The best Black Friday deals for 2021, all in one place

UPDATE: Nov. 12, 2021, 12:30 p.m. EST We've rounded up all of the best early Black Friday deals as of Nov. 12 — here are our top picks:

• BEST TV DEAL: Amazon Fire TV 50-inch Omni Series 4K UHD smart TV, an all-new 4K display with hands-free voice control and two-way video calling; it's on sale for the first time ever —$359.99 $509.99 (save 29%)

• BEST ROBOT VACUUM DEAL: iRobot Roomba j7 is the newest and first Roomba with obstacle-avoiding PrecisionVision Navigation —$499 $649.99 (save $150.99)

• BEST APPLE DEAL:Apple AirPods with Charging Case (2nd Gen)are the OG wireless earbuds; grab a pair on sale at their lowest price to date —$89$129(save 31%)

• BEST SMART HOME DEAL: Google Nest Mini (2nd Gen) is a compact smart speaker that's now half off its usual retail price — $24.99 $49 (save $25) + 3 months of YouTube Premium for free

• BEST LAPTOP DEAL:Samsung Chromebook 4, a super durable laptop from late 2020 that packs an Intel Celeron N4020 processor and 32GB of storage —$129$199.99(save 35%)

• BEST FITNESS DEAL: The Mirror is a full-length smart mirror that can stream live and on-demand workout videos —$995 $1,495 (save $500) + free delivery with code HOLIDAY21

• BEST GAMING DEAL: GameStop is running a "buy two, get one free" sale on select video games, including brand new titles like Call of Duty: Vanguard, Forza Horizons 5, and Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy) —save up to $129.99

• BEST AIR FRYER DEAL:Chefman French Door Air Fryer+ Ovenis a massive (26-quart!) air fryer that can whip up enough fries or pizza rolls for the entire family —$99$149(save 34%)

• MOST ICONIC DEAL:TheTwilightSaga: Complete 5-Movie Collection (DVD)— because theTwilightRenaissance is upon us, loca —$7.96$13(save 39%)

Did it hurt? When you realized we're in the thick of our second pandemic holiday shopping season?

Stores began soft-launching their Black Friday deals in October to get a jump on the supply chain chaos that's making "availability" a central theme in this year's sales. But now that November is here, things are really ramping up.

Below, you'll find a complete list of all the Black Friday doorbusters that are live right now (with sales grouped by retailer, category, and brand). We continue to update this post as more deals pop up, but don't hold out too long if something on your shopping list is already enjoying a discount —it may not be in stock for much longer.

The best deals at each retailer

Amazon: Amazon got the earliest start on this year's Black Friday sales and will continue to drop holiday doorbusters every day in the lead-up to Black Friday proper. (Its inventory tends to change the most, so check back often —you can find out what's up for grabs by visiting its Early Black Friday Deals page, installing its mobile app, or by asking your smart home device, “Alexa, what are my deals?") At the time of writing, its best deals included deep discounts on the new Fire TV Omni and Fire TV 4-Series smart displays, a $99 Honeywell Home smart thermostat, and a new all-time-low price for the fancy Fitbit Luxe.

Bed Bath & Beyond: This year's slow-burner, BB&B is currently on its second early Black Friday sale of November but has yet to reveal its official holiday ad scan. No matter —getting in there ASAP will save you up to 50% on bedding and up to 25% off select kitchen appliances, cookware, vacuums, bathroom furnishings, and decor. (Fifty bucks off the new 8-quart Ninja Foodi XL Pressure Cooker Steam Fryer, anyone?) You'll also receive $50 in rewards for every $200 you spend online or in-store now through Sunday, Nov. 14, as a treat. Want to save even more? Join its Beyond+ membership program — subscribers get 20% off every purchase and free standard shipping through Jan. 31, 2022; click here to start a free trial (normally $29 annually).

Best Buy: The electronics store's official Black Friday sale begins a whole week early (on Friday, Nov. 19), but again, don't bother waiting: It's also treating the entire month of November like one big Black Friday celebration, running thousands of deals across multiple events that are all covered by its new "Black Friday Price Guarantee." (Early doorbusters include a $999 iMac, 28% off the brand new Fitbit Charge 5, and a 50% markdown on a limited-edition Keurig K-Mini.) My Best Buy and Best Buy Totaltech members can also shop some exclusive "Member Mondays" series of deals at the beginning of each week, so there are plenty of opportunities to save.

Dell: A few other stores beat Dell to the punch this year — it's usually among the first to release its holiday ad scan —but its official Black Friday event will begin earlier than most on Monday, Nov. 15. In the meantime, you can shop a preview sale featuring some "lowest prices of the year" on things like gaming PCs (up to 33% off), XPS and Inspiron laptops (up to $300 off), and brand-name monitors (up to 45% off).

HP: The techies over at HP are rolling their Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals into one big ol' sale from Nov. 25 to Cyber Monday (its "biggest savings event of the year," per the ad scan), which plunges prices on Microsoft Office software and tons of Windows 11 laptops and PCs. As far as early pickings go, you can score 42% off the HP ENVY 17-inch Laptop, save $300 on a new 16.1-inch OMEN gaming laptop, and get an HP Chromebook 11a-nb0047nr for just $149.99 (normally $259.99) during the 72 Hour Flash Sale that's happening on its site right now.

JCPenney: The department store is keeping things pretty traditional this year with a three-day Black Friday sale from Nov. 26 to 28. But like most of its peers, it's also putting a sprinkling of weekly deals and doorbusters up on its website all month long. (Highlights include up to 60% off select mattresses, 20% off a Shark stick vacuum, and this $10 karaoke mic.) If you're patient/brave enough to wait for the big day, make sure to keep an eye out for some seriously good kitchen deals — select gadgets from Black + Decker and Bella Essentials will be marked down to a mere $8 each (!) after some rebates.

Kohl's: After teasing some of its Black Friday offers in mid-October, Kohl's officially dropped its ad scan and kicked off a holiday preview event from Nov. 5 to 10. Nothing explicitly Black Friday-y is going on over there at the moment, but anyone who's hosting Thanksgiving this year should feel free to shop its Home Sale on select holiday decor, vacuums, and kitchen/dining products now through Nov. 20. (Pro tip: Enroll in the free Kohl's Rewards program to get an extra $10 off any purchase of $50 or more with the code HOME10.) Be sure to mark your calendar for Nov. 21, which is when its official Black Friday sale begins — we'll see the return of its excellent $15 for $50 Kohl’s Cash offer on select days.

Macy's: The mall stalwart is offering "unbeatable" and "specially-curated" deals each week of November ahead of its big holiday sale (which begins a few days early on Tuesday, Nov. 23 and goes through Saturday, Nov. 27). Its latest markdowns come as part of a Black Friday Early Access Sale on apparel, home goods, shoes, and handbags/accessories from Nov. 11 to 15, helmed by a 10% discount on the Bartesian premium cocktail maker (with the code SCORE) and a $200 markdown on a queen-sized Purple mattress.

Target: Not to be outdone by its peers, the bullseye brand is getting a head start on Black Friday with a series of weeklong Holiday Best sales —the second of which is live now through Saturday, Nov. 13. (Peep these $100 Beats headphones, this $250 Dyson vacuum, and these LEGO sets that get you a $10 Target gift card for every $50 spent.) It's also worth noting that Target's holiday price match policy is now in effect through Dec. 24, and you can also take advantage of two new "buy now, pay later" payment options through Sezzle and Affirm.

Walmart: The big box store has revived its popular Black Friday Deals for Days event from 2020, this time spreading it out over three sales throughout the month of November. (Like Target, it's also nixed layaway in favor of a new "buy now, pay later" program as part of its partnership with Affirm.) Its second sale began online on Nov. 10 and continued in stores the morning of Nov. 12, bringing can't-miss doorbusters like $89 AirPods (!!!) and a $129 Samsung Chromebook 4. The date of its third and final event hasn't been announced yet, but keep your eyes peeled for more info. (And maybe consider joining Walmart+ — paying members will get online access to its deals four hours earlier than everyone else.)

Best tech deals

On sale for the first time ever, Amazon's new Fire TV Omni Series smart displays feature hands-free Alexa voice control. Credit: Amazon

23andMe: Save up to 52% on select DNA tests (starting at just $79).

AeroGarden: Take 40% off its Sprout and Harvest indoor gardens (now $59.99 and $89.97, respectively), 44% off the Harvest 360 (now $83.99), 35% off the Harvest Elite (now $116.97), and 47% off the Harvest Elite Slim (now $99.99).

Amazon Echo: Save 53% on a refurbished first-gen Echo Show 5 (now $34.99).

Amazon Fire: Take half off a refurbished Fire HD 8 Plus (now $49.99).

Amazon Fire TV: Get half off the latest Fire TV Stick 4K (now $24.99) or grab one of the new Fire TV Omni or Fire 4-Series smart displays on sale for up to 30% off (starting at $359.99 and $329.99, respectively).

AncestryDNA: Save 40% on a DNA test kit (now $59).

Arlo: Save 41% on a three-pack of Arlo Essential wireless security cameras (now $199).

ASUS: Get $110 off a VivoBook Flip 14 Laptop with an Intel Core i3-10110U processor, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage (now $379).

Blue: Get 33% off the Yeti USB Mic (now $99.99).

Bose: Take 40% off the QuietComfort 35 II noise-canceling headphones (now $179).

Canon: Save up to 23% on select cameras and accessories.

Cricut: Save 32% on the Cricut Explore Air 2 (now $169), take 33% off the Cricut Maker (now $249), or get Walmart's Cricut Maker Holiday Bundle (a $493.96 value) for just $259 —that's a 48% savings.

Dell: Save $250 on a Dell Inspiron 7000 convertible laptop with an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 32GB of Intel Optane Memory in addition to a 512GB solid-state drive (now $699.99).

Dyson: Take $100 off the V8 Motorhead Origin and the V8 Fluffy (now $249.99 and $299.99, respectively).

Facebook: Save up to 36% on Facebook Portal smart video-calling devices (starting at $113.99).

Fitbit: Get 23% off the Fitbit Sense (now $229.95), 28% off the new Fitbit Charge 5 (now $129.95), 33% off the Fitbit Luxe (now $99.95), 34% off the Fitbit Versa 2 (now $119), and 38% off the Fitbit Ace 3 (now $49.95).

Fujifilm: Get an Instax Mini 7+ bundle at Walmart for just $48, which is 20% less than the camera alone.

Garmin: Save up to 43% on select Garmin smartwatches, including the Garmin Instinct Solar (now $249.99), the Garmin vívoactive 4 (now $199.99), and the Garmin Forerunner 245 (also $199.99).

Google: Get half off the second-gen Nest Mini smart speaker (now $24.99) and score a free three-month trial of YouTube Premium.

GoPro: Get $50 off the HERO9 Black and the new HERO10 Black on Amazon (now $349.99 and $449, respectively), or visit Walmart to get a HERO8 Black bundle for just $249 — that's 29% cheaper than the camera itself.

Honeywell Home: Save 41% on the WiFi Smart Color Thermostat (now $99).

HP: Take 42% off the HP ENVY 17-inch Laptop (now $699.99) and 43% off the HP Chromebook 11a-nb0047nr (now $149.99).

Insignia: Save 41% on the brand's bestselling 24-inch smart TV (now $99.99), or buy its 58-inch Class F30 Series 4K smart TV on sale for 40% off (now $349.99) to score three months of Apple TV+ and a 30-day trial of FuboTV for free.

Jabra: Save $80 on the Elite 85t true wireless earbuds (now $149.99).

JBL: Get 40% off its Tune series of headphones (starting at $29.95) and 55% off the Flip 5 portable speaker (now $58.88).

Lenovo: Take 71% off the ThinkSmart View for Microsoft Teams (now $99.99) and 57% off the Smart Clock with Google Assistant (now $34.99).

LG: Get an LG SLM3R 4.1 channel soundbar surround system on sale for 32% off (now $129), take up to 28% off its C1 Series of 4K OLED smart TVs (starting at $1,096.99), or save 25% on a 48-inch A1 Series display (now $896.99) that comes with a free six-month trial of HBO Max.

Logitech: Save 43% on the Webcam C615 (now $39.99).

Marshall: Save $50 on the Kilburn II portable Bluetooth speaker (now $249.99).

Microsoft: Get up to $200 off the Surface Laptop Go, take up to $400 off the Surface Pro 7, save up to $700 on the Surface Book 3, or grab a Surface Pro 8 Essentials Bundle to snag a free pair of Surface Earbuds (worth $199.99).

Revlon: Save 42% on the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer (now $34.88), a budget-friendly alternative to the Dyson Airwrap.

Roku: Get 42% off the new Roku Streaming Stick 4K (now $29) and take 31% off the powerful Roku Ultra (now $69).

Samsung: Get 34% off the 32GB Galaxy Tab A (now $99.99), 25% off the Galaxy Buds Pro (now $149.99), 47% off the Galaxy Buds+ (now $79), and 55% off a Galaxy Watch3 (now $179.99). Plus, save up to 35% on select Samsung TVs (including The Frame).

Sennheiser: Get up to 40% off select headphones and earbuds (starting at only $19.95).

Sony: Save up to 39% on its BRAVIA XR X90J 4K smart TVs (starting at $898).

TCL: Save 30% on its 43-inch 4-Series 4K Roku smart TV (now $299) or get $150 off its 55-inch 6-Series 4K QLED smart Google TV (now $799.99), which comes with three free months of Apple TV+.

MORE BLACK FRIDAY DEALS ON TVS AND LAPTOPS

Best robot vacuum deals

Robot vacuums: Because no one's ever sat on their deathbed wishing they'd spent more time cleaning. Credit: Bissell

Bissell: Save $100 on the SpinWave Wet and Dry Robotic Vacuum (now $299.99).

eufy: Take 34% off the RoboVac 25C (now $99), 40% off the RoboVac 11S (now $137.98), 57% off the RoboVac G30 Verge (now $149), and 37% off the RoboVac 15C MAX (now $175.99).

iRobot: Save $150.99 on the brand new Roomba j7 and j7+ (now $499 and $699, respectively), take $100 off the WiFi-connected Roomba 692 (now $199.99), or get a self-emptying Roomba i6+ for 31% off (now $549.99).

Roborock: Get 39% off the S6 MaxV robot vacuum and mop (now $459.99) with an extra savings coupon.

Shark: Take 42% off the Shark EZ Robot at Walmart (now $288), or shop a Friends and Family Sale on the brand's website to save up to $200.

MORE BLACK FRIDAY DEALS ON ROBOT VACUUMS AND ROOMBAS

Best Apple deals

Apple's next-gen AirPods are here (and already on sale). Credit: Apple

AirPods: Take 44% off the second-gen AirPods (now just $89!), get 24% off the AirPods Pro (now $189.99), save $4.02 on the new third-gen AirPods (now $174.98 —hey, it's something), or grab a pair of AirPods Max for $70 off (now $479).

Apple accessories: Save $5 on the MagSafe Charger (now $34), take 22% off the second-gen Apple Pencil (now $99.99), and get 18% off select iPhone 13 accessory bundles (now $169).

Apple TV: Get six months each of Apple Music and Apple News+, a three-month trial of Apple TV+, and 30 days of FuboTV when you grab a 32GB Apple TV 4K on sale for $30 off (now $129.99).

Apple Watch: Save $9.01 on the new 41mm Apple Watch Series 7 (now $389.99), $50 on the 40mm Apple Watch Series 6 (now $349), and $30 on the 38mm Apple Watch Series 3 (now $169). Want one with cellular connectivity instead? Buy it directly from the Apple Store to get $100 back after activation.

Beats: Get half off the Solo3 wireless headphones (now $99.99), 49% off the Studio3 noise-canceling headphones (now $179.99), 40% off the Powerbeats Pro wireless earphones (now $149.99), and $20 off the Studio Buds (now $129.95).

iPad: Save $60 on an iPad Air with 64GB of storage (now $539), take $120 off the 512GB variant of this year's new 11-inch iPad Pro (now $979), or get up to $150 off select configurations of the latest 12.9-inch iPad Pro (starting at $999). You can also buy any iPad with cellular connectivity directly from Apple to score up to $200 back after activation.

iPhone: Get a free 128GB iPhone 13 from AT&T or a free 128GB iPhone 13 mini from Verizon with an eligible trade-in and a new data plan.

iMac: Take $40.01 off the colorful new 24-inch iMac with Apple's M1 chip, a 7-core GPU, and 256GB of storage (now $1,258.99); get $500 off the 21.5-inch iMac with a Retina 4K display, an Intel Core i5processor, and 256GB of storage (now $999); or save $100 on a 27-inch iMac with a Retina 5K display, an Intel Core i5 processor, and 256GB or 512GB of storage (starting at $1,699).

MacBook: Get $100 off an M1-equipped MacBook Air with 256GB of storage (now $899), save $150 on a 512GB M1 MacBook Pro (now $1,349), or take $49.01 off select configurations of the latest 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros with the all-new M1 Pro chip (now $2,449.99 apiece).

MORE BLACK FRIDAY APPLE DEALS

Best fitness deals

Peloton whomst? Credit: NordicTrack

Bowflex: Save 25% on the SelectTech 840 Kettlebell (now $149), or buy a set of SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells on sale for 27% off (now $399) to score a free one-year JRNY membership.

Echelon: Take $320 off the EX-3 Smart Connect (now $679.99) and $325 off the EX5-S Smart Connect (now $1,274.99), two Peloton-rivaling fitness bikes, or grab a 40-inch Echelon Reflect smart fitness mirror for 24% off (now $756.99).

The Mirror: Save $500 and get free delivery with the code HOLIDAY21 (now $995).

NordicTrack: Get $700 off the new S22i Commercial Studio Cycle and the Commercial 2950 Treadmill (now $1,499 and $2,499.99, respectively), $400 off the Commercial 1750 Treadmill, and $600 off the RW200 Rower (now $699.99); all four come with a free 30-day iFIT membership.

ProForm: Take $200 off the Carbon T10and Pro 5000 treadmills (now $999.99 and $1,499.99, respectively); you'll get a free 30-day iFIT trial either way.

Schwinn: Save $200 on the IC4 Indoor Cycling Bike (now $999) and get a free one-year JRNY membership.

Tonal: Save $250 on the Tonal home gym system (now $2,745).

MORE BLACK FRIDAY FITNESS DEALS

Best gaming deals

This spring's new "Mass Effect" remaster includes the original trilogy and over 40 DLCs. Credit: EA

2K: Save on select games for the Nintendo Switch, including BioShock: The Collection(now $20) and The Outer Worlds (now $24).

Dell: Save up to 33% on select gaming PCs, including laptops from the brand's premium Alienware line (starting at $699.99), or take $70 off the new Dell 24-inch Curved Gaming Monitor (now $179.99).

EA: Get 37% off Xbox One copies of Madden NFL 22 (now $37.75) and Mass Effect: Legendary Edition (now $37.63).

GameStop: Select video games are buy two, get one free (including new titles like Call of Duty: Vanguard, Forza Horizons 5, and Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy).

JBL: Get up to 25% off its Quantum line of gaming headsets (starting at $29.95).

Lenovo: Take $160.99 off a Lenovo Legion 5 gaming laptop with an AMD Ryzen 5 5600H processor, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics (now $749).

Logitech: Save 35% on the G935wireless gaming headset (now $109.99).

Microsoft: Get your first month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or your first three months of Xbox Game Pass for PC for just $1.

Razer: Take 20% off the Huntsman Elite gaming keyboard (now $159.99) and 38% off the Wolverine UltimateXbox and PC controller (now $99.99). Plus, grab last year's excellent Razer Blade 15 gaming laptop on sale for 35% off (now $1,697.82) — this particular configuration comes with an Intel Core i7-10875H processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Super Max-Q graphics, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage.

Rockstar: Save 66% on a copy of Red Dead Redemption II for PS4 (now $19.99).

Samsung: Get 47% off its 24-inch CRG5 Curved Gaming Monitor (now $149.99) and $150 off its 49-inch QLED Gaming Monitor (now $1,049.99 —ignore Walmart's inflated list price).

Square Enix: Save 50% on Marvel's Avengers for Playstation 4 and the Day One Edition of Outriders for PS5 (now $19.99 each).

SteelSeries: Take up to 25% off select gaming headsets, including the wireless Arctis 7 (now $127.18), the RGB-lit Arctis 5 (now $74.53), and the wired Arctis 1 (now $38.95). Best Buy will also give you up to 30% off select SteelSeries Prime gaming mice (starting at $41.99).

Turtle Beach: Get 40% off the Recon 500 wired gaming headset (now $47.99).

WD: Take up to 39% off select My Passport SSDs (starting at $229.99).

MORE BLACK FRIDAY GAMING DEALS

Best kitchen deals

Save on some fancy French cookware from Le Creuset. Credit: Le Creuset

Breville: Take 20% off the Smart Oven Pro Convection Toaster/Pizza Oven (now $223.95).

Chefman: Save $50 on the family-size, 26-quart French Door Air Fryer+ Oven (now $99.99).

Instant Pot: Get 17% off the 6-quart Instant Pot Duo Plus (now $99.99) and 13% off the 6-quart Instant Pot Duo Crisp (now $129.95).

Keurig: Save 50% on a limited-edition K-Mini (now $49.99), 44% on the K-Duo (now $99.99), and 20% on the K-Duo Essentials (now $79).

Le Creuset: Take 40% off the fancy French brand's 3.5-quart Sauteuse (now $179.95).

Ninja: Take $80 off the 6.5-quart Foodi TenderCrisp Pressure Cooker (now $149), save $50 on the new 8-quart Foodi XL Pressure Cooker Steam Fryer (now $279.99), and get up to 20% off select Foodi cookware sets (starting at $199.99).

PowerXL: Get 50% off its 10-quart Dual Basket Air Fryerand 5-quart Single Basket Air Fryer (now $99.99 and $59.99, respectively).

SodaStream: Get up to 22% off select bundles.

MORE BLACK FRIDAY DEALS ON INSTANT POTS AND AIR FRYERS

Best house and home deals

Tuft & Needle makes some of Mashable's favorite beds-in-a-box. Credit: Tuft & Needle

Amazon: Get up to 30% off select rugs.

Bath & Body Works: All three-wick candles are buy one, get one free (save up to $27.50).

Birch: Get $400 off a mattress and two free Eco-Rest pillows with the code BFSALE400.

Casper: Save up to 30% on select mattresses.

Homesick: Get up to 25% off select candles (starting at $20.23).

JCPenney: Take up to 60% off select mattresses and up to 40% off select furniture.

Leesa: Get up to $400 off mattresses and 15% off sleep bundles.

Purple: Save up to $600 when you bundle a mattress with pillows, sheets, and a mattress protector.

Tuft & Needle: Save up to 20% on select mattresses and sleep accessories.

Yankee Candle: Select two-wick tumblers are half off at Walmart (now $10).

MORE BLACK FRIDAY DEALS ON MATTRESSES

Best toy deals

Yes, Hermione, I think this is going be *exactly* like Wizard's Chess. Credit: LEGO

Amazon: Get up to 50% off a handful of children's books.

Baby Alive: Take up to 10% off select dolls, sets, and accessories.

Barbie: Save 40% on the Barbie 3-in-1 DreamCamper at Walmart (now $60), or head to Target to get 10% off select dolls and playsets.

Best Buy: Get up to $39 off select STEM toys (starting at just $7.99).

Elmer's: Take 12% off a metallic slime kit (now $10.99).

Disney: Get up to 36% off select toys and apparel.

Hover-1: Save 38% on the iridescent Aviator eScooter and 26% on the iridescent Self-Balancing Scooter (now $199.99 each).

KidKraft: Get 50% off the Uptown Espresso Kitchen Playset (now $99), 37% off the Majestic Mansion Dollhouse (now $139), and 31% off the Castlewood Playset (now $899).

Kinetic Sand: Save 15% on the Kinetic Sand Sandisfactory Set (now $16.97).

LEGO: Get a free $10 gift card when you spend $50 on select LEGO sets at Target, or just grab a 1,500-piece LEGO Bricks and Animals set for half off at Walmart (now $29).

L.O.L. Surprise!: Get an L.O.L. Surprise! Remix Hair Flip Tot figurine with 15 surprises for just $7.99 (a 50% savings).

Osmo: Get 25% off select kits and games.

PAW Patrol: Save 42% on a three-piece City PAW Patroller playset inspired by PAW Patrol: The Movie (now $34).

Ruko: Take $20 off the voice-controlled Ruko Smart Robot (now $109.99) with an extra savings coupon.

Tamagotchi: Get 34% off the floral/pink Tamagotchi Pix (now $39.46).

Target: Select board games, activity kits, puzzles, video games, movies, and books are buy two, get one free.

MORE BLACK FRIDAY TOY DEALS

Best pet deals

Treat your good boy/girl this Black Friday. Credit: Whistle

Amazon: Save up to 18% on Amazon Basics pet products (including dog poop bags, a de-shedding tool, and a cat tree).

Basepaws: Get $40 off its Breed + Health Cat DNA Test (now $89) and a free toy with the code GIVING.

Chewy: Select pet products are buy three, get one free.

ChuckIt!: Take 70% off the ChuckIt! Sports Ball Launcher (now just $3.96) with an extra savings coupon.

Doggy Do Good: Save 17% on a 60-count pack of its biodegradable dog poop bags (now $9.99), our favorite eco-friendly option for pet waste disposal.

Embark: Take $30 off its Breed Identification Kit (now $99) or $50 off its Breed + Health and Purebred kits (now $149 each) with the code HARK.

KONG: Save 15% on the medium-sized KONG Classic(now $10.99), a stuffable and durable rubber chew toy.

Petco: Get $30 off select pet supplies purchases of $100 or more.

Petcube: Save $24.05 on the Bites 2 Lite (now $124.95), an 1080p HD pet camera with night vision, two-way audio, and a treat dispenser.

PetSafe: Save $30.04 on the ScoopFree Ultra Self-Cleaning Litter Box (now $179.95) and $20.04 on the Healthy Pet Simply Feed(now $109.95).

PetSmart: Get 25% off when you spend at least $50 on its website.

ThunderShirt: Get 15% off a ThunderShirt in size small (now $34), which will fit most dogs in the 15- to 25-pound range.

Whistle: Take 25% off all GPS pet trackers and monitoring devices (with a one- or two-year plan) using the code BRAND25.

MORE BLACK FRIDAY PET DEALS

Don't forget to order a little something nice for yourself this year. You earned it. Credit: Vicky Leta / Mashable

Ready or not, Black Friday is here

Stores began cramming our inboxes with Black Friday-worthy deals in early October (starting with Amazon's "Epic Daily Deals" event, which kicked off Oct. 4). It probably felt a bit preemptive, like those neighbors whoinsiston putting up their Christmas lights while the trees are still green, but they actually had a very good reason to get a jump on this year's sales.

And no, it wasn't just a good, old-fashioned cash grab in response to some strong holiday spending forecasts.

Shipping delays and supply chain chaos

The global economy is grappling with some unprecedented supply chain challenges as the result of the Delta variant, which continues to inflame pandemic-related material scarcities, labor shortages, and shipping bottlenecks across industries of all kinds. (Under circumstances absolutely no one had on their bingo card, pickles and paper bags have gotten as elusive as Playstation 5s.)

Unsurprisingly, the ordeal has left most major manufacturers and retailers scrambling. Amazon is trying to lure in an extra 150,000 seasonal employees with the promise of $3,000 sign-on bonuses and higher pay for certain shifts, while Walmart, Home Depot, and Ikea have all gone so far as to charter private cargo ships to make sure their shelves are stocked for the season. Apple, meanwhile, is "predicting that we're going to be short of demand by larger than $6 billion" heading into the holidays, CEO Tim Cook said in a recent interview with Reuters.

For us consumers, this all means that finding the best deals this holiday season will likely be an ongoing question of availability more so than price.

"There will always be sales, but they won’t be as deep and as plentiful," Bain & Company's Aaron Cheris toldCNBC. (He's the head of the consulting firm's Americas Retail practice.) "As a retailer or a brand, I don’t have the same motivation when I know I’m going to stock out."

If you missed out on October's whirlwind of early sales, fret not. Backorders and "sold out" notices haven't besieged stores just yet, but mapping out a game plan now will help you avoid them when they inevitably crop up in the coming weeks. Here are all the must-know details you can use to strategize this holiday shopping season:

What is Black Friday?

Black Friday is a shopping holiday that takes place every year on the day right after Thanksgiving. It used to be synonymous with viral fistfights and stampedes and lines that stretched around city blocks before 3 a.m., but COVID-19 has turned it into a mostly online event.

When is Black Friday?

While Black Friday proper falls on Nov. 26 this year, most stores have already begun rolling out their holiday doorbusters.

Black Friday versus Cyber Monday — what's the difference?

The National Retail Federation officially coined the term "Cyber Monday" in 2005 after it noticed that in previous years, the Monday after Thanksgiving saw a massive uptick in online sales. It credited the phenomenon to two factors: Online retailers were starting to vie for a piece of the Black Friday pie, and shoppers were waiting to peruse the deals on their faster work computers come Monday morning. (At the time, office PCs had better broadband than home setups.)

Last year's Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales effectively bled together since in-person shopping wasn't really a thing. We'll almost certainly see that repeat this year.

What stores will be open for in-person shopping this Black Friday, if any?

All major retailers with brick-and-mortar locations have made the call to stay closed on Thanksgiving Day. That's another big change from pre-pandemic years, when many stayed open on the federal holiday so that eager shoppers could start perusing their best deals early. (If you feel the urgent need to do some post-pie shopping that day, you'll have to crack open your laptop instead.) In-person shopping is making a comeback for Black Friday, but be mindful of COVID-related safety procedures and limited store capacities:

• Bed Bath & Beyond: Closed on Thanksgiving; Black Friday hours TBD. Masks are required for all customers (unless you're fully vaccinated) as well as associates, and all stores are following safety plans that include extra cleaning, free wipes and hand sanitizers, employee health screenings, and occupancy limits. Curbside and in-store pickup are available.

• Best Buy: Closed on Thanksgiving; Black Friday hours TBD. Face coverings (available in stores) are recommended for all customers and required for all employees, who are abiding by enhanced safety procedures such as daily wellness checks and regular cleaning of high-touch areas. Curbside and in-store pickup are available.

• JCPenney: Closed on Thanksgiving; doors open at 5 a.m. local time on Black Friday. Its mask policy varies based on local and state mandates, but all locations are following safety measures like regular nightly cleanings, socially distanced queues, contactless checkout, and capacity limits. Curbside pickup is available.

• Kohl's: Closed on Thanksgiving; stores open at 5 a.m. local time on Black Friday. The company is requiring all associates to mask up, recommending that customers in high-risk counties do the same; it's also implemented extra cleaning and safety measures that include placing sanitizer at every register, removing beauty testers, and installing signage that encourages social distancing. Drive-up and in-store pickup are available.

• Macy's: Closed on Thanksgiving; stores are open from 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. local time on Black Friday. Its COVID-19 safety policy includes pre-shift wellness checks for all associates, readily available hand sanitizer, increased cleaning in high-touch areas, extra ventilation, and social distancing; masks are recommended but not required for vaccinated customers except where mandated. Curbside and in-store pickup are available.

• Target: Closed on Thanksgiving; Black Friday hours TBD. Face masks are required for team members and strongly recommended for shoppers in areas with a substantial or high risk of transmission, per CDC guidelines, and increased cleanliness/disinfecting measures have been implemented. (Haven't gotten a vaccine yet? You can do so at select CVS locations within Target stores.) Drive-up and in-store pickup are available.

• Walmart: Closed on Thanksgiving; Black Friday hours TBD.All associates are required to wear a mask (regardless of vaccination status) in areas where there are mandates, and customers are strongly encouraged to do so, too. Stores are spraying carts after use and keeping plastic shields at registers, among other enhanced safety procedures. Curbside and in-store pickup are available.