It’s the day after Thanksgiving when Canadian shoppers score the most! Craving deals, a lot of shoppers love Black Friday — a sales bonanza that was influenced by the U.S., where retailers have long slashed prices the day after their Thanksgiving holiday — seemingly at the expense of profit making. But there’s nothing to lose here, so check out these commonly-asked questions for Black Friday Canada 2020! We also discuss where the term “Black Friday” came from and if Black Friday sales are worth the hype. 

Black Friday Canada: Frequently Asked Questions 2021

Is there a Black Friday in Canada?

Yes, Black Friday will officially start at 12 am on 27 November in Canada. Black Friday is always the day after Thanksgiving, which means the Biggest Shopping Day of the Year will be held on the 27th of November in 2020! 

Keep in mind that the holidays savings often start a couple of days before Black Friday (and 2020 will be no different). In previous years, many Black Friday sales actually started on Thanksgiving (even before Thanksgiving for some retailers) and continued into the weekend and Cyber Week. Some Black Friday deals have started early as late-October. 

In the past, certain companies like Amazon and eBay have started off Black Friday sales early, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled. For other companies that are online, 

Black Friday should commence smack bang at the stroke of midnight. This means that if you’re wanting to score the best deals online you may want to nap earlier in the day to stay up past your bedtime. 

For other Canadian bricks-and-mortar stores, the sales will start at the beginning of late October. These sales are usually sold out at the end of the day but this sale period tends to be pretty flexible so you may see some deal extensions.

What does Black Friday mean in Canada?  

Black Friday didn’t always matter to Canadians especially before the 80s as it started out as a US shopping event, but Canadian retailers slowly started following the trend. Seeing growth in the market, these retailers began offering discounts on that day as well. As a result, we’ve seen Black Friday scale up and up each year making it one of the largest shopping events in Canada today. 

On the other hand, many explanations link the name to the fact that retailers operate at a loss or “in the red” from January to November. The colour is of significance to represent their sales. Black Friday is the day their profits turn around (“in the black”) but the name actually dates further back than that. The term “Black Friday” comes from the horrendous traffic accidents and sometimes acts of violence and blood that would result from the chaos of “savvy shoppers.” In the US, the police force in Philadelphia coined the phrase to refer to the absolute mayhem that typically occurs on that day.

Does Apple Canada have Black Friday sales?

No, but Best Buy deals are starting early this 2020 for Black Friday in Canada. 

Is there a black Friday in 2020?

There’s no doubt that 2020 has been a crazy year, which has probably left some shoppers wondering whether Black Friday is cancelled or not. 

Thankfully, the answer is absolutely not. However, this annual shopping event is going to look different this year. In general, retailers are announcing deals early, throwing multiple (or month-long) Black Friday events and shaping Black Friday to fit 2020. 

When do Black Friday sales end?

Black Friday sales will typically conclude when retail shopping hours end on Friday. That being said, plenty of stores extend their sales across the weekend. Lucky for avid shoppers more stores extend their sales online. If you’re worried you’ve missed out on something, it’s a good idea to double-check which stores are extending their sales as stores tend to be ready to get their maximum sales stocks out! Some online retailers even extend their sale periods for the entire weekend because they don’t have to worry about storing their stock or shifting their stock from one place to another. Physical stores, on the other hand, mean Black Friday sales will typically end when retail shopping hours end on Friday. 

Black Friday vs Cyber Monday

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are two of the biggest sale events of the year (some even go to the boxing day sale). This year, Black Friday is on Friday 27 November 2020 and Cyber Monday will be on 30 November 2020. Just three days apart Cyber Monday is a sale event specifically customized towards online-only deals (as its name cyber signifies), so you aren’t likely to find too many deals in physical retail stores.

When these two sale events started, they were very different. Black Friday was predominantly held in brick and mortar stores and Cyber Monday was all about online sales for the few retailers that offered it. Now, Black Friday sales are both in-store and online whereas Cyber Monday sales are purely for online audiences. 

But which has better discounts: Black Friday or Cyber Monday?

Each retailer is different when it comes to their Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. If you want to wait to get a bargain, this could lead to bigger savings, but you also run the risk of the hot-ticket items selling out. Let’s explain. 

If you’re shopping for tech items, you’re probably better off doing most of your shopping on Black Friday as this is one of the most popular shopping categories during this day and products tend to sell out. Plus, hot selling ticket items such as tech products are often put up a few days before Friday, so it’s not a one-day sale. 

Fashion and beauty sales tend to continue over the weekend, but if there are any cult brands you’re after — like Nike or Gucci — get those off your list as these two are super hot sellers! 

The sales and deals available over this weekend offer an incredible opportunity to get the jump on your Christmas shopping and purchase expensive items for ridiculously cheap prices. So if you see a Black Friday deal that’s a good saving and has your product in stock, we’d suggest that buy it then and there, it doesn’t get much better than this all year round. 

Black Friday Buying Tips for Canadians

• Keep an eye out BEFORE Black Friday: In Canada, retailers publish their deals before Black Friday so that you have time to consider your options and really find the best bargain.

• Make a wish list:  The Black Friday madness includes deals on anything and everything. Get organized and create a wish list of items you really want for your house or personally so that you can see which stores are offering discounts on them. It also helps to prevent  you from overspending during a sale.

• Be prepared to buy before the actual day:  Retailers tend to offer two types of sales when it comes to Black Friday. A pre-set sale is normally set weeks in advance, while the second (and, in our opinion, the most exciting) happens on the actual day. If you’re worried your items will fly off the shelves on Black Friday, you may find it worthwhile to shop in the weeks or days leading up to the big event.

• Shop around: Many times people find a better deal elsewhere. For example, Apple is notorious for offering cunning Black Friday deals that are just mediocre. Check out sites like eBay and Amazon for a bigger and better discount for electronics! 

• Think it through: Speaking of electronic items, please don’t forget that electronics might not work without multiple components. It’s easy to get caught up in the bargains but you’ll probably need an adapter and a transformer. Some of the best deals in the US revolve around new TVs, but even if you buy one at a massive discount factor in the higher shipping cost.

• Make sure the retailer ships to Canada:  If you’re choosing to buy from overseas, you can still access the retailer’s Black Friday deals, just double check that  they ship to your home address.

Are items actually less expensive on Black Friday?

Sometimes you can see some brands being a bit sneaky and bumping up prices in October to make discounts on Black Friday look good. Be aware of the real price and not the RRP (recommended retail price), to guarantee your savings are actually as big as it seems.

What’s a doorbuster deal?

These are deals or products that are only available at certain times, such as when the doors open first thing in the morning. However, many doorbuster deals will be available online at similar (or even cheaper!) prices.

Can I return items I bought on Black Friday?

This depends on retailers’ policies. Always check the return policy before buying up a storm. A couple of shops will let you return items for a full refund in the original payment method or store credit, whereas others will only allow you to get store credit. Some retailers may not allow returns at all, especially for clearance items where they want their stock out.