Black Friday Shoe Deals, Explained: How to Tell a Real Deal From a Good-Looking Price

Black Friday lands on the day after Thanksgiving, and this year that's November 27. For shoes, it's a good week to save real money and an equally good week to buy something you'll regret. The discounts are real often enough to keep people hopeful, but a low price on the wrong shoe is still money spent on the wrong shoe. If you've already read our Labor Day sale guide, the fit and return-policy advice there applies here too. This guide covers what's different about Black Friday: where the discounts come from, how a price can mislead you, and what to watch for when you're buying a gift.

Where shoe discounts actually come from

Most big shoe discounts fall into a few ordinary categories. Knowing which one you're looking at tells you whether it's a deal for you.

• Last year's version. Running and walking shoes get a new version number most years, and the previous one gets marked down. An older version is often a perfectly good shoe at a lower price, but the fit can change between versions, so don't assume it fits like the one you know.
• Colors and seasons that didn't sell. The same shoe in a less popular color is often the one discounted. That's a fine deal if you like the color.
• Broken size runs. The sale rack tends to hold the sizes that are left. If a discounted shoe happens to be in your size, check that it's really your fit, not just the one size available.
• Loss leaders. A few items are marked down hard to get you into a store or site. They're real deals, but they're a small part of the catalog.

Three ways a price can mislead you

An inflated "was" price

A crossed-out price is only meaningful if the shoe actually sold at that price recently. A high reference price makes any discount look bigger than it is. For listings on large marketplaces, free price-history tools such as Keepa and CamelCamelCamel show what a product has really cost over time, and checking a second retailer takes a minute. If the "sale" price matches what the shoe cost in September, it's not much of a sale.

A different version than you think

Check the exact model name and number, and the color, before you check out. A deal on "the" shoe you love may be on an older or newer version than the pair you own, and brands change toe box shape, cushioning, and fit between versions. Our brand sizing guide explains why the same size can fit differently, and the same applies across versions of one shoe.

The label on the shoe box is the quickest way to pin this down. It shows the exact model name and version, the size in several systems, and a style code. Searching that style code along with the model name is the surest way to confirm that a listing is the same shoe you have in mind.

Terms that change after you buy

Return policies vary a lot around the holidays. Some retailers extend their return window through January, and some make sale items final sale or add restocking fees. Read the terms on the specific item, not the store's general page. If a return isn't possible or realistic, the discount only helps you if you're sure about the size.

When a Black Friday deal is genuinely worth it

• Replacing a pair you already own and love. Same shoe, same size, lower price is the safest purchase there is.
• An older version of a shoe you've worn. Often a great value, as long as you check reviews for fit changes between versions.
• Seasonal gear you'll need soon. If you were going to buy winter boots anyway, now is a good time, because stock and sizes are at their widest.
• Shoes you were already planning to buy. A deal on something you'd researched is different from a deal that made you buy something new.

Buying shoes as a gift

Gifts are where shoe sales go wrong most often, because you're guessing at a size and a fit you can't test. A few things help:

• Check the size of a pair they already own, since sizes differ between brands. Our brand sizing comparison shows how each brand tends to run.
• Choose a seller with easy exchanges and ask for a gift receipt, so a wrong size doesn't mean a lost gift.
• For kids, remember that feet grow quickly and sizing is less consistent. Our kids' sizing guide covers how to measure and when to recheck.
• When in doubt, a gift card or a shoe with an easy fit, like a slip-on or a sandal with adjustable straps, carries less risk than a fitted boot or dress shoe.

Check who is actually selling it

Large marketplaces include third-party sellers alongside the brand and the retailer. Look for "sold and shipped by" the brand or a retailer you recognize, especially on popular sneakers, where counterfeits are a known problem. A price far below everyone else's on a hot, in-demand model is a warning sign, not a bargain.

You don't have to panic

Many retailers start their deals before Black Friday and keep them going through Cyber Monday, which this year is November 30. If a shoe is a known good fit and it's in stock in your size at a fair price, buying it calmly beats buying it at midnight. For popular sizes of a shoe you're certain about, don't wait forever, since sizes do sell out.

The quick checklist

• Is it a shoe and a size you already know fits? If yes, buy with confidence.
• Is it a new brand or style? Check the brand's size guide and recent reviews first.
• Is the "was" price real? Check a second retailer or a price-history tool.
• Is it the exact version and color you want?
• What are the return terms on this item?
• Who is the seller?