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When AliExpress Black Friday runs
| Year | What we found | Source type |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Black Friday is 27 November and Cyber Monday is 30 November. One shopping site lists AliExpress’s sale as 20 November to 3 December. AliExpress’s own dates for 2026 were not confirmed in the sources we found. | Calendar fact; third-party site |
| 2025 | An AliExpress Facebook post lists the Black Friday Sale as 20 November to 3 December. | AliExpress’s post (search summary) |
| 2023 | AliExpress announced a warm-up on 20 to 22 November, the official Black Friday sale on 23 to 26 November and a Cyber Monday sale on 27 to 29 November, with start times in PST. | AliExpress press release |
The pattern is a warm-up phase for adding items to your cart and collecting coupons, then a main sale, then a Cyber Monday phase. Dates and offers differ by country, so read the banner in your own app. See all the AliExpress sale dates.
What the offers looked like in the past
These are from AliExpress’s 2023 press release, so treat them as a picture of the structure, not a promise for this year. AliExpress said offers were subject to terms and, in some cases, limited to cross-border transactions.
- Automatic spend-and-save discounts. For example, US shoppers could save $4 for every $20 spent, up to $16 per order, and eurozone shoppers €4 for every €20, up to €16.
- Coupons collected in the warm-up. For example, in the US, $10 off orders over $80 and $40 off orders over $260.
- Bundles. A “3 from $5.99” channel offered free shipping on three products in some markets.
- Free shipping and returns in selected markets. AliExpress said free returns applied to one item per eligible order within 15 days in eight named markets, and free shipping to nine markets.
Notice that most of these depend on how much you spend. Check the minimum, and don’t add items you don’t need to reach it.
Real discount or fake discount?
AliHelper, a price-tracking browser extension, and Refundy, a cashback company, both warn that some sellers raise a price shortly before a sale so that the discount looks bigger. This is their report, and it doesn’t mean every Black Friday deal is fake.
| Check | How |
|---|---|
| Record the normal price | Screenshot your item, and two similar listings, in early November or earlier. |
| Compare the same variant | The lowest search price may belong to a cheaper variant. |
| Ignore the crossed-out price | Compare the final price with what the item normally sold for. |
| Add shipping and tax | A lower item price can still be dearer at checkout. Free shipping catches. |
| Check the store | A sale doesn’t make an unchecked seller safer. Seller checks. |
AliHelper’s worked example: an item that normally costs $100, advertised as “50% off $160”, and priced at $90 on Black Friday gives a real saving of $10, or 10%, not 50%. It also gives an example of an item shown at 70% off that had never sold above the sale price.
Black Friday or 11.11?
- Refundy’s view. It calls 11.11 the biggest sale of the year, usually with the deepest discounts and the highest coupon volume, and Black Friday a second buying window a couple of weeks later. That’s one vendor’s opinion, and we haven’t compared prices across events.
- Practical rule. If you can wait, record the price now and compare it at 11.11 and at Black Friday. If it’s cheaper at either, buy then.
- Dates for both. Sale dates.
How to prepare, step by step
- October: wishlist the items and record their prices.
- Early November: collect coupons and offers AliExpress lists, and check their minimum spend, expiry and time zone.
- Before checkout: choose the payment method that gives the most protection. Payment methods compared.
- During the sale: check out for popular items early, but only after the price check above.
- After you order: keep the order screenshots and photograph the item on arrival.
What Black Friday doesn’t change
- Delivery time. Refundy says sale peaks routinely add 5 to 15 days, so allow extra time, especially for gifts. Shipping times.
- Import charges. Duty and tax follow your country’s rules. What to expect.
- Coupon terms. AliExpress’s coupon terms say unused coupon value is forfeited when the coupon expires, and they cover what happens to a coupon if an order is cancelled or refunded.
- Buyer Protection. The deadlines still apply. What’s covered.
Before Black Friday: checklist
- ☐ I’ve confirmed the dates in my own AliExpress app.
- ☐ I’ve recorded the normal price of what I want.
- ☐ I know the minimum spend for each coupon and haven’t added items just to reach it.
- ☐ I’ve compared the full total for my exact variant.
- ☐ I’ve checked the store and I’m paying through AliExpress checkout.
- ☐ I’ve allowed extra time for delivery, especially for gifts.
Ready to shop?
Start before the sale: open AliExpress, add the items you want to your wishlist and screenshot their current prices. Search AliExpress for the same items from a second store to see the normal price range, and check the current price when the sale opens to see whether the discount is real.
Where to go next
- AliExpress sale dates: next sales and how to confirm them
- AliExpress flash deals: how to tell a real deal from a fake one
- Best time to buy on AliExpress: wait for a sale or buy now?
- AliExpress coupon codes
Frequently asked questions
When is AliExpress Black Friday 2026?
Black Friday is 27 November 2026 and Cyber Monday is 30 November. AliExpress listed a 20 November to 3 December Black Friday window in 2025, and one site lists the same for 2026, but we haven’t seen AliExpress confirm 2026 dates.
Are AliExpress Black Friday deals real?
Some are. Price-tracking and cashback sites warn that some sellers raise prices before a sale, so compare the final price with the item’s normal price, not the crossed-out price.
Do coupons work during Black Friday?
Refundy says sale prices and coupons generally stack. In 2023 AliExpress let shoppers collect coupons in the warm-up and use them in the main sale. Check the terms and minimum spend.
Should I wait for Black Friday or 11.11?
Refundy calls 11.11 the biggest sale of the year, but we haven’t compared prices across events. Record the price now and check both.
Will my order arrive in time for Christmas?
Refundy says sale peaks add 5 to 15 days. Check the delivery date and the guaranteed window on your order, and order gifts early.
The bottom line
Black Friday can be a good time to buy on AliExpress, but the badge isn’t the reason to buy. Confirm the dates in your app, record the normal price beforehand, compare the full total for your exact variant, check the store and allow extra time for delivery.
Check current prices on AliExpress →
Sources
- AliExpress via PR Newswire: Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale (21 November 2023)
- AliExpress on Facebook, 8 November 2025: November calendar (search summary)
- AliHelper: AliExpress Black Friday 2026, dates, real discounts and fake deals (price-tracking extension vendor)
- Refundy: AliExpress Black Friday and 11.11, seller strategy 2026 (cashback vendor)
- Refundy: How long does AliExpress shipping take? (cashback vendor)
- AliExpress Help Center: Coupons Terms & Conditions
- AliExpress: Buyer Protection
Sale dates, offers and terms change every year and by country. Confirm the current dates and terms in your own AliExpress account before you buy.
