How to get the best Cyber Monday deals in 2022 - experts tell you everything you need to know
Every year we see thousands of excellent Cyber Monday deals, on everything from tech to toys, appliances, mattresses, clothes, books and more. It's a great opportunity to stock up on gifts ahead of Christmas.
We'll be rounding up all this year's best Cyber Monday deals here come November, so bookmark the page, and come back for our expert picks from the sales closer to the time. In the meantime, you'll find a ton of useful information to help you know exactly what to expect from this year's event, from the kinds of products we expect to be on sale, to the retailers we predict will have the biggest discounts - plus how Cyber Monday deals compare to Black Friday deals , and whether you should wait.
When is Cyber Monday 2022?
Cyber Monday 2022 will fall on November 28th, so definitely mark that date down on your calendar if you're an avid deals-hunter. As always, Cyber Monday directly follows Black Friday as a kind of capstone event to what's essentially a whole weekend of deals. Many promotions will be carried over from the prior event, although you can expect some Cyber Monday specials too.
Also worth noting - nearly any big retail event (Cyber Monday included) is preceded by many, many early promotions. Last year's 2021 event was a particularly extreme example with Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart all launching 'Holiday sales' in early to mid-November. This year's likely to be no different in this regard. In fact, there are currently rumors of a second Amazon Prime Day taking place in October, which will most likely be an early Black Friday-style event.
Is Cyber Monday better than Black Friday?
In short, no - Cyber Monday and Black Friday generally feature deals of similar quality. Both events also cover a similar range of categories
There have been a few attempts in recent years to distinguish these two events, with experts weighing in the main differences when it comes to content. According to an interview conducted by Business Insider, Steve Koenig of the Consumer Technology Association stated that "Black Friday equals big-ticket items" and that "many [people's] purchases end up being for themselves or their own households".
That generally correlates with our own observations here at TechRadar - Black Friday tends to be the big event where people look for that new iPad or TV for their home, while the following Cyber Monday event has more of a 'Christmas gift' vibe where people pick up those miscellaneous items.
Because the Cyber Monday deals are often a continuation of those being offered in the Black Friday sales it's generally a good idea to shop earlier if you're after something really in demand. In 2021, we saw quite a few Apple items, TVs, laptops, and consoles sell out even before Black Friday rolled around, so be aware of that.
Is Cyber Monday too late to get a good deal?
No it's not, but just be aware that certain high-demand items might be sold out by the time that Cyber Monday rolls around. In 2021 we saw a few of the better deals on things like cheap laptops, Apple products, and consoles sell out within hours of being posted. Demand was pretty high, and retailer fears around supply chain disruption meant they were offering up their deals much earlier than before.
With all that said - there will still be thousands upon thousands of Cyber Monday deals on offer in 2022. This year there's generally less fuss and worry about any delivery disruptions and no retailer will leave such a big retail opportunity on the table without offering at least some sort of deals. With the economy in question and people tightening their belts this year, it's likely demand may be lower across the board also.
Cyber Monday 2022: the deals we expect to see
Laptops - discounted MacBook Airs, Dell XPS 13, Chromebooks, Ultrabooks
TVs - cheap 4K TVs from Amazon, LG OLED TVs, Samsung QLED TVs
Tablets - potentially lowest prices yet on M1 iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad 10.2
Smartwatches - again, lowest prices yet on Apple Watch 6 and SE
Games consoles - No PS5 / Xbox Series X, but Nintendo Switch likely
Headphones - AirPods, Sony WH-1000xm4, Galaxy Buds, all on sale
Phones - iPhone 13 and 12, Galaxy S21 unlocked, big Verizon deals
Cameras - Nikon, Sony, and Canon DLSRs and mirrorless cameras
Toys - big pre-Christmas sale at Walmart, Target, and others
Books - Amazon discounts, plus potential Audible promotions
Appliances - big sales on vacuums, air fryers, multi-cookers, instant pots
Mattresses - free accessories and upfront savings from leading online brands
Smart home - cheap Amazon Alexa devices, plus Google Nest
Tech remains the cornerstone of Cyber Monday deals and you can expect a ton of great prices on laptops, tablets, 4K TVs, phones, and smartwatches across the board. In recent year's we've seen the event expand out to include other categories - namely appliances and mattresses being two crowd favorites.
Best Buy Cyber Monday deals
Best Buy always runs fantastic Cyber Monday deals on tech and small appliances, namely things like cheap 4K TVs, laptops, Chromebooks, FitBits, and Coffee machines. For cheap electronics, it's up there with both Amazon and Walmart and it's also particularly good for appliances. If you're on the hunt for a cheap air fryer or pressure cooker then Best Buy is going to be able to hook you up this November.
Walmart Cyber Monday deals
Walmart was one of the only retailers to offer a distinct lineup of deals for both Black Friday and Cyber Monday last year, not simply offering a continuation. Small appliances like pressure cookers and air fryers tend to be particularly good value at Walmart and you'll also find a ton of good options for cheap 4K TVs. Chromebooks and headphones also had great sales, although Walmart's sales in general didn't cover quite as much ground as Amazon's or Best Buy's.
Dell Cyber Monday deals
For cheap laptops, it's hard to beat Dell's Cyber Monday deals. Last year's sales offered price cuts of up to 30% - and not just on super cheap options either, also on premium XPS 13 ultrabooks and gaming laptops. Speaking of which, Dell is also the home of the Alienware brand, so you'll definitely want to check in if you're looking for a discount on something a bit special.