JCPenney Leads 2025 Black Friday Deals, WalletHub Finds Average Shopper Can Expect 37% Discounts
According to WalletHub, JCPenney tops the list of retailers offering the steepest average discounts this year, with a whopping 74.1% price reduction across its merchandise.
(Photo by Kena Betancur/Getty Images)
As the holiday shopping season heats up, WalletHub has released its annual analysis of where consumers will find the best Black Friday 2025 deals — and the findings could help bargain hunters plan their strategy before the rush begins.
According to the personal finance site, JCPenney tops the list of retailers offering the steepest average discounts this year, with a whopping 74.1% price reduction across its merchandise. That puts it ahead of Belk (72.4%) and Kohl’s (45.4%), which round out the top three. Other major players like Macy’s and The Home Depot also rank highly, offering 44.5% and 35.6% discounts respectively.
Nationally, WalletHub found that the average Black Friday discount is about 37%, setting a key benchmark for shoppers looking to spot genuine savings versus marketing hype. “Consumers should aim for this discount amount or higher to avoid Black Friday traps,” the report advises.
Here’s how WalletHub ranks the Top 10 Black Friday Retailers of 2025 by average discount:
- JCPenney – 74.08%
- Belk – 72.42%
- Kohl’s – 45.39%
- Macy’s – 44.46%
- The Home Depot – 35.63%
- BJ’s – 31.26%
- Amazon – 29.63%
- Target – 29.36%
- Newegg – 28.80%
- Best Buy – 28.58%
The data also sheds light on which product categories are offering the deepest savings this season. WalletHub reports that “Computers & Phones” account for roughly 20.2% of all deals, while “Consumer Packaged Goods” make up just 2.8%, suggesting tech enthusiasts are likely to see bigger markdowns than grocery shoppers.
While these numbers are encouraging for deal-seekers, not every retailer is giving quite as much. Costco, for instance, sits at the bottom of the list with an average discount of 15.1%, significantly below the national average.
With last year’s Black Friday drawing over 81 million Americans to stores and 87 million shopping online, retailers are expected to see another surge in both foot traffic and digital checkouts this year. Experts note that with inflation still a concern, shoppers are likely to focus on securing the biggest markdowns rather than splurging on full-priced luxury items.
WalletHub’s full report, available here, details performance across multiple product categories, giving consumers insight into which stores might offer the best bang for their buck on November 28.
Whether shopping in person or online, this year’s Black Friday looks to favor the well-prepared — and according to WalletHub’s findings, aiming for discounts at or above 37% may be the smartest move of all.
