Black Friday 2026 is on Friday, 27 November, the day after Thanksgiving on Thursday, 26 November, and Cyber Monday is Monday, 30 November. The sales do not wait for those dates, though: Walmart’s Early Black Friday event starts on 12 November, more than two weeks ahead.
Below is a single timeline of the days that matter, built from Walmart’s announced 2026 schedule, the dates set by the calendar and last year’s Amazon pattern. If you are new to the day itself, start with our explainer on what Black Friday is, and for a retailer that publishes its sale pattern, see what Target usually discounts and when.
The 2026 Sales Calendar at a Glance
| Date | Event | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 11 November | Singles Day, a shopping day dated 11/11 | Fixed by name |
| 12 to 15 November | Walmart Early Black Friday | Announced by Walmart |
| 23 to 29 November | Walmart Black Friday Deals | Announced by Walmart |
| 26 November | US Thanksgiving; online deals already live | Calendar date |
| 27 November | Black Friday; Walmart stores start at 6 a.m. local time | Walmart announced for its stores |
| 28 November | Small Business Saturday, the day after Black Friday | Calendar date |
| 30 November to 2 December | Walmart Cyber Monday, online only; Cyber Monday is 30 November | Announced by Walmart |
| Not announced | Amazon Black Friday event 2026 | No official dates found on 30 October |
Walmart’s dates come from a Cord Cutters News report dated 28 October 2026; confirm them on Walmart’s own site before planning around them. We did not find an official 2026 Amazon announcement, so any Amazon dates you see are guesses until Amazon confirms them.
When Does Early Black Friday Start in 2026?
Walmart’s first event starts online at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on 12 November, with stores opening their deals at 6 a.m. local time. Select online deals are limited to Walmart+ members at the start, and remaining items open to everyone at 12:01 a.m. ET on 13 November. That makes 12 to 15 November the first real test of whether a price is low enough for your list.
Use the early window to compare, not to rush. Put your items into the price history routine from our price history tracker guide, and see whether the early price is the same as the one you saw in October.
What Happens During Thanksgiving Week?
Online deals build quickly. Walmart’s Black Friday Deals start online at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on 23 November, with Walmart+ members getting select deals first and everyone else the following day. Stores start on 27 November at 6 a.m. local time. If you are hosting dinner, plan your shopping around the cooking schedule in our Thanksgiving dinner menu planner.
Adobe measured 6.4 billion dollars of online spending on Thanksgiving Day in 2025, up 5.3 percent, and 11.8 billion dollars on Black Friday, up 9.1 percent. Many retailers now treat Thursday as part of the event.
When Is Cyber Monday 2026, and Is It Still Worth Waiting For?
Cyber Monday is 30 November. Adobe reported 14.25 billion dollars of online spending on Cyber Monday 2025, up 7.1 percent, with peak discounts of 31 percent on electronics, 28 percent on toys and 25 percent on apparel. Mobile made up 57.5 percent of the day’s sales, and shoppers spent 16 million dollars a minute between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Whether to wait depends on what you buy. Our comparison of Black Friday vs Cyber Monday breaks down which categories have usually been better on which day.
Does Amazon Follow the Same Dates?
Not always. In 2025, Amazon’s Black Friday event ran from 20 November to 1 December, starting at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time on the 20th and ending with Cyber Monday, according to a PhoneArena report on the announcement. Amazon had not published 2026 dates when we checked on 30 October. Our post on what to expect from Amazon Black Friday deals in 2026 will track what is known, and the head-to-head in Walmart vs Amazon Black Friday deals compares the two.
How Should You Use This Timeline?
| Phase | Best use |
|---|---|
| Before 12 November | Write your list and ceilings; set price alerts |
| 12 to 15 November | Test early prices against your history checks |
| 16 to 22 November | Compare retailers; confirm shipping and returns |
| 23 to 27 November | Buy items that meet ceilings; keep order confirmations |
| 28 to 30 November | Fill gaps with Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday |
| After 30 November | Stop; use leftover budget for December needs |
If you want the full beginner routine, follow our Black Friday shopping guide for beginners.
What Do the Start Times Mean in Your Time Zone?
Walmart’s online events start at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time and Amazon’s 2025 event started at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time. US clocks go back on 1 November 2026, so both cities are on standard time during the sales. These conversions are our calculation.
| Start | Eastern | Pacific | UK (GMT) | India (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12:01 a.m. Eastern | 12:01 a.m. | 9:01 p.m. the evening before | 5:01 a.m. | 10:31 a.m. |
| 12:01 a.m. Pacific | 3:01 a.m. | 12:01 a.m. | 8:01 a.m. | 1:31 p.m. |
If you shop from outside the US, check delivery and import rules before treating a US start time as your deadline.
