Black Friday 2026

When is Black Friday 2026?

Black Friday falls on Friday 27 November 2026. Thanksgiving is Thursday 26 November in the US federal holiday calendar. Cyber Monday follows on Monday 30 November.

The rule is the Friday after the fourth Thursday of November. It is not always the fourth Friday: depending on the calendar, it can be the fifth. Black Friday falls between 23 and 29 November.

When do Black Friday sales start in the UK?

There is no common opening date. Some businesses run an extended November promotion; others concentrate on the Friday and weekend. Check the current retailer announcement, rather than treating a previous year’s opening date as a confirmed 2026 schedule.

Before buying, note the exact model, total delivered price, offer end date and any membership requirement. Read a price promise separately: its eligible products, comparison period and claim process can differ from the sale dates.

Planning a Black Friday campaign

For a small business, the strongest plan starts with the offer and delivery capacity. The following is a suggested workflow, rather than a required Black Friday format.

• Before launch: choose the products or service, check stock and margins, and decide whether the offer applies to existing customers as well as new ones.
• Write one clear explanation: state the price, opening and closing times, exclusions, delivery charges and any limit on availability.
• Prepare the customer journey: check the landing page, checkout, mobile display, confirmation message and customer-service cover.
• During the promotion: keep availability and delivery expectations accurate. Update your audience if the offer changes.
• Afterwards: measure completed sales, returns and customer questions as well as visits and email clicks.

A charity or community organisation does not need to imitate a retail discount. It could use the period to explain a specific fundraising need, then connect with Giving Tuesday. Participation in any purchasing or fundraising activity should remain optional.

Are Black Friday deals always cheaper?

No. A sale label does not establish that a product is at its lowest price. In research published on 25 November 2025, Which? tracked 175 products around the 2024 sales. It found that 83% were the same price or cheaper outside the four-week Black Friday period. That is historical evidence about its sample, not a prediction for every 2026 offer.

• Make a shortlist first. Write down what you need and the maximum total price you would pay.
• Compare like for like. Check model numbers, capacity, accessories and delivery, rather than the headline percentage reduction.
• Look at price history. A recently increased comparison price can make a modest reduction look larger.
• Keep the terms. Save the offer, receipt and returns information, particularly when buying gifts.
• Give yourself time. A countdown is a seller’s deadline, not a reason to buy something you do not need.

UK bank holidays and shopping rights

Black Friday itself is not a UK bank holiday. That does not mean November has no bank holidays: GOV.UK lists St Andrew’s Day in Scotland on Monday 30 November 2026. Check the relevant nation, workplace and shop opening hours.

Discounted goods still come with consumer rights. For many goods bought online, customers can notify the seller that they want to cancel within 14 days of receiving them, then have a further 14 days to return them. Exceptions apply. Read GOV.UK’s returns and refunds guidance for the rules relevant to the purchase; an in-store change-of-mind return can depend on the shop’s policy.

Why is it called Black Friday?

The shopping name is commonly traced to Philadelphia’s crowded post-Thanksgiving streets in the mid-20th century. Associated Press reporting on its history describes the traffic, shopping crowds and Army–Navy football visitors. The later explanation about retailers moving from red ink into profit is a different story, rather than a reliable description of every business’s finances.

Related dates for a November marketing plan

Thanksgiving determines the date. Cyber Monday extends the retail weekend, while Giving Tuesday provides a separate fundraising occasion. Check the country when planning Small Business Saturday: the UK and US campaigns use different dates.

For context rather than a spending forecast, the ONS November 2025 retail bulletin explains how Black Friday falls into its reporting periods and why seasonal adjustment matters. A large unadjusted monthly increase should not be treated as proof of equally strong underlying sales growth.