Walmart Black Friday 2025: Three Sales, Three Chances for Resellers

Walmart just announced something different for Black Friday 2025, and most resellers are going to fumble it. Instead of one massive sale on November 28, they’re running three separate events starting November 14. Each event has different inventory, different discounts, and different profit opportunities.

The resellers who understand this structure will clear $2,000-5,000 across all three events. The ones who show up on November 28 expecting one big payday will find picked-over inventory and crowded competition.

Black Friday used to be simple. Show up November 28, buy everything cheap, flip it in December. But Amazon Prime Day split consumer attention, Target started early sales, and everyone realized the single-day model left money on the table.

Walmart’s three-event structure spreads demand across the month, keeps inventory flowing, and forces resellers to strategize instead of just showing up once. The company announced up to 60% off top brands and thousands of items under $20, which sounds great until you realize that’s spread across three separate sales.

Event 1 on November 14-16 is your foundation buy. Event 2 on November 25-30 is your volume play. Event 3 on December 1 (Cyber Monday) is your last chance for anything you missed. Understanding which products drop when determines whether you make $500 or $5,000 this season.

This is where you build your December inventory. Walmart drops the first wave of deals both online and in stores, and if you have Walmart Plus membership, you get online access starting November 13 at 7pm ET. That five-hour head start matters more than you think.

Walmart’s press release mentioned a 98-inch TCL QLED 4K Google TV dropping from $1,798 to $998. That’s an $800 cut on a single item, and it’s the kind of discount that makes headlines but doesn’t necessarily flip well. Large TVs are expensive to ship, hard to store, and have slim margins after fees. Skip the flashy stuff and focus on what actually moves.

Electronics are the play here. Walmart traditionally discounts Apple products, gaming consoles, headphones, and smartwatches during Event 1. These items hold value through December because parents buy them as Christmas gifts. An iPad at $100 off retail in mid-November still flips for near retail in mid-December when Walmart’s sold out.

Look for Apple AirPods, Apple Watches, gaming headsets, Oculus Quest headsets, and Nintendo Switch accessories. These categories have passionate buyers who will pay retail or above when retail channels are depleted. Your profit per item might only be $20-40, but if you buy 30 units, that’s $600-1,200 from Event 1 alone.

LEGO sets are critical during Event 1. Walmart advertised up to 75% off LEGO in their sneak peek coverage, though that likely refers to select sets, not everything. Popular licenses like Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Marvel consistently flip for profit. Sets in the $50-150 retail range move fastest. Avoid giant $400+ sets unless you have serious capital and storage space.

LEGO holds value better than almost any toy because it’s both a toy and a collectible. Adult collectors buy sets for display, kids want them for play, and parents scramble for last-minute gifts. A $100 LEGO set bought on November 14 at 40% off ($60 cost) will flip for $90-110 in mid-December on eBay or Facebook Marketplace. That’s $30-50 profit after fees on a single item.

This is the main Black Friday event, running online November 25 and in stores through November 30. Walmart Plus early access starts November 24 at 7pm ET. This event has the most inventory, the deepest discounts, and the most competition.

Your Event 1 purchases should already be selling by now if you listed them correctly. Event 2 is about volume. You’re not looking for 50% margins anymore, you’re looking for 20-30% margins on higher quantities. The goal is moving 50-100 units through December.

Toys dominate Event 2. Walmart stocks heavily on Barbie, Hot Wheels, Disney, and Marvel toys. The discounts might not be as steep as Event 1, but the variety is wider. Focus on proven sellers: Barbie Dreamhouses (any version under $100), Hot Wheels premium sets (not basic $1 cars), and Disney princess dolls.

Toys under $30 retail have the fastest turnover. Parents buying last-minute gifts in mid-December will pay retail or slightly above for toys their kids want. You’re not making $100 per item here, you’re making $10-20 per item across 50 items for $500-1,000 total profit.

Fashion and accessories show up in Event 2 with mixed results. Walmart pushes clothing, shoes, and accessories during this window. Most resellers should skip this unless you’re already set up for apparel with good systems for sizing, returns, and storage. Clothing has brutal competition and high return rates.

However, branded fashion like Levi’s jeans, Nike apparel, and name-brand sneakers can work if deeply discounted. Levi’s jeans at 40% off retail flip well on Poshmark and eBay for people who know sizing. You need specific knowledge here, so if you don’t already resell clothing, this isn’t the time to start.

Home goods and seasonal decor hit Event 2. Holiday decorations, kitchen gadgets, bedding, and furniture all get discounted. Ignore most of it. Holiday decor value crashes on December 26. Kitchen gadgets are saturated. Bedding and furniture are logistics nightmares.

The exception is high-end kitchen brands like KitchenAid, Cuisinart, and Le Creuset if Walmart actually stocks them at deep discounts. A KitchenAid stand mixer at 40% off ($200 cost, $350 retail value) flips easily. But Walmart doesn’t always carry premium kitchen brands in meaningful quantities, so don’t count on this.

Cyber Monday at Walmart is online-only. Early access for Walmart Plus starts November 30 at 7pm ET. This event is smaller than Events 1 and 2, but it’s your chance to fill gaps in your inventory.

By December 1, you should have already sold 30-50% of your Event 1 and Event 2 purchases. You know what’s moving fast and what’s sitting. Event 3 is when you double down on winners and avoid losers.

Tech accessories shine during Event 3. Phone cases, charging cables, portable chargers, Bluetooth speakers, and smart home accessories get discounted here. These are small, easy to ship, and have steady demand. Margins are lower (15-25% typically) but volume compensates.

Look for multi-packs. A 10-pack of charging cables at $15 sells individually for $5-8 each, turning $15 into $50-80. Portable chargers from Anker or similar brands at 40% off flip consistently because everyone needs backup power.

Gaming accessories and collectibles appear in Event 3. Xbox and PlayStation controllers, gaming headsets, game storage solutions, and gaming chairs all get discounted. Controllers are solid plays because they break frequently and replacements cost $60-70 retail. Buy them at $35-40, flip for $55-65.

Collectibles like Funko Pops, action figures, and trading card games occasionally hit Cyber Monday sales. These are niche, but if you understand the markets, the profit margins can be strong. A $15 Funko Pop that retails for $25-30 after the holiday is a solid flip.

Walmart Plus costs $98 annually or $12.95 monthly. For resellers, the five-hour early access to online inventory across all three events is worth the cost if you’re buying $500+ in inventory per event. That early access means you get first choice on limited-quantity items before the general public.

Do the math: If early access lets you secure 10 extra items at $30 profit each that would have sold out otherwise, that’s $300 profit. Walmart Plus pays for itself in one event if you use it strategically.

However, if you’re only buying 10-20 items total across all events, skip Walmart Plus and just shop when sales go live publicly. The membership makes sense for serious volume buyers, not casual flippers.

Don’t blow your entire budget on Event 1. Smart resellers allocate capital across all three events based on what historically sells best when. Here’s a framework:

Event 1 (Nov 14-16): Allocate 40% of your total budget. Buy LEGO, electronics, and premium items that appreciate as inventory depletes. These purchases won’t move immediately but will sell for best margins in mid-December. Think of this as your foundation inventory.

Event 2 (Nov 25-30): Allocate 50% of your budget. This is your volume play. Buy toys, small appliances, and proven sellers in quantity. You’re looking for fast turnover here, not maximum margins. List these immediately and expect them to start moving by December 10.

Event 3 (Dec 1): Allocate 10% of your budget. This is your cleanup event. Buy tech accessories, gaming items, and fill gaps in inventory based on what sold fast from Events 1 and 2. Don’t overextend here because you still need cash flow to cover listing fees, shipping, and reinvestment.

Buying $2,000 worth of inventory across three events means storing 80-150 items somewhere. Do you have the space? Can you organize it so you can find items quickly when they sell? Are you prepared to ship 5-10 packages per day in mid-December?

Resellers fail not because they can’t find deals, but because they can’t manage logistics. Before you buy anything, make sure you have:

• Storage space that’s organized and accessible
• Shipping supplies ready (boxes, tape, labels, bubble wrap)
• A system for tracking what you bought, what it cost, and when you listed it
• Time allocated for listing, responding to buyers, and shipping

If you’re working full-time and flipping on the side, buying 100+ items might be too much. Scale to what you can actually manage. Twenty items at $40 profit each is $800, which beats buying 100 items and not being able to ship them fast enough.

Where you sell matters as much as what you buy. Different categories perform better on different platforms.

eBay works best for LEGO, collectibles, electronics, and toys. The audience is there, sold listings provide pricing guidance, and shipping is straightforward. eBay fees are 13% total, so build that into your profit calculations.

Facebook Marketplace is ideal for small appliances, home goods, and bulky items. Local selling means no shipping costs and immediate cash. Price items slightly below retail but above your cost, meet in safe public locations, and move volume.

Mercari splits the difference between eBay and Facebook. It’s good for toys, accessories, and mid-range items. Fees are around 13% total, similar to eBay, but the audience skews younger and more casual.

Don’t spread yourself too thin. Pick two platforms maximum and master them. Listing the same item on five platforms sounds smart but creates chaos when multiple copies sell simultaneously and you have to cancel orders.

Black Friday inventory carries specific risks that need management:

Returns spike after Christmas. Buyers return gifts they didn’t want, items that didn’t fit, or purchases they regretted. Build a 10-15% return rate into your expectations. Don’t spend every dollar of revenue assuming you keep it all.

Some items won’t sell. You’ll misjudge demand on 10-20% of what you buy. That’s normal. The winners need to cover the losers. If you buy 50 items and 10 don’t sell, the other 40 need to be profitable enough to absorb those losses.

Walmart’s refund policy protects you somewhat. Most items can be returned through January with receipts. If something truly doesn’t move and you bought it from Walmart, returning it recovers your capital. Don’t abuse this, but know it’s an option for expensive mistakes.

Platform fees and shipping costs eat margins. A $30 profit on paper becomes $20 after eBay’s 13% fees and $4 shipping supplies. A $15 profit after fees becomes $8 if the buyer’s 200 miles away and shipping costs $7. Calculate real profit after all costs, not just the gap between buy and sell price.

You can’t just buy inventory and wait for it to sell. December requires active selling:

List everything immediately. The longer inventory sits unlisted, the less time it has to sell at peak prices. List within 24-48 hours of purchase. Use good photos, accurate titles, and competitive pricing.

Reprice as December progresses. Items worth retail on December 1 might need discounts by December 20 to move. Watch what’s selling and adjust. Slow movers get price cuts, fast movers stay at full price or increase.

Ship same-day or next-day. December buyers are often buying gifts with tight deadlines. Fast shipping gets positive reviews and repeat buyers. Slow shipping gets negative reviews and returns.

Communicate clearly. Answer messages quickly, provide tracking numbers, and be honest about shipping times. December stress makes buyers anxious. Good communication prevents problems.

Let’s say you execute this strategy with $2,000 capital:

Event 1 (Nov 14-16): $800 spent

• 15 LEGO sets averaging $53 each: $800 cost, $1,200 revenue, $200 fees = $200 profit
• 10 electronics averaging $80 each: Realistically some will fail, net $150 profit

Event 2 (Nov 25-30): $1,000 spent

• 50 toys averaging $20 each: $1,000 cost, $1,500 revenue, $200 fees = $300 profit
• 10 small appliances averaging $100 each: Sold at $1,250, $163 fees, ship costs $87 = $0 profit but moved inventory

Event 3 (Dec 1): $200 spent

• 20 tech accessories averaging $10 each: $200 cost, $350 revenue, $46 fees = $104 profit

Total: $2,000 invested, $754 profit, 38% ROI over 6 weeks

That’s conservative math assuming some losses, returns, and items that don’t move. Aggressive resellers with better product selection, faster execution, and higher volume can push 50-75% ROI. But 38% is achievable if you follow the framework.

Walmart’s three-event Black Friday structure rewards resellers who plan across the entire month, not just show up once. Event 1 builds foundation inventory that sells at peak December prices. Event 2 provides volume opportunities with fast turnover. Event 3 fills gaps and captures stragglers.

The resellers clearing $3,000-5,000 this season are buying 100-200 items across all three events, managing logistics smoothly, and selling actively through December. The ones making $500-800 are buying 30-50 items from one event and hoping for the best.

Start with Event 1 on November 14. Build from there based on what works. And whatever you do, don’t skip the first event thinking the main Black Friday sale on November 28 will have better deals. The best inventory moves first.