Holiday 2026 Shopping Season: What We Know So Far
The 2026 holiday shopping season is starting early. Retailers have already announced October sales events, cut thousands of prices, and begun seasonal hiring. What no major retailer has done yet — as of October 1, 2026 — is publish its 2026 Thanksgiving or Black Friday store hours.
Published October 1, 2026. This article rounds up everything confirmed so far, and tells you when to expect the official hours announcements.
October kicks off with dueling deal events
Three major sales events land in the first week of October 2026:
- Amazon Prime Big Deal Days and Target Circle Deal Days both run October 6–7, 2026, head to head.
- Walmart is running a weeklong sales event starting October 5, 2026, a day before the Amazon and Target events begin.
The calendar compression is no accident. Adobe forecast on September 28, 2026, that U.S. online holiday shopping will hit a record $275.1 billion this season, up 6.7% year over year. Retailers are pulling promotions forward to capture that demand early.
Price cuts arrive ahead of the holidays
Target announced on September 29, 2026, that it has lowered prices on nearly 2,000 home items, apparel, and accessories. The details:
- Some apparel is now priced more than 20% below last year's levels.
- Bedding is roughly 15% cheaper than a year ago.
- The new cuts build on more than 10,000 price reductions Target has made over the past year.
- Hawaii and Alaska stores are excluded.
Target is not alone. Walmart cut prices on roughly 11,000 products in July 2026, and Aldi lowered grocery prices through at least November 3, 2026.
Target CEO Michael Fiddelke and chief marketing officer Cara Sylvester have framed the cuts as a value play. The backdrop is a worried consumer: the University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index fell to 48.1 in September 2026, its lowest reading in four months.
Holiday hiring is down for the third straight year
Challenger, Gray & Christmas projected on September 23, 2026, that U.S. retailers will hire roughly 450,000 seasonal workers in the fourth quarter. That would be below the 461,500 seasonal hires in 2025 — the third consecutive annual decline, and the weakest seasonal hiring since 2008.
Announced plans so far:
- Spirit Halloween plans to hire 52,000 workers across a record 1,575 stores.
- Michaels announced on September 10 that it will bring on more than 10,000 seasonal employees.
- Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's scheduled a hiring event for October 7–8.
Notably absent so far: Amazon, Target, Kohl's, and Bath & Body Works have not yet announced their holiday hiring plans. Those announcements typically set the tone for the season, and their absence is worth watching.
The Thanksgiving hours question: not yet answered
Thanksgiving 2026 falls on November 26, a Thursday. As of October 1, 2026, no major retailer has published its 2026 Thanksgiving or Black Friday store hours.
That is normal. Official Thanksgiving hours announcements from chains like Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Kohl's typically arrive in late October, once holiday promotional calendars are locked. Historically, announcements have clustered in the last two weeks of October.
What to do in the meantime: bookmark this page and check back. StoreHour.com will publish each chain's official 2026 Thanksgiving and Black Friday hours as soon as retailers announce them.
What we know so far: a quick recap
| Topic | Confirmed as of Oct 1, 2026 |
|---|---|
| October deal events | Walmart starts Oct 5; Amazon Prime Big Deal Days + Target Circle Deal Days Oct 6–7 |
| Price cuts | Target ~2,000 items (Sept 29); Walmart ~11,000 (July); Aldi through Nov 3 |
| Online holiday forecast | $275.1B, +6.7% YoY (Adobe, Sept 28) |
| Seasonal hiring | ~450,000 projected (Challenger, Sept 23); third straight annual decline |
| Consumer sentiment | 48.1 in Sept, lowest in four months (UMich) |
| Thanksgiving date | Thursday, November 26, 2026 |
| Official store hours | None published yet; expect announcements in late October |
Frequently asked questions
Have any retailers announced 2026 Thanksgiving store hours?
No. As of October 1, 2026, no major retailer has published its 2026 Thanksgiving or Black Friday store hours. Official announcements typically arrive in late October.
When is Thanksgiving 2026?
Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26, 2026 — the fourth Thursday of November.
What sales events are happening in October 2026?
Walmart runs a weeklong event starting October 5, 2026. Amazon Prime Big Deal Days and Target Circle Deal Days both run October 6–7, 2026.
What did Target's September 2026 price cuts cover?
Nearly 2,000 home items, apparel, and accessories. Some apparel is priced more than 20% below last year's levels, and bedding is roughly 15% cheaper than a year ago. Hawaii and Alaska are excluded. The cuts add to more than 10,000 price reductions over the past year.
How many seasonal workers will retailers hire for holiday 2026?
Challenger, Gray & Christmas projected on September 23, 2026, that retailers will hire about 450,000 seasonal workers in Q4 2026 — below 2025's 461,500 and the third straight annual decline.
Sources
- Reuters via Baker Mag (Sept 29, 2026): Target lowers prices on nearly 2,000 items — bakermag.pp.ua
- Inc. (Sept 29, 2026): Target lowering 2,000 prices — inc.com
- Challenger, Gray & Christmas (Sept 23, 2026): 2026 holiday hiring outlook — challengergray.com
- PYMNTS (Sept 19, 2026): October retail sales events — pymnts.com
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