Differences and Which Is Best

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• The two biggest shopping days of the year are here but which is better: Black Friday or Cyber Monday?
• Differences between Black Friday and Cyber Monday are pretty minor and most retailers offer the same sales.
• Overall, Cyber Monday is a better day to shop for tech deals and smaller gifts, especially online.

For decades, Black Friday was the ultimate day for bargain shopping. But in the past few years, Cyber Monday has come to replace it as the biggest annual shopping event in the US.

So is Black Friday or Cyber Monday better? The short answer is that Cyber Monday has better deals overall — but it’s close.

Check out more Black Friday coverage

Is Cyber Monday better than Black Friday?

Historically, yes. However, we expect the difference between the two holidays to be negligible this year, especially with many retailers encouraging customers to shop early and online due to lingering pandemic related supply chain issues.

As time goes on, the line between Black Friday and Cyber Monday is blurring even more, and many retailers are offering the same deals throughout the whole weekend. For items you’re likely to buy once a year or less often, you’ll probably find better discounts on Black Friday. Anything you’d buy as a gift is likely to have better discounts on Cyber Monday.

That said, overall savings aren’t the only thing to consider. Different products receive better discounts on each day, and the deals that each retailer offers will vary.

“Black Friday equals big-ticket items,” said Steve Koenig, the vice president of research at the Consumer Technology Association. “With big deals on TVs, laptops, game consoles, and more during Black Friday week, many [people’s] purchases end up being for themselves or their own households.”

This year, we saw a lot of deals crop up weeks before Black Friday. Retailers are encouraging shoppers to shop early and online — a stark departure from previous years. Black Friday used to be characterized by long lines, crowded stores, and the mad rush for bargains, but that, of course, is impossible during the pandemic.

That said, shoppers can look forward to shopping for the very best deals without ever leaving their house, regardless of whether they choose to shop on Black Friday, on Cyber Monday, or right now.

When to shop Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday

• Shop Black Friday for major stores. “For Black Friday, look to the biggest retailers, the ones who can afford to have smaller margins,” said Janet Alvarez, the executive editor of the personal-finance publication Wise Bread. “Places like Walmart and Best Buy tend to offer the best deals on Black Friday.” The exception is Amazon, which tends to have better deals on Cyber Monday, as long as you’re a Prime member.
• Shop Cyber Monday for secondhand buys. If you’re willing to buy products from resellers, Cyber Monday is a great time to shop on eBay. “You’ll find a lot of people reselling items they just purchased on Black Friday,” Alvarez said.
• Shop Cyber Monday for older products. “Latest-generation products tend to be cheaper on Black Friday than on Cyber Monday,” Alvarez said. “Cyber Monday is a terrific time for smart-home [devices], TVs, and consoles that are older.”

No matter when or where you shop, use a credit card with purchase protection

Especially if you’re buying something expensive like a laptop or TV, it’s best to use a credit card that offers purchase protection. If you pay with a card that offers this benefit and a covered item is stolen or damaged, you can receive reimbursement — much better than being out hundreds of dollars if something goes wrong.

Some of the top rewards credit cards offer this benefit. Coverage varies from card to card and is generally valid for up to 120 days after you purchase an item. Be sure to read the terms and conditions ahead of time so you’re familiar with any exclusions and caps on reimbursement.