Black Friday 2021 deals have already (unofficially) arrived

Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and others are already slashing prices ahead of Thanksgiving

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Black Friday and Cyber Monday, much like Christmas, seem to come along sooner and sooner every year. This year's deals bonanza takes place — as per usual — the day after Thanksgiving on Friday, November 26.

But if you're looking to land an online bargain, you don't have to wait until the day itself. Most major retailers in the U.S. have already kick started their so-called Black Friday sales.

That's looking more relevant this time around than during Black Fridays of years gone by. The longer the sales season goes on, the more likely the product you've been planning to buy all year will be sold out. As reported by Bloomberg, plenty of retailers are struggling with stock levels — yet another impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

That might mean Black Friday 2021 ends up another bust for some businesses, but it could reward the consumer who gets ahead of the game and does virtual holidays shopping a few weeks in advance of the crowds. The risk is that prices get even better on the days of Black Friday and Cyber Monday themselves, but at least you avoid the disappointment of seeing that flat screen TV or smart home device out of stock for the foreseeable future.