Black Friday 2026 falls on Friday, November 27 — the day after Thanksgiving — but if you wait until that morning to start shopping, you will already be two weeks late. The biggest retailers have stretched Black Friday into a season: Walmart’s first deals go live on November 12, Target’s early sale runs November 5 to 7, and Best Buy’s doorbusters start November 19. The stores themselves still open early on the day — 5 or 6 a.m. at most big chains — but the real action now happens online, days before, often at midnight Eastern.

This guide pulls together what the major retailers have actually announced for 2026, as of early November: confirmed sale dates, Thanksgiving and Black Friday store hours, which chains are still holding back, and a practical plan for shopping online versus in store. No invented prices, no recycled last-year hours presented as this year’s — where a chain has not announced its plans yet, this guide says so. If you are planning the whole holiday weekend, pair this with our guides to the Thanksgiving parades, the best Christmas markets in the USA and Christmas tree lighting ceremonies — several of them fall on the same weekend.

Black Friday 2026 at a Glance

• Thanksgiving: Thursday, November 26, 2026. Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Kohl’s, JCPenney, Costco, Home Depot and Lowe’s all close their stores that day.
• Black Friday: Friday, November 27, 2026. Most big chains open at 5 or 6 a.m. local time.
• Small Business Saturday: Saturday, November 28, 2026 — the day for local shops and main streets.
• Cyber Monday: Monday, November 30, 2026, with Walmart’s Cyber Monday event running through December 2.
• First deals live: Lowe’s from October 29; Target’s early sale November 5–7; Best Buy’s early deals from November 6; Walmart’s first event November 12–15.
• Online first: Walmart’s main event starts online at 12:01 a.m. ET on November 23; in-store prices do not start until 6 a.m. on November 27.
• Not yet announced: Amazon’s Black Friday Week dates and Macy’s 2026 plans were still unannounced in early November.
• Hours vary by location: mall stores and individual locations can differ — check your store’s page the night before you go.

Why Black Friday 2026 Is Not One Day Anymore

The single-day doorbuster rush still exists — the 5 a.m. lines, the limited-quantity TVs, the giveaways — but it is now the middle of a three-week season, not the start of it. Retailers learned years ago that spreading the sales out keeps websites from crashing, keeps stores manageable, and keeps shoppers coming back for three weekends instead of one. In 2026 the pattern is clearer than ever: early events in the first half of November, a main event that starts online the Monday before Thanksgiving, the in-store day itself, then Cyber Monday and a final week of deals running into December.

That changes how you should plan. The best strategy is no longer “get there at 5 a.m.” — it is “know which event your item is in.” A television might be a Walmart November 12 event item, a toy might be a Target November 5 early-sale item, and a tool might be a Home Depot November 5–25 event item. The doorbusters that still reward an early store visit are the limited-quantity items — the ones a chain advertises with a specific in-store start time and a “while supplies last” note. Everything else is usually available online first, often days earlier, with delivery or pickup as the safer play.

The Black Friday 2026 Calendar, Week by Week

Week of October 26: Lowe’s opens its “Four Weeks of Black Friday Deals” on October 29, the earliest start among the major chains. Walmart announces its full holiday calendar on October 26 — three events, 14 sale days, up from 10 in 2025.

Week of November 2: Home Depot’s broader Black Friday sale runs November 4 to December 2, with its central Black Friday Savings Event in stores and online from November 5 to 25. Target’s Early Black Friday sale runs November 5 to 7, and its Deal of the Day promotion runs daily from November 1 to December 24, with the next day’s deal previewed a day ahead. Best Buy’s Early Black Friday Deals start November 6. Kohl’s Early Access runs November 6 to 8.

Week of November 9: Walmart’s Early Black Friday Deals run November 12 to 15 — online from 12:01 a.m. ET on November 12, in stores from 6 a.m. local time, with Walmart+ members getting the first 24 hours on select online-only hot Deal drops. Lowe’s “12 Days of Deals” begins November 16, and Costco’s pre-Thanksgiving savings run November 16 to 30. Best Buy’s Black Friday Doorbusters run November 19 to 28. JCPenney’s Black Friday Deals run November 20 to 29.

Thanksgiving week: Kohl’s Black Friday Week runs November 22 to 28. Walmart’s main Black Friday Deals event starts online at 12:01 a.m. ET on Monday, November 23, and runs through Sunday, November 29. Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26, is a closed day for the big chains — the sales keep running online. Black Friday itself, November 27, is when the in-store deals begin: 5 a.m. at Kohl’s and JCPenney, 6 a.m. at Walmart, Target and Home Depot.

The weekend after: Small Business Saturday is November 28. Costco’s Black Friday savings run November 27 to 30, and Kohl’s Cyber Deals run November 29 to 30. Cyber Monday is November 30 — Walmart’s Cyber Monday Deals run November 30 to December 2, online only — and Best Buy’s Cyber Week runs December 1 to 6.

Store by Store: What Each Retailer Has Confirmed for 2026

Walmart has the most detailed 2026 calendar of any chain. Three events: Early Black Friday Deals (November 12–15), Black Friday Deals (November 23–29) and Cyber Monday Deals (November 30–December 2). Every event starts on Walmart.com at 12:01 a.m. ET. The main event’s in-store deals start at 6 a.m. local time on Black Friday, November 27 — the first four days of that event, November 23 to 26, are online-only. Walmart+ members get the first 24 hours on select online-only hot Deal drops at the start of both Black Friday events, while supplies last. Stores are closed on Thanksgiving Day.

Target confirmed its plans in its holiday FAQ, updated November 5. Its Early Black Friday sale ran November 5 to 7, with advertised savings on apparel, toys, holiday decor and kitchen appliances, and new offers land most weekends through the season. The Deal of the Day promotion runs daily from November 1 to December 24. On Thanksgiving, November 26, all Target stores are closed. On Black Friday, November 27, stores open at 6 a.m. local time and close at their normal time, with extended holiday hours from November 29 to December 23 at some locations.

Best Buy is running Early Black Friday Deals from November 6, Black Friday Doorbusters from November 19 to 28, and Cyber Week from December 1 to 6. Its stores are closed on Thanksgiving Day. Best Buy is traditionally one of the strongest Black Friday destinations for TVs, laptops and appliances.

Kohl’s announced Early Access from November 6 to 8, Black Friday Week from November 22 to 28 — including $15 Kohl’s Cash for every $50 spent — and Cyber Deals from November 29 to 30. Stores are closed on Thanksgiving and open at 5 a.m. local time on Black Friday, one of the earliest openings of any major chain.

JCPenney is running Black Friday Deals from November 20 to 29 and opens at 5 a.m. local time on Black Friday, with in-store giveaways scheduled at 5 a.m., 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. on November 27. Like Kohl’s, it is an early-opener — and the giveaway times are worth knowing if you are going for the doorbuster atmosphere.

Costco is running its holiday savings in waves: pre-Thanksgiving savings valid November 16 to 30, and Black Friday savings valid November 27 to 30. Its warehouses are closed on Thanksgiving Day.

Home Depot is running its broader Black Friday sale from November 4 to December 2, with the central Black Friday Savings Event in stores and online from November 5 to 25. Stores are closed on Thanksgiving and scheduled to open at 6 a.m. local time on Black Friday.

Lowe’s started earliest of all: its “Four Weeks of Black Friday Deals” began October 29, followed by “12 Days of Deals” from November 16, with early online access for MyLowe’s Rewards members. Its stores are closed on Thanksgiving Day.

Amazon has early deals live now in its Holiday Shop and confirms Black Friday on November 27 and Cyber Monday on November 30, but had not announced its Black Friday Week start date in early November. As an online-only retailer it has no store hours to plan around — the thing to watch is when its Black Friday Week page goes live.

Macy’s had not announced its 2026 Black Friday plans in early November. Its flagship Herald Square store in New York is the finish line of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 26, so the store is the centre of the holiday weekend even before its sale is announced — check the Macy’s site the week of the parade.

Thanksgiving & Black Friday Store Hours 2026

• Walmart: Closed Thanksgiving, Nov 26. Opens 6 a.m. local time on Black Friday, Nov 27. Confirmed for 2026.
• Target: Closed Thanksgiving, Nov 26. Opens 6 a.m. local time on Black Friday, Nov 27, closes at normal time. Confirmed for 2026.
• Kohl’s: Closed Thanksgiving, Nov 26. Opens 5 a.m. local time on Black Friday, Nov 27. Confirmed for 2026.
• JCPenney: Closed Thanksgiving, Nov 26. Opens 5 a.m. local time on Black Friday, Nov 27. Confirmed for 2026.
• Best Buy: Closed Thanksgiving, Nov 26. Black Friday hours not yet posted on its own site in early November — check before you go.
• Costco: Closed Thanksgiving, Nov 26. Black Friday savings Nov 27–30; warehouse hours vary by location.
• Home Depot: Closed Thanksgiving, Nov 26. Opens 6 a.m. local time on Black Friday, Nov 27.
• Lowe’s: Closed Thanksgiving, Nov 26. Black Friday hours not yet posted on its own site in early November.
• Amazon: Online only — no store hours. Black Friday Week dates not yet announced.
• Macy’s: 2026 hours not yet announced.

One caution on hours: several of the times above come from each company’s own announcement, but a few are reported by third-party roundups rather than confirmed on the retailer’s own site. Treat those as reported, not confirmed, and check your local store’s page the night before — mall locations in particular often keep different hours from standalone stores.

Online vs In Store: How to Actually Shop Black Friday 2026

Shop online first, and treat the store trip as a second step. Most of the 2026 events start online at 12:01 a.m. ET — Walmart’s main event is online for four full days before stores join in — and the same prices are usually available for pickup, which skips the shipping wait and the delivery risk. Order online the night an event opens, choose store pickup where it is offered, and only go to the store for the items that are genuinely in-store-only or limited-quantity doorbusters.

What to Buy on Black Friday — and What to Skip

Black Friday is genuinely the best time of year for some categories and a poor time for others. The strongest buys are the ones retailers use as doorbusters: TVs and big-screen displays, laptops and tablets, small kitchen appliances, toys and games, tools and holiday decor. Target’s early sale advertised up to half off kitchen appliances and 40% off toys; Kohl’s is built around its Kohl’s Cash; Costco’s waves are aimed at big-ticket items.

What to skip, or at least not to rush: winter clothing and outerwear, which usually gets deeper discounts in January; mattresses and furniture, which run their own sales cycles; and anything you have not price-checked. The most useful habit of the season is a simple one — check the price of your item today, before the sales start, and write it down. A “50% off” tag means nothing without the starting price.

The Rest of the Weekend: Small Business Saturday & the Events Around It

Black Friday is only the first day of a four-day shopping weekend, and the rest of it is worth planning too. Small Business Saturday, November 28, is the day for local shops, bookstores, toy shops and main streets — the places where the money stays in the neighbourhood and where the best finds are the ones no chain stocks. It is also the calmest shopping day of the weekend, and the most pleasant.

The same weekend is one of the biggest event weekends of the Christmas season. The Christmas markets are in full swing in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and Denver; the tree lightings are happening in city after city; and the best Christmas events in the USA are opening their gates. If you are in New York for the parade on Thanksgiving Day, the weekend after is the time for the Rockefeller tree, the Bryant Park Winter Village and the Dyker Heights lights — our Christmas in New York guide covers the whole weekend. And if the shopping leaves you with a gift list still to fill, our Christmas gift ideas guide is built around ideas rather than prices, so it stays useful whatever the sales do.

The Honest Notes: Doorbusters, Price Tricks & Returns

Three honest notes will save you money. First, doorbusters sell out — that is the point of them. A limited-quantity TV at a 6 a.m. in-store start is gone by 6:15, and the online version can sell out in minutes too. If an item matters, be there when its event opens online at 12:01 a.m. ET, not the morning after. Second, not every “deal” is one: compare the sale price with the price the same item sold for in October, not with the crossed-out “was” price on the tag. Third, returns: holiday return windows are longer than usual at most chains, but they start from the purchase date, and the fine print differs for electronics and opened items — keep the receipt and the box until January.

Two more small warnings. Shipping cutoffs had not been announced by Walmart or several other chains in early November, so if you are ordering gifts for delivery, check the cutoff the week you order rather than assuming a date from last year. And the deals change: retailers add new offers most weekends through the season, and Target’s Deal of the Day runs daily until December 24, so a price that disappoints you on November 27 may be better on a random Tuesday in December.

Black Friday 2026 — FAQs

When is Black Friday 2026?
Friday, November 27, 2026 — the day after Thanksgiving (Thursday, November 26). But the sales start much earlier: Walmart’s first event runs November 12–15, Target’s early sale runs November 5–7, and Best Buy’s early deals start November 6. Cyber Monday is Monday, November 30, 2026.

Are stores open on Thanksgiving Day 2026?
No — the major chains are closed on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 2026. Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Kohl’s, JCPenney, Costco, Home Depot and Lowe’s have all confirmed Thanksgiving closures. Online sales keep running, and Walmart’s main Black Friday event is online-only from November 23 to 26.

What time do stores open on Black Friday 2026?
Kohl’s and JCPenney open at 5 a.m. local time. Walmart, Target and Home Depot open at 6 a.m. local time. Best Buy, Lowe’s and Macy’s had not posted their 2026 Black Friday hours on their own sites in early November — check your local store’s page the night before, because mall locations can differ.

When do Black Friday deals start online?
Most events start at 12:01 a.m. ET on their first day. Walmart’s main Black Friday Deals event starts online at 12:01 a.m. ET on Monday, November 23, and runs through November 29; its Cyber Monday event starts at 12:01 a.m. ET on November 30. Walmart+ members get the first 24 hours on select online-only hot Deal drops in both Black Friday events.

Is Cyber Monday better than Black Friday?
It depends on what you are buying. Black Friday is stronger for in-store doorbusters, TVs and big-ticket items you want to see before you buy. Cyber Monday — November 30 in 2026, with Walmart’s event running through December 2 and Best Buy’s Cyber Week through December 6 — is stronger for online-only deals, tech and anything you want delivered. The honest answer is to watch both: many items are discounted in both events, and the best price of the season often lands in the second one.