Black Friday deals 2024: Early discounts, what to expect, and more (2024)

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Summer is finally winding down, and the weather is getting colder. For many, that means returning to school and holiday excitement, but for us here at Business Insider, that means preparing for Black Friday deals. The nationwide sales event is the biggest of the year, making it a can't-miss shopping bonanza for home essentials, quality gifts, new tech, and much more.

Black Friday falls on the Friday after Thanksgiving, which this year is November 29. Although it's still months away, it's wise to get ready early since retailers often kick off sales well before the day actually rolls around. In fact, some stores start celebrating once November begins.

Need to buy something now? I've rounded up some of the best early discounts you can find online below. You can also shop Amazon's second Prime Day of the year, which is coming in October, called Prime Big Deal Days.

12 best early Black Friday deals

When is Black Friday?

Black Friday 2024 officially lands on November 29, the Friday after Thanksgiving. We're expecting sales to kick off well before then, but likely the best discounts will wait until then to surface.

Is Black Friday or Cyber Monday better?

Historically, Black Friday was an event reserved for in-person shopping, while Cyber Monday was an occasion for online buyers. Over the years, however, that distinction has long been lost, and the two have become very similar. Rather, Black Friday seems to herald the beginning of the holiday's best deals, while Cyber Monday marks their final day.Both are great. I would say that it's best to buy a deal you find on Black Friday because if you wait until Cyber Monday, you may find it out of stock.

In terms of offerings, Black Friday tends to be more geared toward home goods, TVs, fashion, furniture, and appliances. If you can recall the items people would fill their carts with during the Black Fridays of yore, you've got a good idea of the day's most popularly discounted items. Think toasters, video games, big-screen TVs, vacuum cleaners, clothes, and mattresses.

Cyber Monday used to be geared toward tech, and nowadays, it still carries a little bit of that influence. While most of the Black Friday deals continue on, you can also find limited-time discounts on products like PC components, gaming consoles, cameras, and computer accessories.

What should you buy during Black Friday?

Black Friday is a great event to take advantage of for gift shopping and upgrading or restocking your home. If you've been waiting for a good deal to step up your entertainment center or kitchen counter, we see all-time lows every year on our top TVs, gaming consoles, smart speakers, air fryers, coffee makers, and the like. With Christmas on the horizon, it's also a good occasion to shop for great gift discounts on products like e-readers, gaming accessories, headphones, videogames, iPads, and much more.

Many great savings can be had on Black Friday, making it more of a question of "What shouldn't you buy?" You shouldn't be buying products from shady brands or sellers, no matter how cheap they are. That's why we highlight only deals on products we've tested or researched from sellers we trust, making it easier for you to shop with peace of mind during the rush of Black Friday.

Why is it called "Black Friday"?

The name "Black Friday" hails from a stock market crash in September of 1869 caused by two investors driving up the price of gold. That, combined with a 50% drop in harvest value for corn and wheat, resulted in an all-around dark day for the economy.

Almost a century later, the name returned in the 1950s as the term for the Friday between Thanksgiving and the annual Army-Navy college football game. Law enforcement would often refer to it as such because of the longer hours they'd have to work to police the influx of traffic and shoppers during that period.

Like all popular terms, businesses picked it up for marketing purposes, attempting to rework it into "Big Friday." But it never stuck and "Black Friday" took over as the most commonly used name by the 1980s. It's a fitting name since the holiday is such a massive retail event, often moving many businesses' finances from the red into the black.