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A report by Vouchercodes has predicted that UK consumers will spend £9.14 billion from today to Cyber Monday – up 4.5% on last year – however, with so many deals it can be easy to get carried away.
This year’s Black Friday sales are already in full swing.
A report by Vouchercodes has predicted that UK consumers will spend £9.14 billion from today to Cyber Monday – up 4.5% on last year. However, with so many deals it can be easy to get carried away.
Marco Farnararo, CEO and co-founder of financial site BravoDeal, said: “Black Friday kicks off the busiest shopping period of the year, with huge retailers offering online-exclusive discounts and free store pickup options. When purchasing items during a busy sale, it’s important to be strategic to ensure you’re getting the best deal and value for your money.”
Here is our expert guide to grabbing the best deal this Black Friday weekend.
Set yourself a budget – and stick to it
It’s easy to overspend, especially when shopping online – 75% of Black Friday shoppers are planning to splash the cash here – as you can make a purchase simply with the click of a button. To avoid this, setting and sticking a budget will help you – look at what you can realistically afford to spend and avoid going over this amount.
And also don’t be tempted to buy things solely because they are reduced – as Money Saving Expert founder Martin Lewis says: “If you were going to buy it, and it’s half price, you’ve saved 50%. If you weren’t going to buy it, but do it because its half price, it’s cost you 100%.”
Shop around for the best deals
It’s always important to check you’re getting the best deal possible. You can do this by shopping around a few different retailers to check the price you see is competitive, or by using online price comparison tools such as idealo or PriceSpy UK. Meanwhile, sites such as VoucherCodes and Honey can help you use extra savings and vouchers on top of your Black Friday purchases.
Last year, research by consumer watchdog Which? found just 2% of products in Black Friday deals were actually cheaper on the sales day itself. Sites such as PriceRunner can help you see how much a product has been sold for previously so you can ensure the offer is genuine.
Use a credit card for bigger purchases
If you can, use a credit card for purchases between £100 and £30,000 as you will be protected under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act if things go wrong, such as items not arriving. This gives you the right to claim against your bank or lender if you use a credit card to buy goods or services that don’t meet expectations.
However, bear in mind typical credit card interest is currently as high as 36%, meaning you may lose out on Black Friday savings if you don’t pay off the balance in full when your statement arrives.
Don’t fall for a scam
Black Friday weekend is a peak time for scams – Barclays data shows that in November last year, purchase scams accounted for 75% of fraud claims. Kirsty Adams, fraud and scams expert at Barclays, says: “With the value of the average purchase scam claim rising to over £700, we’re warning customers about the heightened risk of scams this Black Friday.
“Many of us will be overloaded with information during these sales, targeted by the latest “hot” deal wherever we turn, and it can be hard to work out which offers are legitimate.” She advises that no matter how scam-smart you think you are, still do your research, for example avoid clicking on any links or ads and go direct to the brand’s website instead.
Don’t panic buy
The shopping event can create a sense of urgency, with a quarter of respondents to the Barclays research saying they feel pressured to commit to a purchase as quickly as possible due to fear of missing out. If you’re unsure about a potential purchase, sleep on it and consider if you still want to buy it the next day.
Deals can also run longer than the Black Friday weekend, and some things become cheaper – Cyber Monday may bring better deals on electronics, while decor, toys, and clothing often see more discounts closer to Christmas. Meanwhile, if you’re looking to bag a bargain break wait for the day after Cyber Monday. Travel Tuesday has become an emerging trend in the UK- a day of travel-only offers and savings offered by the likes of hotel companies, airlines and travel agents.
Don’t fall for fake reviews
Some sellers use fake or paid reviews to artificially boost their product ratings. They can also manipulate reviews to make poor products appear highly rated, tricking buyers into thinking they’re receiving a quality item when they aren’t. Marco Farnararo advises that signs include reviews that are overly positive without much detail or that repeat similar language. Sites such as Fakespot or ReviewMeta can help analyse whether a review is legitimate or not.
10 best deals with 25% or more off
- Many products, including gift sets, premium beauty, fragrance, and electrical beauty are half price or more at Boots. You can pick up the Mac Go For Gold – Golden Heroes make-up kit for £39, down from £94 – a 58% saving.
- B&M is selling the Breville Blend Active – Black & Rose Gold blender for just £15. This is a great 40% saving on the original £25 price for the kitchen gadget.
- Jump on the air fryer trend with 64% off the Cuisinart Air Fryer Mini Oven. It is equipped with essential accessories such as an air frying basket, oven rack and baking tray for convenient cooking and can be purchased for £89.99 instead of £199.99.
- Watch out for decent deals on TVs… we recommend the hi-tech LG C4 65 inch OLED evo 4K HDR Smart TV – OLED65C44LA which is available at Currys for £1,699. Originally £2,299, this is a 26% saving for Black Friday weekend.
- Make a getaway with Booking.com – the firm has brought out its biggest Black Friday deals ever. There are discounts of up to 35% off global stays including to trending destinations for 2025 such as Pedro de Atacama, Chile and Villajoyosa, Spain, as well as up to 25% off rental cars this year.
- Hoover up a great deal on a vacuum cleaner – the Ultenic U12 Vesla Cordless Vacuum is 35% off at Amazon. Originally £199.99, this Black Friday weekend shoppers can purchase it for £129.99.
- There’s dreamy deals on bed frames, mattresses and sofa beds at Dreams this year. A standout product is the Foley Upholstered TV Bed Frame, which is £839 down from £1,199, a 30% saving – a bargain as it features a 32” SMART TV as standard.
- Fashion brand Nobody’s Child is offering 25% off all styles this Black Friday. We love the Christmas party-perfect Green Draped Satin Luella Midi Dress, now £66.75, down from £89.
- Tesco started Black Friday early, with a range of offers on homeware, electricals and luggage. A top pick is the Nescafé Delonghi Dolce Gusto Black Piccolo XS Coffee Machine which is on sale for £28, a 50% saving on the original price of £56. OR DeLonghi Nescafé Dolce Gusto Piccolo XS Pod Capsule Coffee Machine has over 60% off on Amazon.
- Beauty retailer Justmylook has big savings of up to 70% this year on top fragrance brands. Calvin Klein Man Eau De Toilette 100ml is just £19.99 – 70% off the RRP of £66. Also available for £23.60 at The Fragrance Shop.
