laptops are a staple of Black Friday sales; Chromebooks will likely get nice discounts as well.

As for other great deals, PS4 Pro, Xbox One X, and Nintendo Switch bundles seem like a safe bet for discounts, and controllers are often primed for a sale this time of year. VR headsets might get an extra boost on Black Friday, too.

Of course, TVs will be a massive draw; BlackFriday.com expects that a 70-inch 4K TV could go for under $800, but smaller, more manageable sets in the 40-inch range, could be as cheap as $150.

Top smartphones don't typically get actual discounts on Black Friday. More common are 2-for-1 offers or big box stores offering gift cards alongside purchases of popular devices like new iPhones and Samsung Galaxy phones. The same goes for most Apple products, unless we're talking older products. Last year, Apple offered $25 to $150 in gift cards for Black Friday Apple.com purchases.

Black Friday Prep

First thing's first, you should have accounts and saved payment info with all your favorite sites. Some doorbuster deals have very limited stock, so anything that can save you time during checkout is a priority. And if you already have an account, go through and ensure that your payment information is up to date. If your card expired, that could really crimp your shopping experience.

Do you have an Alexa-enabled device like an Amazon Echo? Take a moment to configure it to allow for voice purchases. In the past, Amazon has had a number of exclusive deals through its Alexa service, so it's worth keeping that option open if something you really want pops up.

If your favorite online retailers have loyalty programs or paid memberships, those can offer you access to some of the very best deals when Black Friday rolls around. For example, Amazon Prime offers 30-minute head-starts on Lightning Deals to Prime members, and you can even try it out for free. And if you plan on buying any games this year, it's well worth investing in the rewards programs from Best Buy, Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft.

Editor's Note: BlackFriday.com, BestBlackFriday.com, Offers.com, and TechBargains.com are owned by PCMag's parent company, Ziff Davis.

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