Black Friday Fast Guide: How to Avoid Fake Discounts

Black Friday Has a Fake Discount Problem

A crossed-out price alone does not establish a saving. The FTC's pricing guidance says price-comparison and sale claims must be truthful. This guide explains how to check an advertised comparison; it does not report a measured rate of fake discounts or a multi-season product test.

How Fake Discounts Actually Work

The examples below are hypothetical calculations, not accusations about a particular retailer.

An inflated comparison price. If a blender previously cost $49.99 and is offered at $44.99, the difference is $5. A displayed comparison with $89.99 needs its own explanation; it does not establish a $45 saving against the former $49.99 price.

A price change before a promotion. A hypothetical jacket might rise from $80 to $120 and later be offered at $75. The saving against $80 is $5, so record dated observations rather than relying on the displayed markdown.

A comparison with a different price basis. A recommended price or another seller's price is not automatically the same as this seller's former price. Check the stated basis and compare equivalent products and sellers.

A Hypothetical Price Comparison

Suppose you see a 10-inch tablet from a brand you have never heard of. The Black Friday listing says "Was $199.99, now $79.99, 60% off!" The following numbers are illustrative:

• The tablet was listed at $89.99 for the past three months.
• On November 1st, the listing price changed to $199.99. This is a displayed price, not evidence of completed sales.
• On Black Friday, it "drops" to $79.99.

The actual discount compared to the hypothetical prior listed price: $10. The advertised discount: $120. These example prices do not establish how often this happens in any product category.

Three Checks for an Advertised Discount

You do not need special tools or hours of research. Use the same checks for each product on your shortlist.

1. Check available price history. Look up the exact Amazon listing in CamelCamelCamel or Keepa. Check seller, condition and observation dates, and account for missing periods, coupons and membership offers. A missing high price on one chart is a reason to investigate the comparison, not proof by itself that the claim is fabricated.

2. Compare the delivered price. Search the exact model at other retailers and include shipping and any eligibility requirements. A lower competing price may make another offer better value; it does not establish whether the first seller's reference price is false.

3. Record your own baseline. Before the sale, note the product URL, seller, condition, date and delivered price. Compare that observation with the eventual offer and your budget. Our price tracking setup guide explains alerts.

Check the Product Rather Than Assuming a Category Winner

This guide has no original dataset that ranks categories by fake-discount rate or guarantees annual lows. For electronics, compare the complete model number and specification; a similar-looking sale variant may differ. For clothing and home goods, compare the same item, size, materials and return conditions. For bundles, check whether you need every included item and compare the delivered cost with buying them separately.

When Do the Real Deals Actually Go Live?

Black Friday falls on November 27, 2026; Cyber Monday follows on November 30. The dates follow Thanksgiving on November 26 in the official US calendar. These calendar days do not establish Amazon, Walmart or Best Buy sale windows. Check each retailer's current US announcement for start/end times and membership restrictions. A later event is not guaranteed to beat an earlier offer. Our Cyber Monday buying framework explains how to compare the alternatives.

Red Flags That Scream Fake Deal

Treat urgency messages as prompts to check the offer, not as proof of dishonesty.

• Countdowns and stock warnings: confirm the terms and avoid exceeding your budget because of a timer.
• Large markdowns: investigate the reference price and available history, regardless of brand.
• Few reviews: check the exact model, seller and return policy; review count alone does not establish a fake deal.
• Repeated sale badges: compare dated prices to determine whether the current offer is a new reduction.

What to Actually Do on Black Friday

Prepare a list and a budget before the sale. Use the following steps to evaluate offers against your needs:

Before any sale starts, write down the specific items you want to buy. Not categories, specific products. "65-inch TCL 6-Series TV," not "maybe a TV." Next to each item, write the maximum price you are willing to pay. Use CamelCamelCamel or Google Shopping to figure out what a genuinely good price looks like.

When sales go live, check your list items first. If an item on your list hits your target price, buy it. If it does not, leave it alone. After your list is handled, close the browser. Do not browse sale pages looking for "bonus deals." That is where impulse purchases happen.

Ignore everything not on your list. This is the hard part. You will see products that look like incredible deals. Some of them might actually be good deals. Check whether an unplanned purchase serves a need you already identified. If you did not want it before the sale started, you probably do not need it.

Three Questions Before Every Purchase

Before you click "Buy Now" on anything during Black Friday, answer these three questions honestly:

1. Is this something I planned to buy before the sale started? If yes, proceed. If no, close the tab.
2. Is the price genuinely below what this item normally sells for? Check CamelCamelCamel or Google Shopping. If it has been this cheap before, consider whether buying now serves your needs; a previous low alone does not prove false urgency.
3. Would I buy this item at this price if it did not have a "sale" label on it? Remove the red banner, the crossed-out price, and the countdown timer from your mental picture. Is the product still worth this amount of money to you? If you hesitate, that is your answer.

If all three answers are yes, buy with confidence. If any answer is no, skip it. There will always be another sale.

About the Author: Maria Weber

This is a shopping-method guide, with illustrative examples rather than firsthand product tests. Read our editorial process.