Black Friday is the shopping holiday some consumers wait for all year. But savvy shoppers know that not every deal is worth it that day. So how do you decide whether to snag an early deal, or wait for better savings on Cyber Monday?
We’ve rounded up the top four items that are better to buy on Cyber Monday, which is on Nov. 27 this year. However, keep in mind that these are our general tips. There’s certainly no law saying you won’t find an excellent deal on any one of these items on Thanksgiving or Black Friday. It’s just that you’ll probably have better luck on Cyber Monday.
If you’re planning to shop on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, in addition to Cyber Monday, then be sure to check out our guide on what to buy each day.
Laptops
Cyber Monday always tends to have a slight edge over Black Friday when it comes to deals on laptops, and last year was no exception. While Black Friday technically had more deals overall, Cyber Monday had more Editors’ Choice deals. That means the discounts were far better on Cyber Monday.
Plus, doorbusters were big on Friday as usual, but they mostly included bargain-build machines rather than the mid-tier models that come on Monday. We’re expecting a repeat performance this year, so if you want a better-equipped laptop at an Editors’ Choice price, then Cyber Monday is definitely your best bet.
Travel
It might not seem like the day to look for deals on travel, but Cyber Monday is an excellent time to book that vacation you’ve been planning. This is another category where Black Friday had more deals overall, but Cyber Monday ruled when it came to Editors’ Choice selections. In fact, Black Friday only had one Editors’ Choice travel sale, but Cyber Monday had seven.
It’s particularly a great time to book hotel stays, vacation packages and flights. Last year, about 48 percent of the deals on Cyber Monday were for hotels and vacation packages, and 20 percent were for airfare. Shoppers could save up to 30 percent off in many cases and even 50 percent off in a few deals as well.
Kitchen
Small kitchen appliances are huge when it comes to Black Friday shopping. They fill the doorbuster section of ad after ad, so if you need a new toaster, you might think Friday is the best day to snag one.
But actually, your best bet would be on Thanksgiving or Cyber Monday. Both days last year had the same number of Editors’ Choice deals, although Cyber Monday still had more kitchen deals overall.
Shoes
Cyber Monday has been a great day for shoe deals for several years now. While a handful of boot deals will make an appearance, the day seems especially suited for buying more casual styles. Last year, about 54 percent of the shoe deals on Cyber Monday were for sneakers or athletic shoes.
Thanksgiving was also a good day to check out the offerings, but Cyber Monday outpaced it when it came to total number of shoe deals as well as Editors’ Choice picks.