If there’s one thing you hear over and over as Black Friday and its sibling sale days get closerit’s that there are no “real deals” to be found anymore. While it’s certainly true that the days of huddling outside of a big electronics retailer after stuffing yourself with, well, stuffing have fallen by the wayside, that doesn’t mean you can’t save quite a bit on Black Friday. The real problem is volume, but we’re here to help you deal with all the noise.
I’ve been closely involved with this particular shopping event for over a decade, and while the rules have changed there are still plenty of ways to save. Here’s what we’ve learned along the way, and the tools you can use to make sure you’re saving as much as possible this year.
Watch this: Prime Day 2025 is Changing: New Drops, More Drama
03:54
Use a tool like Keepa to keep an eye on products like the DJI Phantom 4, which has seen some big price fluctuations.
Some retailers have become so big, or are capable of updating pricing so quickly, we now have third-party publicly available tools for checking the history of a product’s pricing. Here are the ones we recommend:
- CamelCamelCamel: One of the oldest and most reliable Amazon price history tools out there. All you need to do is paste the link from your Amazon product into this website, and it will show you the price history.
- AisleGopher: Same basic idea, drop in a link and see the history. This price history tool is focused on Walmart price history, with some caveats. This tool works best on products that Walmart is selling, which means that third-party sellers who sell through Walmart may not always be supported.
- Keep: You can also use this tool to track pricing at Amazon, but this tool has a good Chrome extension that will show you the price history without having to leave the Amazon page you’re currently viewing. Just scroll down to the Keepa insert, and you’ll be able to see the price history.
Keep an eye out for coupons to make Black Friday deals even better
Way before Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping days start, keeping an eye out for coupons that can be used any time is a great way to save more. Every retailer does this a little differently, but there are some general tips that can help any time.
- Annual Digital Services: We usually see at least one or two great deals on popular streaming services, VPN apps and online gaming during Black Friday. Before you click that buy button, be sure to check for any additional coupons that allow you to save if you buy a whole year in advance instead of only saving on the first couple of months of the service.
- Amazon Coupons: Price trackers and AI tools frequently miss Amazon coupons, because they’re clickable on the page with the product instead of something that must always be entered at checkout. Be sure to take a look below the price on an Amazon page to ensure you’re not missing out on further discounts.
- RetailMeNot: Our colleagues spend all day, every day, finding secret coupons for just about every retailer. Many of these can be applied in addition to Black Friday discounts, so be sure to check in with RetailMeNot before you check out.