Which?'s advice on how shoppers can find a bargain this Black Friday
Harry Rose, Editor of Which? Magazine, said:
"Year after year, our research finds that the majority of Black Friday deals are the same price or cheaper at other times of the year - making it tricky for shoppers to spot a genuine bargain among the dud deals.
"There are definitely bargains to be had if you do a bit of research. If you're looking for a particular item in the sales, we'd recommend using comparison sites like PriceSpy or PriceRunner to track prices and make sure you're buying at the cheapest time.
"Shoppers should also be on the lookout for scammers over the Black Friday period. If you see a social media ad or receive an email about a deal which looks too good to be true, it's always best to visit the company's website directly rather than clicking on any links to check the offer is genuine. If you think you've fallen victim to a scam, contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud or Police Scotland."
-ENDS-
Notes to editors:
Which? experts will be scouring the internet and updating the Which? website with the best deals throughout the Black Friday sales period. This is the only place where shoppers can buy genuine items that have been tested and rated by the UK’s consumer champion. Our Black Friday content and deals are available for free, to everyone.
Best Black Friday deals for 2024
Which?'s top tips to navigate the Black Friday sales
1. Research the products you want beforehand - It's pointless grabbing a bargain if the product's not any good. Sale season often sees shoppers battling over items we wouldn't recommend at all. It pays to do your research. We've lab test results for thousands of products, so use our reviews to find out which are best for you and your budget.
2. Research the price history of your favourite products - When we investigated Black Friday deals this year, we found that 92% of products in 2023's Black Friday sales fortnight had already been available for the same price or less at other times of the year. There are useful web tools that let you check how much a product has actually been sold for previously, so you can work out whether the 'sale' price really represents good value. CamelCamelCamel, for example, provides price history for products sold on Amazon, whereas PriceRunner has wider market coverage.
3. If you're shopping for tech, know the life cycles - Most technology, including smartphones, TVs and tablets, is released on a one-year cycle, so you only need to wait 12 months before there's a shiny new device to get excited about. Big tech companies will do their greatest to tempt you into buying their latest release, but the forgotten device celebrating its first birthday could still be more than adequate and it's also far more likely to be on sale.
4. Create a wish list - Some websites let you set up a wish list for all the things you want to buy. Having a pre-created list makes it easier to see when prices drop, which can be especially useful on Black Friday when websites can be flooded with deals on things you don't want. Rather than trawling through every product on sale, you can just click into your list to see whether anything you have your eye on is on offer.
5. Find out whether retailers will match prices - Retailers including AO, Currys, Euronics, Halfords, Hughes and John Lewis have price match promises – and Richer Sounds offers to beat the cheapest price you find by between £5 and £100 (depending on the value of the product). Even shops that don't have price matching policies may agree to refund the difference if you challenge them about a price drop soon after you’ve bought something.