Costco Black Friday 2026: The Complete Insider Guide to Every Wave, Every Deal and Every Strategy

If you have been waiting until the weekend after Thanksgiving to shop Costco's holiday deals, you have been arriving late to one of the most commercially interesting sales events in American retail. Because Costco's Black Friday is not a single day and it is not even a single week. It is a five-wave, month-long commercial event that begins on the last Friday of October, reaches its peak intensity around Thanksgiving weekend, extends online-only deals through Cyber Monday, and represents the single most concentrated collection of genuine discounts available to Costco members anywhere in the annual calendar.

Costco's Black Friday sale is a full month long: You'll see deals throughout the entire store and online. Find online-only deals on two days: There's an online-only sale on Thanksgiving Day and select online-only deals during Cyber Monday. MOJO

The members who understand the structure of Costco's Black Friday — the five distinct waves, the specific timing of each, which categories are discounted deepest in which wave, and the online-only events that require specific digital preparation — are the members who capture the most savings and the best product availability across the entire month. This guide gives you the complete 2026 picture.

The Five Waves: The Complete 2026 Costco Black Friday Calendar

Here are the most important dates for 2026: Oct. 30 - Nov. 15 (predicted): First wave of Black Friday deals. Nov. 16 - 30 (predicted): Second wave of Black Friday deals. Nov. 26 (predicted): Online-only Thanksgiving Day deals. Nov. 27 - 30 (predicted): Third wave of Black Friday deals. Nov. 30 (predicted): Online-only Cyber Monday deals. MOJO

Here's when to shop: The first wave of Costco Black Friday usually arrives online and in stores on the last Friday of October, with additional waves of deals dropping on the third Monday of November, Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. MOJO

Wave 1 — October 30 through November 15: The Early Bird Wave

The first wave of Costco's Black Friday event is where the most underutilized savings opportunities exist — because most consumers have not mentally shifted into "holiday shopping mode" by Halloween weekend. The members who check the Holiday Savings Book the week it arrives (predicted: week of October 19, 2026) and shop the first wave are getting access to the same discounts that will generate the warehouse traffic and the sold-out items during Thanksgiving week — but with full inventory, minimal crowds, and the best selection of sizes, colors, and configurations.

Look for the Costco Black Friday ad (aka the Holiday Savings Book): It should arrive in your mailbox the week of Oct. 19, 2026. The Costco Black Friday Sale overlaps with the November and December Coupon Books: The Holiday Savings Book shouldn't be confused with the Costco Coupon Book. In fact, it's an entirely separate book that's nestled right in between the release of the November and December books. MOJO

The Holiday Savings Book is separate from the standard monthly coupon book — a dedicated promotional catalog for the holiday savings event. Members who look for the holiday savings book in their mailbox the week of October 19 and review it before the first wave launches on October 30 arrive at the warehouse on day one with a specific shopping list rather than discovering the deals on arrival.

Wave 2 — November 16 through November 30: The Heart of the Event

The second wave represents the peak intensity period of Costco's Black Friday — the combination of the most significant discounts, the highest member traffic, and the most social media coverage from members documenting their finds. This is the wave that most people think of when they think "Costco Black Friday."

For members who are shopping specifically for electronics and major appliances — the categories that generate the strongest Black Friday deals — Wave 2 requires the most proactive approach. The best-priced televisions, laptops, and major appliances in this wave sell through within the first few days of availability. Members who arrive at the warehouse on the first day of Wave 2 in the morning capture the best selection. Members who arrive later in the wave find thinned inventory on the most sought-after items.

Wave 3 — Thanksgiving Day (Online Only): November 26

Warehouses are closed Thanksgiving Day; online-only deals that day. MOJO

Warehouses are closed Thanksgiving Day; online-only deals on Costco.com that day. MOJO

Costco warehouses are closed on Thanksgiving Day — one of the institutional commitments that Costco makes to employee work-life balance that most large retailers abandoned years ago. But Costco.com operates, and Thanksgiving Day features online-only deals that are exclusive to the digital channel. Members who want access to these deals need a Costco.com account set up in advance with payment information saved — because the deals are time-sensitive and the competitive shopping environment on Thanksgiving evening requires fast execution.

Wave 4 — November 27 through November 30: The Final Push

The third and final wave of in-store deals launches on Black Friday itself and continues through the end of November. This wave introduces some new deals not available in earlier waves while also maintaining the previous wave pricing on items that have not sold through.

Wave 5 — Cyber Monday (Online Only): November 30

It should be on Nov. 30 (predicted). New deals arrive on Cyber Monday, but Black Friday prices don't drop any lower. MOJO

Cyber Monday at Costco introduces new online-only deals — items not available in the warehouse during the Black Friday event — without dropping any existing prices further. The commercial guidance: if you see something in the Black Friday waves at a compelling price, buy it during the wave rather than waiting for Cyber Monday hoping for a further discount. The price will not decrease further. What Cyber Monday provides is additional exclusive online deals, not deeper discounts on existing sale items.

The Best Categories to Shop — And the Best Discounts to Expect

Electronics — Up to 43% Off

Electronics and computers: Asus Laptop, $399.99 (reg. $699.99) — 43% off. PlayStation 5 Bundle, $479.99 (reg. $599.99) — 20% off. Samsung Smart TV, $399.99 (reg. $429.99) — 7% off. Meta Quest Bundle, $249.99 (reg. $299.99) — 17% off. MOJO

Electronics are consistently the most commercially significant Black Friday category at Costco — combining the deepest percentage discounts with the highest absolute dollar savings. The 2025 examples demonstrate the range: from 7 percent on TVs (where Costco's regular pricing already reflects institutional buying power) to 43 percent on select laptops.

January (Super Bowl sales) and November (Black Friday) offer the best TV discounts, with savings of 20-50% off. MOJO

The television category is the one where Black Friday timing most specifically matters — because January Super Bowl sales and November Black Friday sales are the two peak annual discount events for televisions, and members who specifically plan their TV purchases around one of these two windows consistently capture savings that other timing does not match.

Appliances and Kitchen — Up to $250 Off

The KitchenAid cookware set: Save $60 off the regular $259.99 price. The Dyson V9 stick vacuum: $230 savings off the regular $559.99. Nutribullet Pro+ Single-Serve Blender, $69.99 (reg. $99.99) — 30% off. Coffee makers, air fryers, and slow cookers also featured. MOJO

Major kitchen appliances and premium cleaning appliances are the second strongest Black Friday category at Costco — with absolute dollar savings on premium brands (Dyson, KitchenAid) that represent the largest single-transaction savings available in the entire sale event.

Furniture — Up to 38% Off

Expect up to 38% off furniture and 20%-30% off home items. Mason Leather Recliner, $499.99 (reg. $699.99) — 29% off. MOJO

Furniture is the Black Friday category where the price adjustment potential is most valuable — because large furniture purchases made within 30 days before the Black Friday event may qualify for a price adjustment if the furniture appears in the Black Friday sale at a lower price. Members who purchased furniture in October should check whether their specific items are included in the November Holiday Savings Book and request the price adjustment at the membership services desk.

Clothing and Seasonal — Up to 20% Off

Bench women's long puffer jacket — $10 off the regular price of $49.99 through Dec. 1. MOJO

The clothing category during Black Friday at Costco represents the intersection of Costco Couture's treasure hunt energy with the additional savings of the holiday event — premium brand outerwear and cold-weather apparel at the combination of Costco's standard member pricing and the additional Black Friday discount.

Grocery and Food — Savings on Kirkland Staples

Kirkland Signature Chicken Breasts, $22.03 (reg. $27.03) — 18% off. Starbucks dark French roast K-Cups — $10 off through Dec. 25. MOJO

The grocery category during Black Friday at Costco is where the savings stack with the highest commercial efficiency — because grocery items purchased during Black Friday that also appear in the November or December coupon book may generate price adjustments on both the Black Friday discount and the coupon book savings. Members who specifically plan their bulk grocery purchases around the Black Friday period capture savings across multiple discount mechanisms simultaneously.

The Online vs In-Store Experience: Where to Find the Best Deals

Best deals in-store: Electronics, appliances, furniture, and large merchandise where the physical selection, member pricing, and the discovery energy of the warehouse environment create the most compelling shopping experience.

Best deals online (Costco.com): The Thanksgiving Day online-only event and Cyber Monday online-only additions. Also, any member who wants to avoid the warehouse during peak holiday traffic — particularly the Saturday after Thanksgiving, which is consistently the busiest single day of the entire year at most Costco locations.

Shopping Options: Deals are available both online and in stores for most items. But new deals are released on Thanksgiving Day and Cyber Monday and are available online only. MOJO

The price difference for non-members: Membership Required: To shop in-store, you'll need a Costco membership. Non-members can shop online, but they'll pay 5% more. The 5 percent non-member surcharge applies to online purchases as well during the Black Friday event — making the $65 Gold Star membership effectively a single-purchase investment that pays for itself within the first major Black Friday transaction for most households. MOJO

The Four Holiday Savings Strategies That Experienced Members Use

Strategy 1: Review the Holiday Savings Book before October 30

It should arrive in your mailbox the week of Oct. 19, 2026. MOJO

The members who capture the best Black Friday deals at Costco are the ones who review the Holiday Savings Book in the week it arrives — before the first wave launches — and build a specific shopping list before setting foot in the warehouse. Arriving at Costco on October 30 without having reviewed the Holiday Savings Book is like arriving at a treasure hunt without a map. The deals are real and significant, but the members who know what they are looking for find it faster, with better inventory selection, and with less impulse-purchase exposure.

Strategy 2: Shop Wave 1 for electronics — not Wave 2

The most counterintuitive and most commercially valuable Black Friday strategy at Costco: for electronics specifically, Wave 1 (starting October 30) offers the same discounts as the Thanksgiving-week waves but with dramatically better inventory selection and dramatically lower warehouse traffic. The PlayStation bundle, the laptop, the television that generates the most excitement and sells out by November 22 — that same item is available in Wave 1 on October 30 with full inventory and no competition.

Strategy 3: Use the price adjustment policy as a safety net

Returns: The Costco return policy is literally forever, so your purchases are protected. MOJO

Any major purchase made within 30 days before the Black Friday event begins qualifies for a price adjustment if the item appears at a lower price in the Holiday Savings Book. Members who made significant purchases in October — electronics, appliances, furniture — should review the Holiday Savings Book the week it arrives and request price adjustments on any qualifying items before the 30-day adjustment window closes.

Strategy 4: Set up Costco.com before Thanksgiving Day

The Thanksgiving Day online-only event requires a Costco.com account with a saved payment method and shipping address — because the time pressure of a single-day online-only event rewards fast execution, and fumbling with account creation or payment information entry costs the deals that sell through quickly.

The New Member Black Friday Bonus

New folks can join with a Gold Star Membership for $65 (plus a $40 digital Shop Card) or go for an Executive Membership at $130 (with a $60 Shop Card). Memberships need to be redeemed by January 21, 2026, to grab those bonuses. MOJO

For members who have been considering joining Costco and timing their membership for maximum immediate value, the holiday period new member bonus — a $40 Digital Shop Card with a Gold Star membership or a $60 Digital Shop Card with an Executive membership — provides immediate credit that effectively reduces the membership fee cost at the moment of maximum commercial opportunity. A new member who joins before the first Black Friday wave, captures the new member Shop Card, and uses it during the holiday savings event is stacking three layers of savings simultaneously: member pricing, Black Friday discounts, and the new member bonus.

At MOJO Sales & Branding, we understand every dimension of the Costco member experience — from the annual savings event that creates the season's most commercially exciting warehouse visits to the brands that create the discovery moments that keep members coming back all year.

Contact us at 732.433.7873 or Susan@MOJOSalesandBranding.com.

Complete Costco Black Friday 2026 Quick Reference:

Wave	Dates (Predicted)	Format	Best Categories
Wave 1	Oct. 30 – Nov. 15	In-store + Online	Electronics, appliances
Wave 2	Nov. 16 – Nov. 30	In-store + Online	All categories, peak selection
Thanksgiving	Nov. 26	Online ONLY	Exclusive digital deals
Wave 3	Nov. 27 – Nov. 30	In-store + Online	New deals + continued discounts
Cyber Monday	Nov. 30	Online ONLY	New exclusive online deals

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