Black Friday Tool Deals: How to Tell a Real Discount
Spot inflated was-prices on drills and saws with a quick 30-day history check before you pay.
A real Black Friday tool discount drops below the price charged regularly before November. A strikethrough tag alone proves nothing. A strikethrough discount shows a crossed-out "was" price beside the sale price.
Check that "was" price against the prior 30 days of listings before you trust the savings.
Verification note: Program terms and availability can change. This page was checked against linked sources on November 06, 2026.
What makes a was price count?
The Federal Trade Commission states a former price supports a discount claim only when it was the actual price offered regularly for a reasonably substantial period, as described in the federal pricing guides. A brief spike before November does not meet that test. Ask how long the higher price lasted.
A drill listed at $199 for months, then cut to $149, fits the standard better than one marked $199 for a few days.
Why do November tool tags mislead?
Consumer group Which? tracked 227 products across eight major home and tech retailers during the 20 Nov-1 Dec 2023 Black Friday fortnight and found 92% were the same price or cheaper at other times of year, according to the Which? price-tracking study.
The pattern applies directly to power tools, where seasonal sets and bundles hide repeat prices. In the same study, six in 10 "was" prices had been in place less than half the time the product was available in the prior year. Regulators see the same issue now.
Australia's competition regulator swept 50 retailers' November 2025 advertising and found about half made concerning claims, including inflated "original" prices, as reported in the ACCC Black Friday sweep.
How do you run a 30-day check?
European Union law requires any announced reduction to reference the lowest price charged in at least the prior 30 days, under the EU price-reduction rule. U.S. shoppers can apply the same check by hand because federal rules set no fixed-day cutoff.
Use the retailer page, receipts, and price-history screenshots to rebuild that record. A $30 cut from an inflated "was" price may still sit above last month's everyday price. A $15 cut from the 30-day low is a true reduction.
- Note the current sale price, kit contents, and model number.
- Scroll the listing for price history or search the model across sellers.
- Record the lowest price you find from the prior 30 days.
- Treat that low as the baseline, not the crossed-out "was" price.
When should you walk away?
Skip the deal when the "was" price has no date range. Skip it when the tool, battery, charger, or case differs from the version used for the comparison. Skip it when fees, shipping, or required accessories erase the cut.
Compare identical model numbers across at least two sellers. Save a dated screenshot of the price you would accept, then buy only if the Black Friday total beats your 30-day low.