Was this Black Friday deal real?
Four checks that take about two minutes, and the one number that matters.
The short answer
Ignore the "was" price. Compare the sale price with what the product actually sold for over the last 30 days. If it is not clearly below that 30-day low, it is a normal price with a sale banner.
1. Find the real recent price
Use a price history tool or our tracker to see the lowest price in the past 30 days. That is your reference, not the crossed-out number.
2. Check for a pre-sale price rise
If the price went up in early November and is now "discounted" back down, the saving is smaller than it looks, or zero.
3. Match the exact model
Sale-only model numbers can have fewer ports, older chips or a shorter warranty. Compare the full model code with the one reviewers covered.
4. Check one other store
A big percentage off at one store can still be the same price as everyday at another. One quick search settles it.
Why "was" prices mislead
In our own pull six weeks before Black Friday, the median gap between a store's compare-at tag and its selling price was already about a third. A banner saying "33% off" on sale day could be the price you could have paid in October.
Questions
Is a "was" price proof of a discount?
No. A "was" or compare-at price is whatever the store chooses to show. Check what the item actually sold for in the weeks before the sale.
What counts as a real Black Friday deal?
A price clearly below the lowest price of the previous 30 days. We use at least 10% below that low as our line for a real deal.
Do stores raise prices before Black Friday?
Some do. A price that goes up a week or two before the sale and then "drops" back is a warning sign. Our tracker flags it as "price raised before sale".