Black Friday is the biggest shopping event of the year, a frenzy of incredible deals and blink-and-you-miss-it savings. But without a clear strategy, it can also be overwhelming and lead to impulse buys that drain your wallet.
Here at GetTopDiscounts, we’re all about smart shopping. Since our brand is focused on providing the best coupon codes and affiliate deals, we want to help you tackle the shopping season like a pro.
Forget the stress – this is your comprehensive guide to developing an unstoppable black Friday game plan for 2025!
1. Preparation is Everything: How to Prepare for Black Friday
The secret to winning at Black Friday is not speed but detailed preparation. Start early, and you won’t be prone to panic, hence spending too much on things you don’t really need.
A. Set Your Budget (And Stick to It!)
This is the most important step. Before you look at a single deal, you need to decide how much you can spend, absolutely. Break it down by category: $300 for electronics, $150 for clothing, $50 for small gifts. A deal’s only a deal if you can really afford it.
B. Create Your Black Friday Wish List
Do not go into the sales blind. Your Black Friday wish list should be a non-negotiable list of items you have been planning to buy. This prevents you from being swayed by massive-percentage discounts on random products.
- Prioritize: What are the absolute “must-haves”? Put these at the top.
- Check Now: Note the current full price for each item. This gives you a true baseline for evaluating the discount later.
- List Alternatives If your first-choice TV or laptop sells out, what’s your second choice?
C. Get Your Accounts in Order for a Fast Checkout
Speed is your friend online. Save precious seconds when the deals drop by doing this now:
| Task | Why It Matters |
| Pre-Register | Create accounts on all your target retailer websites. |
| Save Payment/Shipping | Enter and save your credit card and shipping address details. No one wants to type out an address under pressure! |
| Install Apps | Some retailers release app-exclusive deals or offer early access through their apps. |
| Sign up for Newsletters | This is often how you get those exclusive, early-bird access codes. |
2. Hunting for the Best Black Friday Deals in 2025
Once you are prepared, it’s time to begin your hunt. Remember, Black Friday deals 2025 do not just happen on Friday but begin weeks in advance.
A. Become a Deal Detective: Verifying the Discount
Not all discounts are created equal. That “70% off” tag might sound amazing, but if the original price was inflated just for the sale, you are not saving as much as you think. This is where your pre-sale price research comes in handy.
Part of your Black Friday game plan should be learning how to spot a fake deal.
That means you need to know the item’s true value before the sale starts: If a retailer suddenly hikes the price a month before Black Friday just to “slash” it back down to the normal price, you’re getting fooled.
- Price Tracker Tools: Tools such as Keepa or CamelCamelCamel for Amazon, or other general price history checkers, are priceless. Paste your product link and see its actual historical low price. Did the store really lower the price, or did they just play with the numbers?
- Compare Across Stores: Check on three or four different retailer sites for your wish list items and don’t be tempted by the first big discount.
Once your list is ready, you can track all the top Black Friday deals 2025 on our main event page. We consolidate the best offers from across the web, making your deal hunting much simpler.
B. Maximizing Your Black Friday Coupons and Stacking Strategies
As a coupon code affiliate, we can tell you this: layering savings is key. While you usually can’t stack a Black Friday percent-off sale with a regular coupon code, smart shoppers know how to layer their deals for extra value.
Smart Stacking Opportunities:
- Loyalty Points/Rewards: Check if your store points (e.g., from a credit card or a retailer’s own loyalty program) can be applied after the Black Friday discount is calculated.
- Cashback Sites: Use a cashback portal before clicking through to the retailer. You get the discount and a percentage of your final purchase back – it’s like getting paid to shop!
- Free Shipping Codes: If the order total doesn’t meet the free shipping threshold post-discount, look for a free shipping code or coupon.
3. What to Buy on Black Friday 2025: Focus Your Firepower
A. Big Ticket Items with Deep Cuts
Black Friday is the traditional time to buy large, heavily discounted electronics and appliances.
| Category | Typical Best Buys & Tips | Strategy |
| 4K/OLED TVs | Last year’s models, especially from reputable brands. Huge size-to-price ratio. | Aim for models released 12-18 months ago. They have 90% of the newest tech for 50-60% of the price. |
| Laptops & Tablets | Mid-range laptops (perfect for students) and budget tablets. | High-end MacBooks and flagship tablets may see smaller discounts. Focus on value in the $400-$800 range. |
| Smart Home Devices | Speakers, smart displays, video doorbells, and plugs. | These are often loss leaders – retailers sell them cheap to get you into the ecosystem. Buy them in bundles! |
B. Smart Purchases for the Long Term
Keep in mind, you are not just shopping for gifts. Do not just add some fun stuff to your list; consider these 5 smart purchases for Black Friday that set you up for the whole year.
- Premium Apparel & Outerwear: High-quality winter coats, branded athletic wear, and professional gear see their biggest drops now. Buy the expensive, durable items you usually can’t justify.
- Subscription Renewals: Look out for deals on VPNs, streaming services, and educational apps. Buying an annual subscription at a Black Friday rate can save you hundreds over 12 months.
- Kitchen Staples: High-end stand mixers, blenders, and air fryers from brands like KitchenAid or Ninja usually reach their lowest prices of the year.
4. Plan Execution: Essential Black Friday Shopping Tips
You’ve done the homework; now it’s time for the execution. This is where many shoppers drop the ball – by not being prepared for the urgency and chaos of the shopping day itself.
A. The Golden Hour Strategy
Most of the very best “doorbuster” deals go live at midnight (often based on Eastern Time in the US) or, increasingly, in the late hours of Thanksgiving Day.
- Set Alarms: Treat the launch of your most wanted deals like catching an early flight. Be awake, alert, and ready to click “Buy.”
- Prioritize Checkout: The second an item is in your cart, it is not guaranteed. High-demand items will sell out in the time it takes you to add a second item. Buy your number one priority item immediately, then come back for the rest.
B. Knowing When to Fold ‘Em: Returns and Price Matching
When the dust settles, a few administrative checks can save you from buyer’s remorse.
- The Return Policy is Your Lifeline: Black Friday purchases are often gifts. Make sure the store offers an extended holiday return period (usually until late January). If the return window is only 14 days, you might be stuck.
- Price Adjustments: Some retailers offer a price match guarantee, even during Black Friday. Keep checking your purchase price over the following week. If it drops further, email customer service – you might get the difference back!
5. The Final Showdown: Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday
This is a point of confusion for many shoppers: is the best deal found on Friday or the following Monday? The answer is: it depends entirely on what you’re buying.
Your checklist should also consider whether Cyber Monday might have a better deal for your items.
| Shopping Day | Best for (General Trend) | Why? |
| Black Friday | Big-Box Store Items, Major Electronics, Apparel, Home Goods, Doorbusters. | It’s still the day for physical inventory clearance and in-store competition. |
| Cyber Monday | Small Electronics, Software, Gadgets, Beauty, Online-Only Boutiques. | The focus shifts entirely to online-exclusive deals, perfect for things that are easily shipped. |
If you’re buying a TV or a new coat, focus on Friday. If you need a premium pair of wireless earbuds or a discount on design software, wait until Monday. The smart black friday game plan covers both days!
Your Final Black Friday Action Plan Summary
This is the big game. To make sure you execute your black friday shopping checklist flawlessly, here are your final, concrete steps:
- Finalize your list and budget. (Stick to it!)
- Ensure all your retailer accounts are logged in and ready.
- Start monitoring early deals on our main event page: https://gettopdiscounts.com/events/black-friday-coupons-deals (where we will be posting all the major Black Friday deals 2025 and Black Friday coupons).
- Check out fast on your priority items – don’t wait for your whole cart to be full.
- Compare your deals against original prices to ensure you’re getting a genuine bargain, not a fake discount.
Good luck, and happy savings.
Black Friday FAQs: Your Top Shopping Questions Answered
We’ve compiled the most common and pressing questions shoppers are asking about Black Friday 2025 to make sure your strategy is fully informed and ready to go.
The official date for Black Friday 2025 is Friday, November 28th, the day right after U.S. Thanksgiving.
The reality check: For smart shoppers, the deals start much earlier. You should expect the first major online promotions to kick off in early November.
The shopping event is really a five-day marathon that ends with Cyber Monday on December 1, 2025.
The significant trend in 2025 is the omnichannel experience and early shopping.
Consumers are insisting on receiving the same good deals regardless of whether they buy online, or at the shop or.
Retailers are advancing the start of their promotions to much earlier days thus producing a “Black November” which means that planning should begin earlier to get the best offers.
Traditionally, the top-selling categories over the Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend are:
Firstly, Electronics: especially 4K/OLED TVs, notebooks, and premium smartphones.
Secondly, Apparel and Outerwear: luxury winter coats and eminent sporting goods are among the products witnessing huge discounts.
Lastly, Small Appliances: products such as stand mixers, air fryers, and vacuum cleaners for the elite.
Black Friday is not always cheaper. While genuine deep discounts exist, particularly on inventory clearance, shoppers must be cautious of “fake deals.”
Some retailers raise prices in October only to “discount” them back to the original price for the sale.
Always check the product’s historical price using a price tracking tool before you buy to confirm it’s a true saving.
If you have a plan for your shopping, then definitely. This is the finest moment for the purchase of expensive items which you are planning to buy for a long time.
Never go unplanned: Stick to your budget tightly and carry a prepared list to prevent extra buying.
Buy over the internet: More often than not, the most advantageous price is online, especially if you want to stay away from crowded places and have time for price comparison.
The term “Black Friday” first appeared in Philadelphia in the 1960s and was used to amplify the traffic situations and the confusion of pedestrians that occurred post-Thanksgiving.
It subsequently became associated with the accounting practitioners of retailers, as being the time when their sales already went “into the black” for the year, hence becoming profitable.
Thus, it signals the start of the holiday shopping season that is officially drawing in with fat profits.
It’s Global: While an American tradition, Black Friday is now a major shopping event in over 50 countries worldwide.
Mobile Dominates: Over half of all online sales are now conducted on mobile devices.
Cyber Monday Wins: Cyber Monday frequently surpasses Black Friday in total online sales, making the full “Cyber Week” crucial for savings.
To ensure maximum savings, you need to use a layered approach:
Find retailers that allow you to combine their Black Friday percentage discount with a coupon code or loyalty points.
Always use a cashback portal on top of your discount before checking out.
We compile all stacking opportunities and exclusive codes right here at GetTopDiscounts.
You can find the most reliable and up-to-date Thanksgiving and Black Friday deals by using dedicated coupon sites that verify and track codes.
Right here at GetTopDiscounts, our team works with top retailers to secure exclusive coupon codes and track price drops in real-time.
Check our Black Friday Deals Page starting in early November for confirmed, actionable discounts on your wish list items.
Certain product categories see minimal or even better discounts at other times of the year:
Winter Sports Gear: Better sales usually hit in January and February for end-of-season clearance.
Jewelry: The best sales are often found in February, around Valentine’s Day.
New Car Models: You’ll typically find better deals at the end of the calendar year as dealerships clear out older stock.
