Skip to content
SocialContests.com

Black Friday Giveaway Ideas

Last updated

Black Friday is the Friday after US Thanksgiving, which is the fourth Thursday in November. In 2026 that is 27 November. Many shops run sales from the week before through Cyber Monday, so a giveaway competes with a lot of offers for attention.

A giveaway can still stand out, especially in a physical shop, where it gives people a reason to come in. Start about a week before Black Friday, keep it running through the weekend, and close it on the Monday after.

Keep entry free. If you want to reward buyers with an entry, give everyone else a free way to enter too, with the same chance of winning, and write both in the rules. The rules on purchase-based entries vary by country and state, so check before you start.

Working out the next date…

Dates

Black Friday dates for 2026–2028, with the suggested launch and end of the giveaway
YearBlack FridayLaunch byGiveaway ends
2026Fri 27 NovFri 20 NovMon 30 Nov
2027Fri 26 NovFri 19 NovMon 29 Nov
2028Fri 24 NovFri 17 NovMon 27 Nov

Giveaway ideas

Prize wheel at the counter

On Black Friday and Saturday, let every visitor spin a prize wheel at the counter in your shop, with no purchase needed. Put every prize and how many you have on the wheel, so the odds are honest. Take a slice off when its prizes run out.

Prize idea: Small prizes on most slices, such as a sample, a tote bag or a discount on the next visit, and one bigger prize.

Early access draw

A week before, ask people to comment to enter a draw for early access to your sale plus a gift card. Draw on the Wednesday, so the winner can shop first on Thursday evening or Friday morning. Share a countdown to the draw.

Prize idea: Early access to the sale and a gift card to spend in it.

Cyber Monday bundle

Online stores can give away a bundle of their best sellers over the weekend. Entries close at midnight on Cyber Monday, and the winner is announced on Tuesday. Use one clear caption for each day of the weekend.

Prize idea: A bundle of your three best sellers.

Buyer entries with a free way in

If buyers get an entry with their order, offer a free way to enter too, such as a short form or a comment, with the same chance of winning. Write both ways in the rules and treat every entry the same in the draw.

Prize idea: A gift card or a product bundle, the same for every winner whichever way they entered.

Captions for this event

Ready-made captions for the launch, the reminders and the winner post. Open the caption generator and pick the “Launch” stage.

Questions and answers

When is Black Friday?

The Friday after US Thanksgiving: 27 November 2026, 26 November 2027 and 24 November 2028.

Can I require a purchase to enter?

Be careful. The rules on purchase-based entries vary by country and state, and a free way to enter keeps things simpler. Check which rules apply where you run it before you start.

How do I keep a prize wheel fair?

Show every prize and how many of each you have, and remove a prize when it runs out. The prize wheel shows the odds on screen.

When should a Black Friday giveaway end?

On Cyber Monday or before. After the long weekend, people's attention moves on to Christmas, so a Christmas giveaway can follow.

Should I give away a discount or a product?

A product or a gift card is clearer. A discount code mostly helps people who planned to buy anyway, so use small discounts as wheel slices and keep a real prize for the main draw.

More dates to plan for

See the full giveaway calendar

Sources