11.11 and Black Friday: how to tell a real discount from a fake one

Two big sales are coming: 11.11 (Singles' Day, November 11) on AliExpress, and Black Friday (November 27, 2026) followed by Cyber Monday (November 30). Every product page will shout "-50%", "-70%", "today only". Some of those deals are real; many are not. Here is how to tell the difference before you pay.

Why the crossed-out price tells you little

On a marketplace, the "original" price next to the discount is set by the seller. Nothing stops a seller from raising it so the discount looks bigger.

We see this in our own catalog. On an ordinary day in October, with no sale running, 296 of the 433 AliExpress products on our site showed a discount between 48% and 55%. When nearly everything is "half price" every day, the percentage is not a useful signal.

1. Note the price now

The simplest check is also the most reliable: write down (or screenshot) today's price of the things you plan to buy, two or three weeks before the sale. Add them to your wishlist or cart on the marketplace. On sale day, compare the final price with your note, not with the crossed-out one.

If the "sale" price equals what you saw in October, it is not a deal, whatever the badge says.

2. Compare the final price at checkout

The price on the product page is only part of the story. Before paying, look at the total at checkout:

• Shipping and taxes. A cheap item with expensive shipping can cost more than a pricier one with free delivery.
• Platform coupons. During 11.11 AliExpress hands out coupons with a minimum order amount. They change the final price, but only if your order reaches that amount — do not buy extra things just to unlock one.
• Seller promo codes. Some sellers add their own code with a minimum spend and an expiry date. We show these codes on product pages; see all of them on the promo codes page.

3. Compare the same model from different sellers

The same product is often sold by several shops with different "original" prices, discounts and reviews. A bigger percentage does not mean a lower price. On our product pages, the "This model from other sellers" block shows such matches when we find them.

4. Check reviews and recent sales, not just the discount

A big discount on a product with few orders or a low share of positive reviews is a risk, not a bargain. Look at the share of positive reviews, the number of recent orders and photos from buyers. On our site we only list AliExpress products with a high share of positive reviews.

5. Watch the delivery time

If you are buying gifts, delivery matters more than an extra few percent. Before the holidays, delivery from AliExpress can take one to three weeks, so items for Christmas are better ordered in November.

Black Friday on Amazon

The same rules work on Amazon. Next to deals Amazon may show a "List" price or a "Typical" price; the typical price (what the item usually sells for) is a better reference than the list price. Check that the seller is reputable, and remember that popular devices often get their lowest prices around Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Where to find the deals on our site

• 11.11 on AliExpress: popular deals — popular products with at least a 30% discount and 95%+ positive reviews.
• Black Friday & Cyber Monday deals — the biggest current discounts with 96%+ positive reviews.

We check marketplace prices every day, but the final price, coupons and delivery are always shown by the marketplace at checkout — check them there before you buy.