Look, we all saw it coming. By the time the first 2024 Black Friday ad hit our screens in late October, the collective groan from shoppers was almost audible. It felt like the "holiday creep" finally hit a breaking point. For years, we’ve watched retailers push the start date earlier and earlier, but 2024 was different. It wasn't just a sale; it was a month-long endurance test that left most people wondering if the word "Friday" even meant anything anymore.
Walmart, Target, and Best Buy didn't just drop flyers. They dropped manifestos.
Honestly, if you spent any time looking at the 2024 Black Friday ad leaks, you probably noticed a weird trend: the best deals weren't even on Black Friday. Most of the "doorbusters" were locked behind paywalls like Walmart+ or Amazon Prime. It’s a shift in how retail works. They don't want your foot traffic; they want your recurring subscription revenue.
The Big Retailers and the Death of the Physical Flyer
Remember getting a thick Sunday paper full of glossy ads? That’s basically a relic now. In 2024, the "ad" was a digital experience, often segmented by AI to show you what you’ve already been looking at.
Walmart’s "Black Friday Deals: Event 1" kicked off on November 11. They didn't even wait for the turkey to be bought. Their ad focused heavily on TCL and Hisense TVs, which have become the bread and butter of holiday sales. You’d see a 65-inch 4K TV for under $300, but when you clicked the link, it was "Early Access Only." This gated content strategy was the hallmark of the 2024 season. It’s a brilliant business move, but let’s be real—it’s annoying for the average shopper who just wants a cheap TV without joining a club.
Target took a slightly more "friendly" approach. Their 2024 Black Friday ad leaned into the "Deal of the Day" format. This was smart. Instead of overwhelming people with a 50-page PDF, they dripped out specific categories. One day it was 50% off holiday decor; the next, it was 40% off kitchen appliances like KitchenAid mixers. It kept people checking the app daily, which is exactly what their marketing team wanted.
Tech and Gaming: Where the Ads Actually Mattered
If you were looking for a PS5 Pro or the latest Nintendo Switch OLED, the 2024 Black Friday ad landscape was a bit of a minefield. Sony was aggressive. After years of supply chain issues, they finally had stock to move. The 2024 ads showed significant bundles, often pairing the console with Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 or God of War Ragnarök.
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Best Buy’s ad was the one to watch for tech. They focused heavily on "Member Deals." If you weren't a My Best Buy Plus member, you were often paying $50 to $100 more for the same laptop or OLED TV. It’s a tiered reality.
Apple products are always the wild card. Apple never puts "Sale" in big red letters on their own site. They give you a "Gift Card with Purchase." But the 2024 Black Friday ad from retailers like Costco and Amazon is where the real price cuts happened. We saw the MacBook Air M2 drop to its lowest price ever, specifically because the M3 and M4 chips were stealing the spotlight. It was a classic "clear out the old guard" move.
What Most People Got Wrong About the 2024 Cycle
Most shoppers thought waiting until the actual Friday would net them the biggest savings.
That was a mistake.
Data from 2024 shows that inventory for the highest-demand items—specifically mid-range air fryers and specific Lego sets—peaked around November 15-20. By the time the actual 2024 Black Friday ad went "live" for the general public, the best stuff was often backordered.
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Also, can we talk about the "fake" discounts?
There’s this thing called price anchoring. A retailer raises the price of a vacuum to $499 in September, then "slashes" it to $299 in the Black Friday ad. You think you’re saving $200. In reality, that vacuum was $310 all summer. Tools like CamelCamelCamel and Honey became essential in 2024 because the ads themselves were, frankly, a little deceptive. People started catching on. The skepticism was at an all-time high.
The Inflation Factor
You can't talk about the 2024 Black Friday ad without mentioning the economy. Everything cost more. Retailers knew this. Their ads reflected a shift toward "necessity shopping." Instead of just 80-inch TVs, we saw huge pushes for laundry detergent bundles, bulk paper towels, and vacuum cleaners.
It was a "practical" Black Friday.
Even the luxury brands felt the pinch. They pivoted their ads to focus on "Investment Pieces." The messaging changed from "Treat Yourself" to "Buy It Once, Keep It Forever." It was a subtle psychological shift to justify the higher price points in a high-inflation environment.
Logistics and the "Last Mile" Problem
The ads also had to account for shipping. In 2024, the fear of packages not arriving by Christmas was still very real for people. Every 2024 Black Friday ad had a "Get it by..." countdown.
Amazon pushed their "Same-Day Delivery" harder than ever. Their ad wasn't just about products; it was about the logistics. They were selling the convenience of not having to leave your house and fight someone for a toaster in a crowded aisle. The "Store Pickup" option became the hero of the Target and Walmart ads. They wanted you to buy online and drive to the curb. It saves them shipping costs and gets you to the store where you might realize you "need" a Starbucks and a new throw pillow.
Actionable Strategy for Future Sales
Since the 2024 cycle proved that the "Day" is dead, your approach to holiday shopping needs to change. Here is how you actually beat the system:
Track Prices Early Don't trust the "percentage off" listed in the ad. Use price tracking browser extensions to see the 120-day history of an item. If the price spiked right before the Black Friday ad dropped, walk away.
Audit Your Subscriptions If the best deals are behind Walmart+ or Best Buy Plus, do the math. Is a $98 annual fee worth a $50 discount on a TV? Usually, no. But if you're buying an entire kitchen suite, it might be. Sign up for the free trial, get the deal, and set a reminder to cancel immediately.
The "Tuesday" Rule In 2024, many of the best inventory refreshes happened on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Keep an eye on the digital flyers that morning. That is often when "Out of Stock" items miraculously reappear for the final push.
Check the Model Numbers This is the oldest trick in the book. Retailers often have "Black Friday Special" model numbers for TVs and laptops. These are versions made with cheaper components specifically for the holiday sales. If you see a model number in a 2024 Black Friday ad that you can't find a review for on a reputable tech site, it’s probably a "derivative model." It might look the same, but it’s likely got fewer HDMI ports or a lower-quality panel.
Focus on "Open-Box" the Week After 2024 saw a massive wave of returns in the first week of December. If you missed out on a 2024 Black Friday ad deal, check the "Open-Box" section of Best Buy or Amazon Warehouse around December 5. You can often find the same items for even less than the Black Friday price because the retailer just wants to get rid of the returned inventory.
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The 2024 holiday season was a lesson in patience and skepticism. The ads were everywhere, but the real value required digging past the flashy graphics and "Limited Time" banners. Shopping smarter means realizing that the ad is a suggestion, not a mandate. Focus on the data, ignore the hype, and never pay for a membership you don't actually use.