ICYMI: My foolproof Black Friday shopping strategy — and 3 products I’m eyeing early

Here's why everything is all of a sudden on sale this weekend (and it has little to do with Black Friday)

Hi Geezers,

My typical rule of thumb around the back half of October is to hold off on shopping your wants until Halloween is over. You’ll notice that my Instagram stories have been less deal focused right now.

Black Friday is right around the corner, and thanks to the competitive nature of the retail world, you’re going to start seeing incredible discounts across a variety of categories starting on November 1 and carrying through the middle of December, though historically most of the best deals happen in November — not December.

2024 also holds something that sparks panic in retailers: it is both an election year and a year where Thanksgiving is late. Black Friday is November 29 while Cyber Monday falls on December 2, and you can expect that by December 14 you be hearing a lottttt about pre-Christmas shipping deadlines.

Yes, there are lots of sales in October, and because of that, the most FAQ in my DMs is do you think this will be on sale for Black Friday or should I buy it now?

A good rule of thumb: If something is on sale in October, it's likely to be discounted again in November, often at the same discount or an even better price. Items not on sale in October will almost certainly go on sale in November. If an item hasn't been discounted by Cyber Monday, it probably won’t be on sale at all. I have found that there are very very few exceptions to this.

How will Black Friday work in 2024?

Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals are typically the same, with a few exceptions from big clothing retailers like J. Crew and Madewell, which have historically offered slightly bigger discounts on Cyber Monday (usually 30-40% off everything for Black Friday starting the Monday of Thanksgiving week and then bumping it up to 40-50% off everything for one 24-hour stretch on Cyber Monday).

Most retailers keep their online deals consistent throughout the weekend, while in-store doorbuster sales at big box stores like Walmart, Target, and Best Buy are used to draw people into brick-and-mortar locations for the same deals.

Most stores will advertise their doorbusters in their in-store circulars or on their apps but not on their websites.

If an item is on sale online, it's unlikely to have a deeper discount in-store, unless it’s a doorbuster. Doorbusters are usually only priced for a certain number of units for a short window of time.

You’re going to be inundated with emails from brands, so remember to use the Gee Thanks! Holiday Shop Hub (now in its third year!). It drops into your inboxes on November 1 at 12:01a EST and it’s your one stop shop for all of the brands and deals and codes you need to keep shopping stress at bay this season.

Here is my fool-proof Black Friday shopping strategy that has kept my sanity and wallet in check the last decade or so — I’ve never published it on Gee Thanks! before! Plus the items I’m eyeing this season and a sneak peek of the Gee Thanks! beauty gift guide!

Let’s get into it!