It’s been a few weeks since Amazon’s massive Prime Day sale came and went. But that doesn’t mean you have to wait until Black Friday for the next round of major deals and sales. We’re just a few weeks away from Labor Day, which lands on Sept. 4 this year, bringing some of the best prices of the year on big ticket items like mattresses, major appliances, furniture and more. Sales haven’t started kicking off quite yet, but they’ll be here before you know it. And to help you take full advantage of them when they arrive, we’re rounded up everything you’ll need to know below. 

When do Labor Day sales start and end?

Although Labor Day falls on Monday, Sept. 4, this year, deals will start popping up well before then. Most major sales will kick off during that last week in August, with the very best bargains reserved for the long Labor Day weekend (Sept. 1-4). There may be a handful of retailers that try to squeeze in a few extra days of savings, but for the most part, sales will begin wrapping up after the holiday has officially passed. 

Where are the best Labor Day sales?

Most major retailers like Amazon, Target and Best Buy will take advantage of the holiday to offer their own sales and deals on select tech like headphones, TVs and more. But those aren’t the only places you’ll want to look if you’re hoping to score some major savings. Labor Day brings some of the best prices of the year on bigger and pricier items like major appliances, mattresses and furniture. We typically see massive sales at hardware stores like Home Depot and Lowes, as well as online retailers like Wayfair and Overstock. And if you’re in the market for a new bed, there should be plenty of mattress deals as well.

Should I shop Labor Day sales or wait for Black Friday deals?

Black Friday is the biggest shopping event of the year, so it can be tough to compete with the massive holiday savings that it offers. However, it also depends on what you’re shopping for. Labor Day sales tend to be geared toward larger items like major appliances and furniture, while Black Friday sales are more focused on tech, gifts and everyday essentials like TVs, headphones, laptops, apparel, workout equipment and more. So if you if you’ve been waiting for the right time to pull the trigger on a new fridge or dishwasher, Labor Day is the time to shop, but if you want to find a great price on a pair of AirPods, you’ll probably want to hold out for Black Friday. 

What about Amazon Prime Big Deal Days?

As it has for the past couple of years, Amazon has announced an October version of Prime Day. For 2023, the online retailer is calling it Amazon Prime Big Deal Days (versus last 2022’s Prime Early Access Sale moniker). All we know is that the sale will take place sometime in October, but if it aligns with last year’s dates, expect it to be in the first half of the month. 

How to keep up with the best Labor Day sales

The CNET Deals team covers all of the best price drops, discounts and deals every day from across the web. We’ll be tracking all of the major retailer sales during Labor Day and sharing the promotions you need to hear about — and there are plenty of ways to hear from us. 

Bookmark CNET.com/deals and follow @CNETDeals on Twitter to see everything we publish, or sign up for our CNET Deals newsletter for a daily digest of deals delivered to your inbox. You can also sign up for CNET Deals text alerts for curated deals during major shopping events and install our new CNET Shopping browser extension to help ensure that purchases you make all year round will be at the lowest price available. 

Lastly, check out CNET Coupons for the latest verified online coupon and discount codes and CNET’s Gift Guide for the latest back to school recommendations.