Black Friday 2026 Is on 27 November: Key Dates and How to Judge a Real Discount

When is Black Friday 2026?

Black Friday 2026 is on Friday 27 November 2026. Black Friday is the Friday after the US Thanksgiving holiday, and the US Office of Personnel Management lists Thanksgiving Day 2026 as Thursday 26 November ^[1]. Cyber Monday, the Monday that closes the holiday weekend, is therefore Monday 30 November 2026.

The US National Retail Federation (NRF) measures the shopping weekend as the five days from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday ^[4]. In 2026 that window runs from 26 to 30 November.

Sales rarely stay inside those five days. In NRF's 2026 survey, 43% of holiday shoppers said they planned to start before November, in line with 42% a year earlier ^[3].

How big is Black Friday shopping?

The NRF reported that a record 202.9 million people shopped in stores or online over the 2025 Thanksgiving weekend, up from 197 million in 2024 ^[4]. Online shoppers (134.9 million) outnumbered in-store shoppers (129.5 million) ^[4]. On Black Friday itself, NRF counted 80.3 million in-store and 85.7 million online shoppers, both slightly below 2024 ^[4].

For the full 2026 season, the NRF forecasts that US retail sales in November and December will grow 4.2% over 2025 to $1.013 trillion, after 2025 sales rose 3.1% to $972 billion ^[2]. The NRF's season runs from 1 November to 31 December and excludes car dealers, petrol stations and restaurants ^[2].

Price pressure is part of the picture. In the NRF's October 2026 survey, 56% of shoppers said the state of the economy would affect their holiday spending, and 43% of those said they planned to shop for sales more often ^[3]. Online was the most popular place to shop, named by 53% ^[3].

What makes a Black Friday deal genuine?

A discount is only as real as the price it is measured against. Regulators on both sides of the Atlantic focus on that reference price.

United States

The Federal Trade Commission's Guides Against Deceptive Pricing (16 CFR Part 233) say a former price is genuine when the item was offered to the public on a regular basis for a reasonably substantial period of time ^[5]. A former price is fictitious when an artificial, inflated price was set to make a later large reduction possible ^[5]. In the guides' words, where the former price is genuine, the bargain being advertised is a true one ^[5].

European Union

EU law goes further and sets a fixed test. In the Aldi Süd case (C-330/23), decided on 26 September 2024, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that a price reduction announced as a percentage or a promotional statement must be calculated from the lowest price the trader applied in a period of at least 30 days before the reduction ^[6]. The Court said this stops traders from raising prices just before announcing false reductions ^[6].

United Kingdom

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) published price transparency guidance on 18 November 2025, and a summary on 7 January 2026, explaining the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 ^[7]. It says it is illegal to hide additional fees, taxes or charges that buyers must pay later, a practice called drip pricing, and that traders must give total prices up front, including charges consumers cannot avoid ^[7].

How can you check whether a deal is real?

1. Find the true reference price. In the EU, look for the lowest price of the past 30 days, which is the legal basis for any announced percentage cut ^[6]. Elsewhere, use well-known, trustworthy comparison sites, as the FTC advises ^[9].
2. Compare the total cost. Add shipping, taxes and fees before comparing offers ^[9]. In the UK, mandatory charges should already be in the price ^[7].
3. Compare across sellers. The FTC advises checking competing prices and price-matching policies ^[9].
4. Read reviews critically. Star ratings alone can mislead ^[9]. Since 2024 the FTC's rule bans fake reviews, including AI-generated ones, and offering rewards for reviews that must express a particular sentiment, positive or negative ^[8].
5. Check the return policy. Sale items can have different return terms, and restocking fees may apply ^[9].
6. Keep records. Save the order details, the advertised price and the delivery promise ^[9].

Which payment methods protect Black Friday buyers?

In the US, the Fair Credit Billing Act lets credit card users dispute charges for goods that were not delivered as agreed ^[10]. The dispute letter must reach the card issuer within 60 days after the first bill with the error was sent, and federal law limits liability for unauthorised charges to $50 ^[10]. The issuer must acknowledge the complaint within 30 days and resolve it within 90 days ^[10].

The FTC warns buyers to be wary of online sellers who insist on payment by gift card, wire transfer, payment app or cryptocurrency ^[9]. Credit cards, by contrast, come with the dispute rights described above ^[9][10].

What are your rights if an order is late or unwanted?

Late delivery in the US

Under the FTC's Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule, a seller must have a reasonable basis for any shipping time it states; if it states none, it must reasonably expect to ship within 30 days ^[11]. If it cannot ship on time, it must ask for the buyer's consent to the delay and give a prompt refund if the buyer does not agree ^[11].

Cancelling online orders in the EU and UK

In the EU, buyers can cancel an online purchase within 14 days without giving a reason; for goods, the period runs from the date of delivery ^[12]. Exceptions include perishable goods, made-to-order items and unsealed audio, video or software ^[12]. In the UK, sellers must tell customers that they can cancel up to 14 days after their order is delivered ^[13]. If a seller never gave that information, the cancellation period can extend to 12 months ^[13].

Faulty goods bought in a sale

A discount does not remove the legal guarantee. In the EU, buyers always have the right to a minimum two-year guarantee from the moment they receive the goods, and this also covers second-hand goods bought from professional sellers, although some countries allow an agreed period of no less than one year for those ^[14]. Goods bought from private individuals are not covered ^[14].

What are the benefits and limits of Black Friday?

Benefits. Shoppers say deals drive their timing: in the NRF's 2026 survey, 46% of those waiting until November cited the best prices and promotions as the reason ^[3]. In the EU, the 30-day lowest-price rule gives buyers a legal yardstick for judging any announced reduction ^[6].

Limits. A large percentage does not prove a low price; regulators exist to police inflated former prices ^[5][6]. Return terms on sale goods can be stricter ^[9]. Busy weeks also put strain on delivery promises, which is why shipping-time rules matter ^[11].

What should shoppers expect for 2026?

The NRF expects a larger season than 2025 in cash terms, with sales forecast at $1.013 trillion ^[2]. Its chief economist warned that inflation, rising petrol prices and pressure on household budgets will affect income groups differently ^[2]. Of the 56% of shoppers who said the economy will shape their spending, 31% planned to comparison shop online more often ^[3].