Black Friday 2018 Doorbusters And Freebies A Guide To No-Cost Offers And Promotional Giveaways

Black Friday 2018 presented a wide array of promotional opportunities for U.S. consumers, extending beyond discounted merchandise to include various no-cost offers, free items, and chance-based giveaways. The promotional landscape for that year was characterized by extended shopping hours, doorbuster deals requiring store visits, and specific requirements such as mail-in rebates to obtain items at no net cost. Analysis of the available data reveals that many offers were strictly limited to in-store redemption, with specific time windows for participation.

The concept of "free" during the 2018 holiday shopping season took several forms. These ranged from immediate freebies such as food and beverages to high-value items obtained through mail-in rebates. Additionally, several retailers implemented gamified promotions, offering customers the chance to win significant prizes through scratch-off tickets, raffles, and sweepstakes. The following guide details the specific free offers, doorbusters, and promotional events available during the Black Friday 2018 shopping period.

Retailer-Specific Freebies and Doorbuster Offers

Several major retailers structured their 2018 promotions around immediate freebies available to early shoppers. These offers often targeted the first customers to arrive at physical store locations.

Macy’s Macy’s was a primary proponent of the "free after mail-in rebate" model. The retailer promoted free in-store doorbusters that required a subsequent mail-in rebate to receive the items at no cost. Eligible items included pearl earrings, perfume, slippers, and a slow cooker. Specific appliance deals highlighted in the 2018 ads included a Bella 12-inch electric skillet priced at $7.99 after a $12 mail-in rebate (regularly $44.99) and a Black and Decker 12-cup programmable coffee machine for $7.99 after a $12 mail-in rebate (regularly $37.99). Additionally, Macy’s offered select twin sheet sets for $5.99 (regularly $25) and select bath towels for $2.99 each (regularly $10). The retailer also offered select free doorbusters after mail-in rebate in stores.

Fred Meyer Fred Meyer focused on hospitality and immediate rewards for early birds. The store offered free coffee, juice, and donuts to shoppers. Furthermore, the first 100 customers were eligible to receive a free gift card. Doors opened at 5 a.m. on Black Friday.

Barnes & Noble Barnes & Noble provided a food and beverage incentive for shoppers visiting the store on Black Friday morning. Until 10 a.m., customers could enjoy a buy-one-get-one-free drink offer at the Starbucks locations inside the stores.

Bass Pro Shops Bass Pro Shops offered a seasonal experience-based freebie. Shoppers could get a free photo with Santa, available now through December 24. Additionally, the retailer offered a free plush toy with the photo. The plush offer was valid Mondays through Thursdays only, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. local time (3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving), and was available to the first 100 kids who had their photo taken with Santa. The store also provided free crafts, games, and activities.

Cabela’s Similar to other retailers, Cabela’s incentivized early arrival with a chance to win prizes. The first 600 people in line by 5 a.m. on Friday, November 24, were entered for a chance to win over $8,000 in prizes.

CVS CVS offered a significant volume of free items through a cashback rebate system. Shoppers could get 12 free items after utilizing cashback rebates.

Petco Petco included a promotional freebie for pet owners. Customers making a purchase at Petco on Black Friday received a free pair of antlers for their dog or cat.

Belk Belk offered two distinct freebie opportunities. Starting at 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving, Belk gave away a total of $1 million in gift cards, specifically a $1,000 gift card in each store. On Black Friday starting at 6 a.m., the retailer conducted an in-store mystery scratch-off giveaway, with potential winnings up to $250.

Ace Hardware Ace Hardware offered a coupon incentive for Ace Rewards members. Members who provided their email to a sales associate in-store received a $5 off coupon. The credit was set to appear in the member's account within two weeks.

Chance-Based Giveaways and Raffles

Several retailers utilized raffles and sweepstakes to generate excitement. These promotions generally required physical presence in line or in-store to enter or claim the prize.

JCPenney JCPenney offered a "coupon giveaway" for shoppers who arrived in-store early on Thursday, November 22. Participants could be entered into a giveaway consisting of a $500 off $500 coupon, a $100 off $100 coupon, and a $10 off $10 coupon.

Stein Mart Stein Mart utilized a "Gold Hanger" promotion. Shoppers who were the first in the door on Friday had the opportunity to find a hanger with a gold hanger sticker. Finding this sticker resulted in winning either $500 (available in every store) or $5,000 (available in one lucky store). Additionally, the first 100 customers in the door before 10 a.m. on Friday and Saturday received a gold scratch-off ticket worth $5, $25, or $100.

Stage (Bealls, Peebles, Palais Royal, Goody’s) Stage offered multiple raffles and giveaways. For people waiting in line on Thursday at 1 p.m., there was a raffle for a 4-ft teddy bear and a Pelican Realtree 30-qt. cooler. The first 75 guests on Thursday received a scratch-off card worth $10, $50, or $200. On Friday at 6 a.m., the first 75 guests received a free holiday tote and a $5 coupon. On Saturday at 11:30 a.m., there was a raffle for a Sharper Image Bluetooth speaker. Stage also hosted a Realtree Holiday Sweepstakes with a grand prize of an Exmark Zero-Turn Mower valued at $8,999, valid for entry between Black Friday and December 9.

Tilly’s Tilly’s offered a shopping spree giveaway. Shoppers could enter to win a $500 shopping spree.

Shopko Shopko offered a "free" item scenario that was conditional on store inventory. The first 100 customers on Thursday at 2 p.m. received $10 off a $10 home and clothing purchase valid on Saturday, November 24, and a $15 off home and clothing purchase valid December 1-24. The data noted uncertainty regarding whether there were items in the store priced at $10 or less, meaning the $10 coupon might not result in a completely free item.

Doorbuster Deals and Discounted Merchandise

While the focus of these sources is on free items, several doorbuster deals were highlighted alongside the freebies. These deals were often available only to those who physically visited the stores during specific hours.

Target Target offered a mix of electronics and appliances. A notable deal was the Element 55-inch smart UHD TV for $199.99 (regularly $379.99), available in stores only. Other deals included the Keurig K-Mini single-serve coffee maker for $49.99 (regularly $79.99) and the Fitbit Versa smartwatch for $149 (regularly $199.95).

Kohl’s Kohl’s combined discounted prices with store credit incentives. Deals included the Amazon Echo (2nd generation) for $69 (regularly $99.99), plus $15 in Kohl's Cash. They also offered an LG 49-inch 4K smart TV for $329.99 (regularly $449.99), plus $90 in Kohl's Cash.

Best Buy Best Buy opened its doors at 5 p.m. on Thursday. Deals included a Samsung 65-inch Ultra HD 4K smart TV for $599 (a $200 savings) and a Canon EOS Rebel T6 DSLR with two lenses for $399.99 (a $350 savings).

Walmart Walmart opened at 6 p.m. on Thursday. Promotions included a 65-inch Class 4K Roku smart TV for $398 and a Google Home Hub for $99, which included a $10 VUDU credit (a $50 savings). Walmart also hosted a "Light Up Black Friday" event from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. local time on Thursday for early arrivals.

Sears Sears offered deals on appliances, specifically a Kenmore French door refrigerator, and home tech items like a Night Owl 8-channel home security camera system for $199.99 (regularly $299.99). They also offered a Wahl Deluxe Haircut kit for $19.99 (regularly $29.99).

Trends and Eligibility Requirements

The 2018 Black Friday data highlights specific eligibility requirements that consumers needed to meet to secure free items.

Mail-In Rebates A significant portion of "free" items, particularly at Macy's, were not free at the point of sale. Consumers had to pay for the item initially and then submit documentation to receive a rebate check, effectively making the item free after a waiting period.

Time-Sensitive Arrival Most freebies and doorbusters were strictly limited to the "first" customers. For example, Fred Meyer limited free gift cards to the first 100 customers, and Bass Pro Shops limited free plush toys to the first 100 kids.

Store-Only vs. Online The data indicates that the majority of these specific free offers and doorbusters were available in stores only. For example, the Element TV at Target and the free doorbusters at Macy's were explicitly noted as "in stores only." This required consumers to physically visit the locations, often during late-night or early-morning hours.

Membership Requirements Some offers, such as the Ace Hardware $5 coupon, required membership in the Ace Rewards program and active engagement with a sales associate in-store.

Conclusion

The Black Friday 2018 promotional landscape offered diverse opportunities for consumers to acquire items at no cost, provided they met specific conditions. The primary methods for obtaining free items included mail-in rebates (Macy's), early-bird giveaways (Fred Meyer, Belk), and purchase-with-purchase incentives (Petco). Additionally, high-value raffles and sweepstakes (Stein Mart, Stage, Cabela's) rewarded physical presence and early arrival.

Consumers seeking these offers navigated extended hours, with many retailers opening on Thanksgiving evening. The data suggests that while deep discounts were widely available across electronics and appliances, the "free" offers were often tied to specific promotional windows, limited quantities, or future rebates. Successful participation required careful planning regarding store opening times, location of specific departments (such as Starbucks inside Barnes & Noble), and adherence to rebate submission guidelines.

Sources

1. Oregon Live - Black Friday 2018 The Best Deals
2. NJ.com - Black Friday 2018 Doorbusters
3. Freeflys - 2018 Black Friday Freebies
4. Actually Free - Black Friday Freebies 2018