Shopping time on Black Friday is limited and precious, so it’s important to know what stores or sales are a waste of time. To save you from searching every ad and email, we put together a list of the seven stores to skip on Black Friday. Does this mean you can’t find good deals there? No, you definitely can (and we do all the time).
Wonder which ones are worth shopping? Reference our Black Friday cheat sheet with everything you need to know about making the most of the event at stores like Walmart, Best Buy, and even the drug stores.
Text BLACKFRIDAY to 57299 and receive real-time text alerts when Black Friday deals go live.
1. Looking for stores to skip on Black Friday? Well, the only thing T.J.Maxx offers on Black Friday is free shipping.
We love T.J.Maxx’s year-round discounts of up to 80% off regular retail prices, but plan to skip the store on Black Friday. T.J.Maxx is typically closed on Thanksgiving and the only Black Friday deal you’ll see is free shipping for online orders. In the past they’ve opened up early on Black Friday and offered free totes to the first 300 people to check out in each store, but that’s hardly a reason to shop.
2. Marshalls has a “Gifts Under $25” section for holiday shoppers.
Marshalls is closed on Thanksgiving and doesn’t offer any additional Black Friday discounts. They open early on Black Friday like their sister brand T.J.Maxx, but that’s about it. You will see a “Gifts Under $25” section, but it’s available the entire holiday shopping season.
3. Ross overstocks their regular clearance section for Black Friday weekend.
Because everything in Ross is already 20-60% off, don’t expect to see any Black Friday deals other than an overstocked clearance section. Ross is also closed on Thanksgiving. See our full list of stores that are closed on Thanksgiving.
4. Get 25% off your Black Friday purchase at Bed, Bath & Beyond.
We’re used to Bed, Bath & Beyond offering a 20% off coupon pretty much all the time, so 25% off your purchase on Black Friday is nice but still underwhelming. Last year, they did offer special pricing on 100+ items that’s worth mentioning, but the savings varied a ton — and even though 100+ is hypothetically a lot, it’s still pretty limiting considering how big Bed, Bath & Beyond is. Plus, you can always do better with our Bed, Bath & Beyond hacks.
5. Hobby Lobby offers up to 50% off.
But what else is new? Hobby Lobby routinely offers 50% off, so it doesn’t seem special enough to warrant a trip on Black Friday. Plus, the sale prices last all week (except Thanksgiving since their stores are closed), so if you really want to shop Hobby Lobby, go another day and save Black Friday for the sales that really wow you.
6. REI is closed for Black Friday — encouraging everyone to #OptOutside.
REI will be closed again this Black Friday for the eighth year in a row. Instead of slashing prices to get customers in their doors, REI closes to encourage everyone to go outside instead. It’s definitely honorable, but not quite what we’re looking for during Black Friday.
7. Dollar Tree’s prices are still $1 on Black Friday, like every other day.
It feels silly to complain that items still cost $1 at Dollar Tree on Black Friday, but we always pray for a few BOGO free deals. #Nope (There’s still ways to save, like couponing.)
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