Everything You Need to Know About Amazon's 2026 Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sales

Daniel Oropeza Daniel Oropeza Shopping Editor ExperienceDaniel is Lifehacker's Shopping Editor covering tech deals and reviewing TVs, headphones, speakers, and projectors. He earned his master’s in journalism from Columbia University and has reported for the Miami Herald. He lives in Atlanta. Read Full Bio November 6, 2026 Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Credit: Daria Nipot/Shutterstock Table of Contents Gone are the days when holiday sales had a firm beginning and end. These days, if you're not scouring the internet weeks before the actual date of the event, you will miss out on deals. Black Friday is no exception. Amazon released some vague official plans for their sale, but there's plenty that's discounted already, many reaching or matching their lowest price ever—we know, because we use tools to verify and track their deals. When will Amazon's Black Friday sale officially start?While Amazon has released some press releases announcing they will be partaking in the sale (as they do every year), they haven't officially said what dates the sale will take place. Once they do, we'll update you here.Do you need to be a Prime Member to shop during the Cyber Monday sales?Yes, you will need to be a Prime Member to shop the exclusive sales during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Prime membership starts at $14.99 per month. While only you can decide if buying a yearly Prime membership is worth it for you, remember you can always sign up and then cancel your Prime membership once the sale is over: Amazon offers a free 30-day trial, so you can shop during both Black Friday and Cyber Monday before canceling without being charged. Here's how to sign up for a Prime account and all of the benefits that come with it.Some of my favorite early Black Friday dealsAs stated already, just because the sale hasn't officially started, it doesn't mean you can't find great deals. Here are some of the best early Black Friday deals:The WH-1000XM5 were at the top of their class until they were supplanted by the XM6. They're currently discounted to $198 (originally $399.99).The Bose SoundLink Plus hasn’t been on the market for long, but it’s already earned strong reviews—CNET labeled it “the Goldilocks of Bose Bluetooth speakers,” and it’s down to $179 (originally $269).The all-in-one Eufy E25 robot vacuum and mop has a self-cleaning roller mop, and it is 40% off at $599.98 (originally $999.99). The roller is rinsed with clean water as it mops, then cleaned at the dock, so you don't need to spend as much time cleaning it yourself. Amazon is selling the latest MacBook Airs at a $200 discount. That brings the 13-inch MacBook Air to $1,099.99 (down from $1,299) and the 15-inch MacBook Air to $1,299 (originally $1,499), reaching their lowest prices since the June price hikes.The Apple Watch Ultra 4 only launched in September, and it’s already seeing an early Black Friday discount of $100, bringing it down to $699.99 (originally $799). $198.00 at Amazon $399.99 Save $201.99 Bose QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) - Wireless Headphones, Active Over Ear Noise Cancelling and Mic, Immersive Audio, USB-C Charging and Lossless Audio, Up to 24 Hours of Play time, Dewdrop Mint $199.00 at Amazon $359.00 Save $160.00 TP-Link TL-WR3602BE BE3600 Wi-Fi 7 Portable Travel Router $87.99 at Amazon $119.99 Save $32.00 Roborock Qrevo Edge 2 Robot Vacuum and Mop $799.99 at Amazon $1,299.99 Save $500.00 Hisense 65" U6 Pro Series Mini‑LED 4K UHD HDR Gaming AI Smart Fire TV (65U6SF Pro, 2026 New) – Hi-QLED, Native 144Hz, Motion Rate 480, Dolby Vision IQ,· Atmos, HDR10+, Glare-Free, Alexa+ $599.99 at Amazon $1,099.99 Save $500.00 Ring Battery Doorbell (Retinal 2K, Speckled Gray) $39.99 at Amazon $99.99 Save $60.00 What other retailers are doing Black Friday sales?The other major retailers doing sales are Best Buy, Target, and Walmart. Currently, Best Buy is offering one of the largest Cyber Week sales, with new deals available every Friday. Target has some week-long deals and a Deal of the Day. Nowadays, both large retailers and small businesses compete for Cyber Monday shoppers, so you can expect practically every store to run sales through Monday, Nov. 30, 2026. The “best” sales depend on your needs, but in general, the biggest discounts tend to come from larger retailers that can afford lower prices: think places like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Home Depot. You can find all the best sales from major retailers on our live blog. Some tips for a successful Black Friday with AmazonIf this will be your first Black Friday shopping at Amazon, there are some basic things you need to know about Amazon sales:You can share your Prime membership with family members even if they don't live with you.You can set price alerts for products you want and your Alexa devices can notify you when they go on sale.There are usually some "Invite-Only" deals that you can sign up for.There are tools you can use to see if the deal you're looking at is worthwhile or not.But if you only take one bit of advice for shopping on Amazon, let it be this one: Don't buy anything you weren't going to buy anyway. A good way to make sure you do this is by making a list of the products you do want, and only having eyes for those. What do you think so far? Are Black Friday deals better than Cyber Monday?Black Friday used to be bigger for major retailers and more expensive tech and appliances, while Cyber Monday was for cheaper tech and gave smaller businesses a chance to compete online. Nowadays, though, the distinction is almost meaningless. Every major retailer will offer sales on both days, and the smart move is to know what you want, use price trackers or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you, and don’t stress over finding the perfect timing.Does Amazon have Black Friday deals?Yes, Amazon has Black Friday sales, but prices aren’t always what they seem. Use a price tracker to make sure you’re getting the best deal, or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you. And if you have an Amazon Prime membership, make the most of it.What stores have the best sales on Black Friday?Nowadays, both large retailers and small businesses compete for Black Friday shoppers, so you can expect practically every store to run sales through Monday, Nov. 30, 2026. The “best” sales depend on your needs, but in general, the biggest discounts tend to come from larger retailers who can afford lower prices: Think places like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Home Depot. You can find all the best sales from major retailers on our Black Friday coverage.Are Black Friday deals worth it?In short, yes, Black Friday still offers discounts that you're less likely to see throughout the rest of the year. If there’s something you want to buy, or you’re shopping for gifts, it’s a good time to look for discounts on what you need, especially tech sales, home improvement supplies, and fitness tech. Our Best Editor-Vetted Early Black Friday Deals Right Now Deals are selected by our commerce team