Instore Black Friday Freebies In 2018 Verified Offers How They Worked And What Shoppers Could Redeem

Introduction

Black Friday 2018 brought the usual mix of deep discounts, doorbusters, and a selection of in‑store freebies aimed at getting shoppers through the door. Unlike coupons or standard markdowns, the offers described here were promotional free items—some available at no cost after in‑store rewards rebates (e.g., ExtraBucks, Bonus Cash), others distributed as part of store events. Most of these promotions required a minimum purchase, scanning a coupon, or visiting a store at a specific time. The total inventory of free items per offer was often limited, and many deals were valid on the day of Black Friday itself, with some beginning on Thanksgiving afternoon and others on Black Friday morning. For consumers, the essential first step was identifying which stores had free items, then understanding the exact terms, timing, and any required in‑app coupons or loyalty program enrollment. This article summarizes the verified 2018 Black Friday freebies and related store events, focusing on what was offered, how to redeem, and the constraints that shaped access.

How “Free After Rewards” Worked at CVS and Rite Aid

Both CVS and Rite Aid used “free after rewards” mechanics in 2018, meaning shoppers paid a listed price for an item and received a rebate in the form of store currency (ExtraBucks at CVS, Bonus Cash at Rite Aid). When the cash‑back value matched the purchase price, the net result was effectively a free item. For many of these promotions, the in‑ad price combined with a store coupon could be used to trigger a rewards balance that covered the entire purchase. Typically, the store’s loyalty account was required, and limits applied (e.g., one per customer). These “free after rewards” offers generally did not require mail‑in rebates; they posted automatically to the account or were issued as store credit, and then could be used on future purchases. As with any in‑store program, availability was first‑come, first‑served, and doors opened on Thanksgiving afternoon in many cases.

CVS “Free After ExtraBucks” Items (2018)

The following items were advertised as “free after ExtraBucks” with specified purchase prices and cash‑back amounts. Dates were typically Thursday 11/22 through Saturday 11/24. Some offers were explicitly valid Thursday through Saturday; all were limited and sometimes required printing a coupon through the CVS app. The table below distills the mechanics and timing for the verified items.

• 23andMe Genetic DNA Starter Kit

  • Mechanic: Pay $29.99, Get $29.99 in ExtraBucks
  • Limit: 1
  • Dates: Thursday 11/22 – Saturday 11/24
  • Notes: “After ECBs”; one store account likely required

• Beauty 360 & Blade 2 Disposable Razor, 3 Count

  • Mechanic: Pay $1.99, Get $1.99 in ExtraBucks
  • Limit: 1
  • Dates: Thursday 11/22 – Saturday 11/24

• Colgate Optic White Toothpaste (4.2–4.6 oz)

  • Mechanic: Buy 1 at $3.50, Get $3.50 in ExtraBucks
  • Limit: 1
  • Dates: Thursday 11/22 – Saturday 11/24
  • Notes: Use the $0.50/1 Colgate Coupon in the CVS App; effective net cost after ECB and coupon adjusted to $3.00

• CVS Facial Masks

  • Mechanic: Buy 1 at $1.87, Get $1.87 in ExtraBucks
  • Limit: 1
  • Dates: Thursday 11/22 – Saturday 11/24

• CVS Health Ibuprofen & Acetaminophen (24 Count)

  • Mechanic: Buy 1 at $3.19, Get $3.19 in ExtraBucks
  • Limit: 1
  • Dates: Thursday 11/22 – Saturday 11/24

• CVS Health Baby Wipes (20 Count)

  • Mechanic: Pay $0.99, Get $0.99 in ExtraBucks
  • Limit: 1
  • Dates: Thursday 11/22 – Saturday 11/24

• CVS Health Pantiliners (20 Count)

  • Mechanic: Pay $0.99, Get $0.99 in ExtraBucks
  • Limit: 1
  • Dates: Thursday 11/22 – Saturday 11/24

• Green Giant Vegetables

  • Mechanic: Pay $1.89, Get $1.89 in ExtraBucks
  • Limit: Not specified
  • Dates: Thursday 11/22 – Saturday 11/24

• Just the Basics Bathroom Tissue

  • Mechanic: Pay $0.89, Get $0.89 in ExtraBucks
  • Limit: Not specified
  • Dates: Thursday 11/22 – Saturday 11/24

• Just the Basics Paper Towels

  • Mechanic: Pay $0.99, Get $0.99 in ExtraBucks
  • Limit: Not specified
  • Dates: Thursday 11/22 – Saturday 11/24

• Orbit White Gum

  • Mechanic: Pay $0.99, Get $0.99 in ExtraBucks
  • Limit: Not specified
  • Dates: Thursday 11/22 – Saturday 11/24

For all of the above, the “after ExtraBucks” framing indicated that the store credit was earned at the time of purchase. The ExtraBucks generally posted to the loyalty account and could be used on subsequent purchases. Some offers were described as “FREE after ECBs,” emphasizing that the reward value would offset the out‑of‑pocket cost.

Rite Aid “Free After Bonus Cash” Items (2018)

Rite Aid’s “Bonus Cash” functioned similarly to CVS’s ExtraBucks. The offers below are the verified items and mechanics from the 2018 ad.

• Conair Hair Brushes and Hair Bands

  • Mechanic: Buy 1 at $3.00, Earn $3.00 in Bonus Cash
  • Limit: 2
  • Dates: Thursday 11/22 – Saturday 11/24
  • Category: Beauty accessories

• GE LED Light Bulbs (2 count)

  • Mechanic: Buy 1 at $7.00, Earn $7.00 in Bonus Cash
  • Limit: Not specified
  • Dates: Thursday 11/22 – Saturday 11/24
  • Category: Household essentials

• Magnavox Ear Buds

  • Mechanic: Buy 1 at $6.00, Earn $6.00 in Bonus Cash
  • Limit: Not specified
  • Dates: Thursday 11/22 – Saturday 11/24
  • Category: Electronics accessories

• Nestle Single Candy Bars

  • Mechanic: Not fully specified; referenced as “FREE after Bonus Cash” in the ad
  • Limit: Not specified
  • Dates: Not specified
  • Category: Food (confectionery)

For the Nestle candy bars, the exact pricing and Bonus Cash amounts were not included in the source material. Shoppers would need to consult the full ad or in‑store signage for those details. As with CVS, the Bonus Cash generally functioned as in‑store currency, posted to the account and usable on later purchases.

Other Stores with Freebies and In‑Store Events in 2018

Beyond CVS and Rite Aid, several retailers provided either free items or special in‑store experiences during the 2018 Black Friday period. These promotions were framed as giveaways, mystery offers, or time‑bound experiences rather than “free after rewards” mechanics.

• Barnes & Noble

  • Offer: Buy‑one‑get‑one‑free drink at Starbucks
  • Timing: Until 10:00 a.m. on Black Friday
  • Notes: Limited to the morning window; beverage only; subject to store participation

• Bass Pro Shops

  • Offer: Free photo with Santa
  • Timing: Through December 24; specific plush offer limited to Mondays–Thursdays only, 5 p.m.–7 p.m. local time (and 3 p.m.–5 p.m. on Thanksgiving)
  • Additional detail: Free plush with photo available to the first 100 kids; also free crafts, games, and activities
  • Post‑Black Friday: First 300 guests on the Saturday and Sunday after Black Friday received a mystery prize; light‑up Christmas spinner also included

• Belk

  • Offer: $1,000 gift card in each store
  • Timing: Starting at 4:00 p.m. on Thanksgiving
  • Mechanic: In‑store mystery scratch‑off giveaway starting at 6:00 a.m. on Black Friday; potential scratch off up to $250

• Cabela’s

  • Offer: Early arrival contest
  • Mechanic: Be one of the first 600 in line by 5:00 a.m. Friday, November 24, for a chance to win over $8,000 in prizes

• Fred Meyer

  • Offer: First 100 customers receive a free gift card; free coffee, juice, and donuts
  • Timing: Doors open at 5:00 a.m. on Black Friday
  • Notes: Early arrival required; supply limited

• JCPenney

  • Offer: Free coupon giveaway to early in‑store shoppers
  • Details: $10 off $10 purchase, $100 off $100 purchase, or $500 off $500 purchase
  • Notes: Offer structured as a “feel lucky?” draw; availability unknown

• Kmart

  • Offer: Free doorbusters after points back
  • Details: Not fully specified; “points back” suggests a loyalty program; availability unknown

• Macy’s

  • Offer: Twelve doorbuster freebies after rebate, starting at 6:00 a.m. on Black Friday
  • Details: Not specified which products; full list not in source material; doorbuster quantities likely limited

• Mills Fleet Farm

  • Offer: Free plush toy on Black Friday
  • Notes: Availability and quantities unknown

• Office Depot

  • Offer: Duracell AA or AAA batteries (16‑count) free after rewards
  • Mechanic: 100% back in rewards; Limit 2
  • Timing: 12:01 a.m. Thursday online; In stores Friday at 8:00 a.m.
  • Notes: “Free after rewards” suggests a loyalty program credit offsetting cost

• Petco

  • Offer: Free antlers for pets in store on Friday
  • Notes: Likely small‑format, high‑demand item; quantities unknown

• Sears

  • Offer: $50 in points back on a $50 purchase
  • Notes: Point‑back mechanic rather than a free item; availability unknown

• Walmart

  • Offer: Free coffee, hot cocoa, and cookies in select stores
  • Timing: Thursday at 4:00 p.m.
  • Sponsor: Keurig
  • Notes: Food and beverage only; availability varies by store location

• Half Price Books

  • Offer: Free tote bag and $5 gift card on Black Friday
  • Notes: Book retailer event; quantities likely limited

How to Read and Redeem “Free After Rewards” Deals Safely and Efficiently

For shoppers aiming to take advantage of “free after rewards” promotions, success hinged on aligning store timing with the program’s rules. Both CVS and Rite Aid required a loyalty program account, and redemption was handled via in‑store purchase that triggered rewards posted to the account. At CVS, ExtraBucks could be used in subsequent transactions, so many shoppers budgeted to take several “after ECB” offers in one trip, then applied the credit to other needed items. The effectiveness of this strategy was contingent on balancing purchase prices, coupon eligibility, and available stock.

Coupon management was important at CVS. For example, Colgate Optic White included a $0.50/1 coupon available through the CVS App. The ad described a scenario in which the toothpaste was purchased at $3.50, then $3.50 in ExtraBucks was earned, and the coupon brought the effective out‑of‑pocket cost to $3.00, effectively increasing the value of the credit relative to the purchase. While not a true “free” item in that specific example, the ad’s phrasing made clear that the final net cost would be reduced and, depending on how the ExtraBucks were used, could function as free or near‑free in practice.

Queue planning was essential for giveaways tied to the first arrivals. Belk’s scratch‑off game started at 6:00 a.m. on Black Friday; Cabela’s required shoppers to be among the first 600 in line by 5:00 a.m. for prize eligibility; Fred Meyer’s free gift card and refreshments were limited to the first 100 customers. Shoppers with a tightly coordinated route—or who prioritized stores with fewer participants—were more likely to secure these items. For the broader category of “mystery prize” and “first 300 guests” offers, it was important to read the full ad language; for instance, Bass Pro Shops’ plush giveaway for kids with Santa photos was explicitly limited to specific evening windows and the first 100 children.

Finally, the in‑store “experience” freebies, such as Barnes & Noble’s buy‑one‑get‑one‑free drink window and Walmart’s free coffee/hot cocoa/cookies, were time‑bound and did not require a purchase. These were simple value adds for shoppers already planning to be in the store, but required precise timing and awareness of store‑level participation.

Eligibility, Limits, and Timing: What Constrained Access

The dominant constraints for the 2018 Black Friday freebies were time, inventory, and the “free after rewards” structure itself.

• Time windows

  • Many items were valid Thursday 11/22 through Saturday 11/24. Some began earlier on Thanksgiving (Belk at 4:00 p.m.) or at the crack of dawn on Black Friday (Fred Meyer at 5:00 a.m., Cabela’s by 5:00 a.m. for the first 600 in line).

• Inventory limits

  • Bass Pro Shops’ free plush with Santa photos was limited to the first 100 kids, and the plush offer itself was available only during evening windows.
  • Fred Meyer limited the free gift card to the first 100 customers, with door opening at 5:00 a.m.
  • Belk’s scratch‑off game and the grand prize $1,000 per store were likely high‑demand events; access was effectively controlled by arrival and store capacity.

• Program limits

  • CVS’s “free after ECB” items commonly had a limit of one per customer, and some offers (e.g., Conair hair brushes at Rite Aid) capped at two per customer.
  • Office Depot’s Duracell offer was “100% back in rewards,” with a limit of two; it began online at 12:01 a.m. Thursday and in stores Friday at 8:00 a.m.

• Coupon requirements

  • The Colgate Optic White offer at CVS included a $0.50/1 coupon from the CVS App. In practice, this meant shoppers needed both the coupon and a loyalty account to capture the full promotional value.

• “Free” vs. “net free”

  • Several offers were structured so that the purchase price, combined with rewards, created a net free result only when the rewards were spent on subsequent purchases. For example, an item priced at $1.99 with $1.99 in ExtraBucks left shoppers out $1.99 in the moment but $1.99 in credit to apply later. If the credit was used efficiently on a matching purchase, the net effect was free; if not, the credit could roll to future visits. This distinction mattered in planning and budgeting.

Retailer‑Specific Highlights from the 2018 Ads

To organize the information by retailer and make the opportunities easy to scan, the table below consolidates the free item or event, the timing, the mechanic (free after rewards, giveaway, etc.), and notable limits or notes.

In practice, many of these promotions were most effective when the shopper had a pre‑planned route, knew the precise opening times, and had any necessary coupons or apps installed ahead of time.

How These Offers Fit the 2018 Black Friday Context

Black Friday 2018 continued the long‑standing U.S. tradition of the day after Thanksgiving serving as the unofficial start to the holiday shopping season. The event remained largely anchored in brick‑and‑mortar stores, but online shopping continued to grow rapidly. Data from Adobe Analytics reported that online sales hit a record $6.22 billion in 2018, a 23.6% increase from the previous year, driven by consumer comfort with online platforms and their convenience. Despite the online surge, big retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy saw strong sales, and popular categories included electronics (televisions, laptops, smartphones), clothing, and toys. The freebies and in‑store events described here complemented the broader Black Friday context by giving shoppers incremental value beyond price cuts, particularly for essentials like batteries, health and beauty items, and household goods.

For many consumers, the net result of “free after rewards” deals and early‑arrival giveaways was the ability to stretch budgets further. Stockpiling everyday items (e.g., batteries, paper towels, toothpaste) through store credit programs could defray future spending, while the “experience” offers (e.g., a photo with Santa or free refreshments) made a family trip to the mall or shopping center more enjoyable. Of course, access was not universal; constraints such as the first 100 customers, first 600 in line, or specific windows limited who could benefit. Understanding these rules in advance made the difference between a successful trip and a missed opportunity.

Practical Considerations for Shoppers

Shoppers seeking to leverage “free after rewards” promotions needed to ensure they met the prerequisites: a loyalty account, any required app coupons, and a clear plan to use the earned rewards. In many cases, the rewards posted automatically to the account, but the timing of post was not always specified. It was prudent to hold onto receipts in case of delayed posting and to check the loyalty dashboard after the visit.

For the time‑bound giveaways, arrival at the door was critical. A small cushion—being in line before the store opened—was often necessary to qualify for limited quantities. The same applied to the “mystery prize” events: on the Saturday and Sunday after Black Friday, for example, Bass Pro Shops promised a mystery prize to the first 300 guests, but did not specify the prize value or distribution mechanics in the source material. In these scenarios, reading the ad closely and preparing to stay flexible were prudent.

Finally, coupon stacking could materially improve outcomes. CVS’s Colgate Optic White example illustrated how a $0.50/1 coupon, when combined with the ExtraBucks credit, improved the net value of the transaction. In the context of “free after rewards,” coupon stacking was a legitimate way to extract additional value, but shoppers needed to verify that the coupon and the item matched the promotion’s terms and that the coupon was eligible on the advertised date.

Where the Source Material Left Gaps

Some retailers’ offers were described without full details. For instance, JCPenney’s free coupon giveaway was framed as “Do you feel lucky?” with values of $10 off $10, $100 off $100, and $500 off $500, but the source did not specify the number of coupons, the timing, or the distribution method. Kmart’s “Free doorbusters after points back” suggested a loyalty program mechanic but did not clarify the redemption details, eligibility, or inventory. At Macy’s, twelve doorbuster freebies were advertised, but the source did not list which products were included. Bass Pro Shops’ “mystery prize” for the first 300 guests on the Saturday and Sunday after Black Friday was mentioned, but the nature of the prize and the distribution method were not detailed. Petco’s free antlers were also mentioned without quantity or timing. For some items, notably the Nestle single candy bars at Rite Aid, the ad referenced “FREE after Bonus Cash,” but the purchase price and Bonus Cash amount were not provided. In these instances, consumers needed to consult the retailer’s in‑store signage or full ad to confirm the specifics.

Conclusion

The 2018 Black Friday freebies reflected a mix of “free after rewards” promotions—particularly at CVS and Rite Aid—plus early‑arrival giveaways, mystery promotions, and time‑bound experiences. For “free after rewards” offers, the mechanics were straightforward: pay the advertised price, earn a store credit that covers the cost, and apply that credit to future purchases. Successful redemption required loyalty account enrollment, the use of in‑app coupons where applicable, and tight coordination with the store’s opening times. For giveaways and experiences, the value was tied to arrival and availability. In both cases, reading the ad and verifying the terms—especially limits, timing, and coupon requirements—were essential. The broader 2018 Black Friday context—strong online sales growth alongside robust in‑store participation—meant that free offers served as additional incentives on top of the day’s deep discounts. Shoppers who planned carefully could stretch their budgets and enjoy a more affordable, even festive, start to the holiday season.

Sources

1. Black Friday Freebies for 2018
2. Black Friday Freebies 2018
3. Best of the Best Black Friday Deals 2018
4. Black Friday 2018 Sale Ads
5. Black Friday 2018 In‑Store Freebies