Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Boxing Day, Prime Day: What’s the difference?

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As November unfolds and retailers across Canada kick off the year’s most competitive discount season, shoppers find themselves in a tug-of-war between sale events that seem to rival Taylor Swift’s Eras tour in number. Deciding when to shop can feel overwhelming from Black Friday and Cyber Monday to Prime Day and Boxing Day. This guide breaks down what each sale offers, explores how they differ and helps you choose the best time to find savings on your holiday wish list. Whether after electronics, fashion or home essentials, here’s how to confidently navigate Canada’s biggest discount days.

Black Friday—the notorious shopping holiday that falls on the Friday after American Thanksgiving—has come a long way. The term “Black Friday” was first coined by Philadelphia police in the 1950s to describe the chaos of traffic jams and packed sidewalks after Thanksgiving, when crowds flocked to the city for a football game and holiday shopping. Retailers later leaned into the name, reframing it as the day they shifted from red (loss) to black (profit) on their balance sheets.

Today, Black Friday is global, with Canadians and Europeans joining the deal frenzy. It’s considered the unofficial start of holiday shopping, with many stores offering early openings and deep discounts—particularly on big-ticket electronics, appliances and tech. While online deals are now widely available, some of the steepest discounts remain exclusive to in-store shoppers. Just remember: when it comes to snagging that half-priced flat-screen, it’s every deal-hunter for themselves.

In recent years, Black Friday has expanded well beyond a single day. Although the most dramatic discounts are often reserved for the actual Friday, many businesses now extend their deals throughout the weekend—or even the entire month of November. This shift allows shoppers more flexibility and time to find bargains without the traditional crowds, with many retailers embracing “Black November” by launching early online promotions, flash sales, and in-store exclusives. 

Check out everything you need to know about how our team covers Black Friday sales and deals that are currently live.

Cyber Monday—the Monday after American Thanksgiving—has grown into a shopping event as big as Black Friday, bringing deals directly to those who prefer the comfort of online shopping. Created in 2005 by the National Retail Federation, the concept of Cyber Monday was introduced by Ellen Davis and Scott Silverman, who noticed a trend: shoppers who skipped the Black Friday crowds were logging onto retail websites the following Monday to snag post-holiday deals. What began as a way to encourage online sales after the in-store Black Friday rush quickly became a cultural and economic sensation.

Today, Cyber Monday is a global phenomenon celebrated by online retailers and shoppers worldwide. Known for deep discounts across tech, fashion and small electronics, it caters especially to those looking to check off holiday gifts without leaving the house. Laptops, headphones, smart home devices, and trendy apparel are often slashed to some of the year’s lowest prices, making Cyber Monday a prime day for those who want to snag the latest tech and styles from their screens.

Beyond a single day of deals, Cyber Monday has inspired many retailers to launch “Cyber Week.” This provides a flexible, extended shopping window for those seeking holiday bargains. It’s the perfect solution for busy shoppers, allowing them to browse and buy on their own schedule while avoiding the typical in-store chaos. 

Boxing Day, celebrated on December 26, has evolved significantly from its origins in Britain. It began as a day to give “Christmas boxes”—often containing cash, gifts or leftover food—to servants, tradespeople, and those who provided services throughout the year. The holiday represented a gesture of appreciation and goodwill from families to those who worked for them, marking it as a continuation of the holiday spirit with a community-minded focus.

Today, Boxing Day is synonymous with post-Christmas sales in Canada and several other Commonwealth countries, offering a last hurrah for holiday deals and a chance for retailers to clear out seasonal stock. Early store openings, doorbuster deals and steep discounts are the norm—turning the day into a final shopping frenzy as customers seek deals on everything from electronics to winter clothing. Some say the deals are so enticing that it’s as if Santa’s elves have extended their holiday overtime to keep shelves stocked. It’s also a critical day for retailers to make the most of year-end sales, as January traditionally sees a slower retail season.

While Black Friday has risen in popularity and become a major shopping event in Canada, Boxing Day holds its own as a cherished tradition. Black Friday typically serves early holiday shoppers hunting for gifts, while Boxing Day is perfect for those ready to treat themselves post-Christmas. Many Canadians look forward to Boxing Day as the “last chance” for substantial discounts before the New Year—whether they’re spending gift cards, hunting for upgrades or simply indulging in a little post-holiday retail therapy.

Prime Day, Amazon’s exclusive sales event for Prime members, first launched on July 15, 2015, to commemorate the company’s 20th anniversary with the bold promise of “more deals than Black Friday.” Initially a single day of flash sales, Prime Day has since evolved into a multi-day event and has expanded to include two sale periods each year. A second date, introduced in October 2022, offers an additional opportunity for holiday shopping.

What began as a quirky array of markdowns on a mix of items has transformed into a major e-commerce moment, drawing in Prime members worldwide. Today, Prime Day is renowned for discounts on Amazon’s own line of products, including Echo devices, Kindles and Fire Tablets, as well as a wide range of best-selling third-party brands spanning electronics, fashion, home goods, beauty and more. This event has become especially popular for those looking to stock up on essentials, upgrade tech, or try new products at a discount, providing members with exclusive, often steep, savings.

Prime Day has also spurred other retailers to launch competitive sales, turning mid-July and October into broader online shopping seasons. For many shoppers, Prime Day has become a go-to event for ticking off wish lists, securing early holiday gifts, or simply indulging in deals typically reserved for the end-of-year shopping frenzy.

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