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Boxing Day and January sales: eight tips to find the best deals
Another Christmas has come and gone, but the winter shopping season isn't over. Retailers across the country – online and offline – are launching their Boxing Day and January sales.
It's tempting to take any money you have left over from the Christmas period and snap up a few bargains. But if you're thinking of doing that, make sure you read our top tips first.
Here, we round up everything you need to keep in mind when navigating the post-Christmas sales.
1. Track the best deals with Which?
Our retail experts have been scouring the shops for the best deals on high-performing products ever since Black Friday. Often, our research finds that products on 'special offer' have already been cheaper at other points of the year, and could end up being even cheaper later in the year.
Retailers might use marketing tricks to make savings appear more substantial than they are. Sometimes price drops as small as 1p could be flagged as discounts, and a 'was' price might be an item's original RRP when it was released, not the price it was actually selling for before the current one.
At Which?, we cut through the noise to tell you which discounts represent genuine savings.
- Find out more: best Boxing Day and January sales deals.
2. Don't take deals at face value
According to Which? research, 98% of products on Black Friday 'special offer' in 2022 were the same price or less at other times of the year. Some 45% were actually cheaper at other times.
It can work the same way for Boxing Day and January sales prices as well.
Sites such as CamelCamelCamel, PriceRunner and PriceSpy will show you how much an item was listed for at different retailers over the years. You'll see a simple line graph that will show you when a product was at its cheapest and when it was at its most expensive.
A quick scan of this pricing history will show you whether a Boxing Day or January sales deal is really something that should pique your interest.
- Find out more: Which? finds most Black Friday deals aren't cheapest.
3. Research before you buy
If you see, say, a coffee machine that's cheaper than its rivals due to a January discount, don't expect it to make the perfect cuppa.
There's a chance it's a stellar machine that just happens to be going out of production, but it's also possible its dirt-cheap price reflects its quality.
You're best off brushing up on which one will suit your needs before you take the plunge. Try looking at Which? reviews for an unbiased take on what's hot and what's not. And yes, this advice doesn't just apply to coffee machines.
- Find out more: join Which? now for access to our impartial reviews.
4. Shop around and price-match
Sometimes, many retailers will discount the same item at the same time. Whenever you see a deal you like, it's worth having a look to see if it's on sale for the same price or better at another retailer.
You might be able to use a price-match scheme at a big retailer to secure a better guarantee, too.
- Find out more: price-match schemes put to the test.
5. Be wary of websites you don't recognise
You might find the best deal you've ever seen from a retailer you've never seen. So be careful, because it could be too good to be true.
That's not to say you should never shop with smaller independent retailers, but it's definitely worth putting in some time to verify whether a website is legitimate or not before you jump at a low price.
6. Don't fall for fake reviews
Unfortunately, the internet is riddled with fake, paid-for, misleading user reviews.
Some merchants and manufacturers will pay or otherwise incentivise people to leave glowing reviews of their products or services to get a leg up on the competition. This can make it difficult to tell if a product or retailer is legitimate.
Giveaways include swathes of positive feedback being posted at once, similar wording in several reviews and reviews from user accounts that have only just been created.
- Find out more: how to spot a fake review.
7. Earn cashback as you shop
If you've taken all these tips on board and do want to buy something in the sales, you may as well make money out of it, too.
Cashback websites such as Quidco and Topcashback are free to sign up to, and they let you earn cashback from purchases at thousands of retailers.
Similarly, you can look into getting a cashback credit card that rewards you with money or air miles when you make purchases.
- Find out more: best cashback credit cards.
8. Watch out for shopping scams
Sometimes, a discount might be too good to be true.
Scammers know shoppers are looking out for bargains at this time of year, so they set up fake listings or send out phishing emails to take advantage of unsuspecting shoppers.
Keep your wits about you and follow our advice on spotting online shopping scams to stay safe.
