Black Friday 2026 is November 27, with Cyber Monday on November 30. To check whether a deal is real, look up the exact model on Google Shopping and read its price insights: Google labels the current price low, typical or high and shows how it moved in recent months. Then turn on price tracking with a target price, and Google will push a notification and email you if the price drops to it.
Why a “was” price tells you little
A big red “40% off” only means something if the old price was real. Federal pricing guidelines say a former price used for comparison should be “the actual, bona fide price at which the article was offered to the public on a regular basis” for a “reasonably substantial” period. Stores don’t always meet that bar, and the fine print on a sale tag won’t tell you.
So skip the percentage. What you want to know is whether today’s price is lower than what the product actually sold for last month and last spring. A price history answers that in a few seconds.
Check price insights on Google Shopping
Google’s price insights are available to shoppers in the US. The feature compares a product’s current price with a typical range that Google builds from sellers across the web, not only those on Google Shopping.
- Go to shopping.google.com.
- Search for the exact product, including the model number or storage size.
- Click the Shopping tab and select a product.
- Scroll to the price insights section.
You will see whether the price is low, typical or high, and how it changed in recent months. Search results and product pages can also flag a price that has hit its lowest level in 30 days. That figure uses the total price, including discounts and shipping.
Google says the feature doesn’t predict where prices go next. A “low” label on November 20 doesn’t mean the price can’t drop further on November 27, but it gives you a baseline.
Set a price alert
Price tracking is offered in the US, Canada, Australia, Japan and India. You need to be signed in to your Google Account with notifications turned on.
- Search for the product on Google.
- Open its product card and tap Track price.
- Pick the size or color you want, and optionally set a target price.
- Confirm.
When the price falls below your target, Google sends a push notification in the Google app and an email. Prices can change at any time, so an alert is a heads-up and not a guarantee.
Choose a target based on the history, not on wishful thinking. If the typical price for a TV has hovered around $500 and the low sits near $430, an alert at $250 will probably never fire. Pick a number a bit above the lowest price you’ve seen.
You can remove a tracked item under Saves & Collections in the Google app or use the unsubscribe link in an alert email. If you’re signed in to Chrome with history sync on, the browser’s Shopping insights panel also shows price history and range for a product, including variants.
Track Amazon items with a third-party history
Google doesn’t cover every listing well. For Amazon, shoppers commonly use CamelCamelCamel and Keepa, two price-history sites that show what an item has actually sold for over time. Check the model number on Amazon against the one on the chart, because the same product line often comes in several versions.
Compare more than the sticker price
Once the history looks good, check what you’d actually pay:
- shipping and any membership needed to get the deal;
- the return window and who handles the return;
- the same model at two or three other stores on the same day.
If four stores sell the identical model for about the same price and only one calls it a special offer, the deal isn’t special. For scams and fake sites, see our guide on how to buy tech on Black Friday without getting scammed.
A simple routine for the next two weeks
You don’t need to watch prices daily. Here is a routine that takes a few minutes a week.
- Today, write down the exact model of each product you want and its current price on Google Shopping, and take a dated screenshot.
- Turn on Track price for each one, with a target a little above the lowest price in the history.
- Around November 20, look at the price insights again. If the label has moved from “typical” to “high,” the price went up ahead of the sale, and any “discount” from there deserves suspicion.
- On November 27 and again on Cyber Monday, November 30, compare the sale price against your notes and against two other stores.
If the price hits your target early, you don’t have to wait for the holiday. A deal at the lowest price in months is a deal on any day, and waiting only adds the risk of a sellout. If the price never reaches your target, skipping the purchase is a fine result too.
Scams also spike around the sale. A message that offers a deep discount through a link, or a store you have never heard of with a price far below everyone else, is a reason to stop and read about fake-lawyer and impersonation scams and how the same pressure tactics work.
FAQ
When is Black Friday 2026?
Black Friday falls on November 27, 2026, and Cyber Monday on November 30.
Does Google show price history for every product?
No. Price insights are available to shoppers in the US and depend on what Google has for each listing. Compare with other stores if the data looks thin.
Is a “30-day low” the best price of the year?
No. It means the lowest price in the last 30 days. A product can still be cheaper at other times of the year.
Can I rely on the “was” price on the tag?
Not by itself. Federal guidance says a former price should be one the store actually offered on a regular basis for a reasonably substantial period. A history check shows whether that is true.
