Black Friday shopping is one of America’s most treasured holiday traditions. But there’s always a bit of hassle involved: Shoppers have to fight their drowsiness and stand in endless lines at stores following a hearty Thanksgiving dinner — all in the name of savings.
That tradition is changing, however. Black Friday sales are starting earlier, weeks ahead of the actual shopping holiday at some stores. And many retailers are offering even steeper price cuts or other discount promotions, both in store and online, just to stay ahead of their competitors. That’s good news for shoppers, especially those who prefer to shop from home. So which stores offer the best discounts and for which items?
To answer that question and help consumers maximize their Black Friday savings, WalletHub’s analysts surveyed nearly 10,000 deals from 35 of the biggest U.S. retailers’ 2017 Black Friday ad scans.
Best Stores for Black Friday
| Retailer | 2017 Avg. % Discount by Retailer | 2016 Avg. % Discount by Retailer | 2015 Avg. % Discount by Retailer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kohl’s | 66.3% | 58.1% | 66.7% |
| JCPenney | 66.3% | 62.8% | 68.0% |
| Belk | 62.8% | N/A | 59.5% |
| Stage | 60.8% | 62.8% | 63.9% |
| Shopko | 55.9% | 55.6% | N/A |
| Bealls Florida | 52.8% | N/A | N/A |
| Sears | 50.1% | 43.9% | 41.7% |
| Macy’s | 45.6% | 63.4% | 56.0% |
| Fred Meyer | 43.9% | 49.7% | 45.3% |
| AAFES | 37.3% | 29.1% | N/A |
| Amazon | 36.8% | 24.7% | 25.8% |
| Target | 36.2% | 28.6% | 37.3% |
| Kmart | 35.8% | 28.6% | 50.1% |
| Dick’s Sporting Goods | 35.1% | N/A | N/A |
| Office Depot and OfficeMax | 34.5% | 43.0% | 42.8% |
| Wal-Mart | 34.2% | 32.6% | 30.1% |
| HP | 34.0% | 28.5% | N/A |
| Samsung | 34.0% | N/A | N/A |
| Dollar General | 33.5% | 36.9% | N/A |
| Lowe’s | 33.0% | N/A | N/A |
| True Value | 32.8% | 31.9% | N/A |
| Meijer | 32.4% | 33.8% | 39.1% |
| Staples | 32.3% | 33.1% | 34.4% |
| BJ’s | 32.1% | 32.0% | 30.6% |
| Guitar Center | 30.0% | N/A | N/A |
| Best Buy | 30.0% | 33.2% | 33.5% |
| Miscrosoft | 29.6% | N/A | N/A |
| Dell Home | 29.3% | 35.7% | 35.3% |
| Newegg | 28.3% | N/A | N/A |
| Big Lots | 24.1% | 23.5% | 27.1% |
| Cabela’s | 23.8% | N/A | N/A |
| Harbor Freight | 22.5% | 62.6% | N/A |
| Costco | 21.9% | 25.4% | 19.5% |
| Ace Hardware | 21.5% | 27.7% | 34.2% |
| Bass Pro Shops | 20.8% | N/A | N/A |
| All Retailers | 37.1% | 39.0% | 40.2% |