With Black Friday coming in just a couple of weeks, the busiest sale season on the calendar is about to kick off. It’s a great time of year to pull the trigger on any purchases you’ve been putting off with some of the lowest prices of the year available at all of the major retailers. But do you need head out to a physical store to get the best deals or will online sales provide the same level of savings? 

While Black Friday officially takes place on Nov. 25 this year, major retailers are starting their sales before then. Many Target Black Friday deals are already live as is Best Buy’s Black Friday sale. Early Walmart Black Friday promotions are also live with more being added in the coming days, so there are plenty of deals to shop right now. 

The great news is you don’t have to go to a brick and mortar store to find the savings. All of the aforementioned sales are running online as well as in-store — though there are a few reasons why you might want to hit up your nearest big box store, which we’ll explore below. While we’re on the subject of seasonal shopping, check out our list of stores closed on Thanksgiving and the top tips for preparing for Black Friday.  

Why online Black Friday deals are better

There are several benefits to shopping online during Black Friday. Firstly, you don’t have to ditch your family on Thanksgiving or get up super early the day after in order to go and line up outside a store in the cold. While you’ll have to wait a few days for your purchases to arrive, they’ll get brought right to your door. Talk about convenience.

It also means you can shop across multiple retailers. After scanning through some Black Friday ads, you might have noticed some particularly appealing deals at Walmart or Home Depot or Staples but you can’t be in more than one place at once. Online however, you can make purchases at several retailers within minutes. It also means you can compare prices and make sure you’re getting the best deal possible from the retailer you prefer to shop at. 

In recent years, online deals have been mostly identical to those offered in stores, too. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, most retailers have shifted to offering their best deals online rather than encouraging people to crowd into stores, which is great for folks who never liked doing that. Some deals are available exclusively, or at least sooner, online with several sales kicking off hours or days earlier for online shoppers before appearing in stores. 

Why in-store Black Friday deals are better

Though Black Friday sales have certainly shifted to online-first over the last few years, there are still some reasons to consider shopping in person. Though it’s convenient for all of your Black Friday purchases to just turn up at your door, there can often be a delay between you placing your order and it arriving. Whether it’s a few days or several weeks due to products going on backorder, nothing beats getting your hands on the product you want and taking it home with you. 

Plus, though the number gets smaller each year, there are still some doorbuster deals that only launch in stores. It’s also a chance to score some of the best Black Friday deals that sold out online shortly after going live — your nearest store may still have stock to sell once doors swing open on the Friday morning. 

Ultimately, the best experience will come down to personal preference and the strength of your desire to snag the most exclusive deals. Unless you have a real hankering to shop in-person this year, the online Black Friday sales will likely suffice for you. For more tips ahead of the holiday shopping season, why not check out our guides on how to avoid shipping fees, save on electronics and send surprise holiday gifts via Amazon?