Walmart Black Friday: When Does It Start?

Walmart Black Friday typically begins in mid-November and runs through Cyber Monday, with multiple waves of deals giving shoppers several opportunities to snag bargains. For the 2026 shopping season, the first wave is predicted to start November 13 online and in stores , with Walmart+ members getting early access beginning at 7 p.m. ET on November 12.

Event Schedule Overview

Walmart structures its Black Friday sales in multiple waves rather than a single-day event, allowing shoppers to catch deals throughout the holiday season. Here's the breakdown for what to expect:

First Wave: Mid-November

The initial Black Friday event kicks off around November 13-15 both online and in physical stores. Walmart+ members enjoy early access starting at 7 p.m. Eastern Time the evening before, giving them a five-hour head start on grabbing limited-quantity "Special Buys". Regular shoppers can access deals starting at midnight online, while in-store deals begin when doors open at the regular time.

Second Wave: Thanksgiving Week

The second event runs in two phases. It starts online-only from November 24-26 , with Walmart+ members getting early access at 7 p.m. ET on November 23. Then, from November 27-29 , the deals expand to both online and in- store shopping. On Black Friday itself (November 28), Walmart stores open at 6 a.m. local time, though stores remain closed on Thanksgiving Day.

Cyber Monday: The Final Push

The shopping extravaganza concludes with online-only Cyber Monday deals on November 30 , with Walmart+ members again getting priority access starting at 7 p.m. ET on November 29.

What Makes Walmart's Black Friday Different

Walmart has moved away from traditional doorbusters that had customers camping outside stores overnight. Instead, they focus on "Special Buys"—limited- quantity deals spread across electronics, toys, home goods, and more. This approach creates a more manageable shopping experience while still offering significant discounts.

The retailer promotes savings of up to 70% off on TVs, vacuums, electronics, and gaming products , with additional discounts of around 50% off on toys and home goods. Walmart+ membership has become increasingly valuable during this period, offering consistent early access across all event waves.

Shopping Tips and Policies

  • Free shipping is available on orders of $35 or more, with store pickup as an alternative option
  • Extended returns allow items purchased starting October 1 to be returned through January 31 of the following year
  • No price matching or rain checks are offered during Black Friday
  • Downloading the KCL app can help you set deal alerts and track price drops

The Reality Check: Employee Perspective

According to discussions on the Walmart subreddit, even store employees often don't have advance information about specific deals beyond what's publicly available on the website. One employee noted, "We have no additional information beyond what's available on the website. Please refrain from asking us further questions," highlighting that frontline workers are just as much in the dark as customers when it comes to granular sale details. Another employee mentioned that many local customers don't even realize sales are happening since Walmart has moved away from traditional printed advertising circulars.

TLDR: Walmart Black Friday 2026 is predicted to start November 13 with the first wave of deals, followed by a second wave starting November 24 online (November 27 in stores), and wrapping up with Cyber Monday on November 30. Walmart+ members get early access to all events starting at 7 p.m. ET the night before each wave officially begins. The multi-week format replaces the traditional single-day shopping frenzy, giving everyone more chances to score deals without the chaos. Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.