Black Friday 2026 may not offer best prices

An analysis of 4,814 deals by Dealabs suggests that Black Friday 2026 might not guarantee the best prices, challenging the common belief that this shopping event is the most advantageous. The study found that October Prime Days offered better deals in 45% of the top offers, especially in high-tech, fashion, and beauty sectors, with price differences as high as 110€.

Comparison of October and November promotions

Dealabs compared the promotions from the Prime Big Deal Days in October 2025 and Black Friday in November 2025, analyzing a total of 4,814 offers. These offers were evaluated based on community votes rather than the percentage discounts displayed by sellers. Among the 100 best deals, 55 came from Black Friday and 45 from Prime Days, a small gap given that Black Friday lasts only one day compared to 48 hours for Prime Days.

No event is consistently more advantageous

Out of 40 products available during both events, 20 were cheaper on Black Friday, 5 in October, and 15 had a difference of less than 0.50€. Dealabs concludes that no commercial event is systematically more advantageous than another, dispelling the myth that Black Friday offers unbeatable deals.

Prime Days offer better tech deals in October

In the high-tech sector, Prime Days in October 2026 allowed purchasing products at unbeatable prices. For instance, the DJI Mini 4 Pro Fly More Combo was 789€ in October compared to 679€ in November. However, the MSI Katana 15 RTX 5070 was 1,204€ at Prime Days and rose to 1,309€ at Black Friday. In fashion and beauty, Amazon reserved its best offers for Prime subscribers, while 84% of the best Black Friday offers came from retailers like Fnac, Boulanger, or CDiscount.

Black Friday remains strong in gaming and sports

In the gaming and sports equipment domain, Black Friday remains dominant. French retailers like Fnac, Darty, and Boulanger offer numerous deals on consoles, video games, and accessories during the Black Friday Week. France Transactions confirms that margins are reduced to a maximum during these days to capture end-of-year budgets. Retailers like Decathlon and Go Sport align their promotions with the Black Friday calendar, offering significant discounts on fitness, running, or outdoor equipment.

2026 promotional calendar and shopping tips

The promotional calendar for 2026 includes several key moments: the Prime Big Deal Days (6-7 October), Black Month starting on October 31, the Black Friday Week from November 20, and Cyber Monday on November 30. To optimize purchases, it is recommended to prioritize high-tech, fashion, and beauty sectors in early October and reserve gaming and sports equipment for late November. Highly demanded products require continuous monitoring to avoid stock shortages.

Promotional complexity and hidden costs

Promotional complexity is a common trap. Nearly a third of Black Friday offers require a promo code often hidden, while Prime Days simplify the purchasing process with fewer codes. However, the Prime subscription represents a cost to consider. Some reference prices are artificially inflated to display spectacular discounts. It is crucial to compare prices and track their evolution.

Dealabs recommends a cautious shopping strategy

The Dealabs analysis recommends a cautious approach: no event offers absolute guarantees. The FOMO syndrome pushes impulsive purchases during Black Friday, but waiting does not always ensure savings. Conversely, buying too early exposes the risk of prices dropping in November. For 2026, the winning strategy relies on attentive monitoring, multi-channel comparison, and quick decision-making when encountering a real deal. With the departure of Rakuten, competition decreases, which could affect certain tech products.