Black Friday During COVID: Tips on Best Deals, Being Safe

By Victoria Robertson on November 12, 2020

Covid-19 has completely changed the way we think about our day-to-day lives. A pandemic has the ability to change absolutely everything and, to be honest, it couldn’t care less about your holiday plans.

While many are currently worried about Thanksgiving and Christmas, there are other, smaller events that will also be impacted, such as Black Friday.

This year, gathering in masses at stores isn’t going to work, at least not in terms of safe shopping. For that reason, Black Friday is going to look much different this year than it ever has in the past.

So, in the interest of helping you navigate this year’s Black Friday sales and ensure you’re safe throughout the day, here are some Black Friday tips and tricks to keep in mind this year.

Photo Via Pixabay

1. Best Buy

Best Buy is the tech giant that you want to shop at this Black Friday, but the deals have already begun. If you’re looking for TVs, video games and consoles, laptops, speakers and even appliances, this is exactly where you’ll want to shop.

Their Wish List Sale is going all month long, and through the sales, you’ll find smart televisions that are up to $1,000 off as well as countless other tech items and appliances on sale for a fraction of the cost as they usually are. Basically, this is a great place to go for big savings.

In addition, you can sign up for Best Buy’s list to get exclusive sale updates throughout the month so that you don’t miss out on any of the hottest deals the store has to offer! This way, you don’t have to remember to check the site constantly and can instead get the weekly reminders that you need to get through your shopping list.

2. Amazon

If you’re looking to do a little shopping with very little effort, look no further than Amazon. If you’re a Prime member or not, the deals are really just too good to pass up, especially in a year in which most (if not all) holiday shopping will be done online.

You’ll get super fast shipping and amazing products, all at a reasonable price. At the moment, Amazon has the Holiday Dash Deals, which is running now through November 19th. While they have not announced Black Friday sales yet, their current deals are well worth looking into.

For instance, Amazon is currently selling Roombas and tablets for well under their typical retail prices, and you can always spot deals on the Amazon tech items such as the Echo and Dot. Regardless of what you need, Amazon truly has it all, so watch for their big deals, as they’ll be hitting all month long!

3. Walmart

Perhaps the biggest culprit behind massive Black Friday crowds, this year, you can expect to find most of Walmart’s deals online. As an added bonus, the sales are going to run much longer, so you won’t have to deal with the confines of a single day.

They will have several sales prior to Black Friday, one of which was kicked off on November 4th and another of which hit on November 7th. But, just in case you missed it, there will be another on the 14th. Finally,  there will be a sale on the 25th that will hit just before the main event on the 27th.

Basically, no matter what you’re looking for on your Black Friday shopping list, Walmart is likely to have you covered and, this year, you don’t even need to leave the comfort of your own home.

If you do choose to shop in stores, make sure you wear your mask and go earlier rather than later to avoid any crowds. Again, many stores aren’t looking for big crowds this year, so your local Walmart may be experiencing shorter hours or limited capacity requirements. So look up the information you need prior to showing up! And if you can shop online, you’ll be better off!

Infographic Via Canva

4. Home Depot

If you’re looking to do a little home improvement this year, you’re not alone. As many of us navigate what it’s like to be home all the time, we’re also dealing with issues around the house that we’ve been tabling for too long.

Luckily, Home Depot sales began November 6th and will run all the way through December 2nd, giving you plenty of time to do all the sale shopping that you need. So while there won’t be a single, Black Friday deal day, you’ll be able to get all you need for Black Friday, all month long.

Again, because it’s a home improvement store, the offerings are going to be more limited than these other retail giants, but Home Depot will have plenty to offer, such as appliance sales, power tools and even holiday décor sales, just in case you want to freshen up your holiday selection.

5. Macy’s

Macy’s is a little behind in getting out information on this year’s Black Friday sales, but that’s not to say there is plenty to look forward to in their offerings. We do know that they won’t be offering month-long sales, but there are a few deals to keep in mind as you begin your shopping for the year.

For instance, later in November, around the 16th, you will start to see quite a few more sales, and there will be even more to hit on the 23rd that is said to run through the 28th, turning Black Friday into a week-long event.

So while you won’t get a full month of sales, you will have an entire week to grab what you need from this retailer! So this is the perfect solution if you’re in need of last-minute goods to round out your list, as Macy’s will have everything you need from home goods to clothes and everything in between.

6. Costco

The caveat here is that you will need to be a Costco member. But, for those of you that frequently shop in bulk, prepare yourselves for some pretty stellar deals this year.

While Costco is not going to be the store from which you’re going to complete your shopping list, you will be able to snag quite a few savings, including small appliances, just in case you wanted to grab some for yourself or for gift giving.

Again, as Black Friday gets closer, more deals may pop up, but for the time being, check out the current deals on snacks and appliances and see how much you’re able to save!

7. Lowe’s

As most retailers are doing this year, Lowe’s has switched their typical Black Friday deals to be cyber deals and will hit online, encouraging people to shop from the comfort of their own homes.

These “Cyber Steals” are going to appear every day from now until December 2nd. While these steals haven’t been too eye-catching, there are plenty more to come between now and the end of the month, and the big draw is that there is a different deal, every day.

Be careful though! Holding out for Black Friday sales may not work at this retailer, as their goal is to prevent mass shoppers in their store at one time. So in terms of a Black Friday sale, at least in person, you’re not going to end up with much of anything.

8. Target

Black Friday at Target is usually a treat, and while this one likely won’t be spent in person this year, it’s still a sale you’ll want to keep your eyes on.

Target has launched its Black Friday deals slightly early, offering a variety of deals on home goods, including TVs and other tech items. The retailer claims they will add new items to their deal list every week, so you can check in frequently to get the latest updates in the world of sales.

In addition, just in case you can’t remember to check their store every week, you can always sign up for email reminders to learn about the latest deals without even having to visit the store’s site.

In addition, remember that Target will also price-match Black Friday deals! If you bought an item from somewhere else and paid more, so long as there was a clear Black Friday sale, you will be able to receive the difference from Target through Christmas Eve.

9. Stick to Cyber Deals

As has been mentioned many times, this year’s Black Friday sales are going to look different than any year in the past. What this means is that in-person shopping is going to be limited. Most retailers want to keep people out of stores, trying to cut back on the large crowds to prevent the spread of the virus.

It’s not only a danger to patrons but is also a danger to employees. For this reason, you’ll find most, if not all, of the deals from this year online rather than in-person. Or, conversely, you’ll see the same deals all year long to encourage shopping earlier rather than later when the crowds hit.

As you plan on shopping this year, make sure you are considering safety as well. Wherever you can, make sure that you are shopping online rather than in person. Some shopping will likely need to be done in person, and the goal is only to limit that, not to prevent it entirely.

If you do need to go to the store in person, try to do so earlier in the month to avoid crowds, and ensure you are following the below-mentioned safety protocols. It may not be as fun as usual, but it’s necessary to ensuring everyone can spend the holiday season together and without illness.

Photo Via Pixabay

10. Be Safe in Stores

As mentioned above, if you do need to shop in stores, you’ll need to take extra precautions to ensure you are doing so as safely as possible.

Many retailers have different requirements for their stores. For instance, most stores, at the moment, require masks for entry. However, some stores actually won’t allow you to (or encourage you not to) wear gloves, as this could potentially spread more germs.

Before going out to get your shopping done, make sure you look at the store’s policies so that you have everything you need and don’t show up without the PPE necessary to enter the store.

In addition, some stores may be facing closures at the moment. As Covid-19 cases continue to increase around the country, many counties, cities and states are looking at lockdown scenarios once again.

In some areas, certain retailers may have limited capacity allowance, or may only allow pick-up orders rather than in-person shopping.

Make sure you are calling any stores prior to showing up so that you know whether or not they are open, what their hours are (as some may be facing limited hours) and whether or not they have alternative options (such as pick-ups or online shopping capabilities).

Basically, as a general rule of thumb this year, it’s better to be safe than sorry and over-planning is the way of the future. Find out what you need, put together a game plan and execute based on the safest method to shop.

The age of Covid has completely changed the way that we shop, as a society. Showing up to stores in mass is no longer an option, and instead, we’re going to have to be more creative about our sale shopping this year.

So while you may have gotten all your shopping done on Black Friday in the past, this year, that’s not as realistic. Or at least, doing your Black Friday shopping in the same way as was done in the past is no longer realistic.

These ten tips should help to point you in the right direction as you look to accomplish your shopping this year. Not only are these the best sales to follow this year, but they are also the best recommendations for ensuring you are safe if you are venturing to the store.

Happy shopping – and make sure you wear your mask!

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