Asger Risom
Holiday shopping has stretched so far beyond the traditional calendar that Black Friday and Cyber Monday now blend into one long sale.
Holiday shopping has stretched so far beyond the traditional calendar that Black Friday and Cyber Monday now blend into one long sale. With Amazon kicking off discounts weeks before Thanksgiving and extending them through the weekend, many shoppers understandably wonder whether it’s smarter to buy on Black Friday or hold out for Cyber Monday.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday Are No Longer Separate Events
Years ago, online shoppers waited until the Monday after Thanksgiving because it reliably brought fresh deals. But as Mashable’s deal reporters point out, that distinction has faded. Amazon launches most of its major discounts well before Black Friday, continues them into the weekend and then rebrands the final stretch as Cyber Monday.
This shift has pushed the true event earlier. Mashable’s team notes that in 2025, record-low prices showed up in the days leading into Black Friday, not after it. Items ranging from AirPods to drones hit new lows before Thanksgiving was even over.
Why Cyber Monday Isn’t What It Used to Be
Because Amazon now rolls out deals weeks in advance, there’s little incentive for brands to hold back major offers for Monday. According to Mashable’s longtime trackers, the products advertised specifically for Cyber Monday tend to be smaller accessories, house-brand items, or leftover inventory that didn’t sell through on Black Friday.
More importantly, the biggest discounts — particularly on Apple, Samsung, Sony, Nintendo, and other high-demand brands — almost never debut on Cyber Monday. If anything, prices typically remain the same as the weekend or rise once stock begins to dry up.
Mashable’s reporters describe Cyber Monday as the cleanup round: a window to catch anything you missed, not the place to find deals better than Black Friday.
How to Know When to Hit Buy
Shopping early can feel overwhelming, especially when sales begin weeks ahead of the holiday. But deal analysts across the industry consistently recommend grabbing a strong price on Black Friday when you see it. Not because retailers want to pressure shoppers, but because stock situations change quickly. Hot-ticket items like Kindles, tablets, headphones and consoles can disappear long before Monday arrives.
If you’re unsure whether a discount is actually good, price-history tools such as camelcamelcamel or reputable deal roundups help confirm whether a listing is truly at or near its lowest point.
So Which Day Is Better?
Mashable’s verdict, based on years of covering these sales, is consistent: Amazon’s Black Friday is almost always stronger than its Cyber Monday. The deepest cuts land early, the selection is larger, and by Monday the event is closer to a last call than a fresh start.
Cyber Monday still has value — but not because the deals get better. It’s simply the final chance to grab what’s left.
Sources: Mashable
