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25 February 2021

When is Black Friday?

Find out when Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday are happening, plus info on how the sale works and how it all started
Black Friday, Woman holding many shopping bags while walking in the shopping mall background.
IA
Ian Aikman

Black Friday 2021: everything you need to know, including how the sale works, what date Black Friday falls on this year, and how it all started.

In this article

When is Black Friday 2021?

This year, Black Friday falls on Friday 26 November 2021.

However, many retailers began offering deals from the start of the month, leading some to rename it 'Black November'.

In this guide, we'll explain how Black Friday works and point you in the direction of the best Black Friday deals our experts have found.

Black Friday deals 

The Which? experts are working hard to sort the brilliant deals from the duds, highlighting the genuinely impressive discounts on quality items and steering you away from exaggerated offers on rubbish products.

Click to discover...

Retailer deals:

Looking for something more specific? Check out these deals:

You can also visit our Black Friday insider's guide to see all of our coverage in one place.

How did Black Friday begin?

Black Friday originated in America. As Thanksgiving always falls on the fourth Thursday in November, the following Friday is often observed as an unofficial holiday. 

Because many people are off work, shops drop prices – usually for one day only – to start the Christmas season. 

UK shops have since caught on to this trend and it was brought across the pond a few years ago. Between 2010 and 2013, Black Friday gradually built up momentum in the UK. In 2014, Black Friday was the peak pre-Christmas online sales day and online retailers haven't looked back since.

Keep checking our roundup of the best Black Friday deals for the latest expert picks from Which?.

When is Cyber Monday 2021?

Cyber Monday is always the Monday directly following Black Friday. Cyber Monday 2021 falls on 29 November. 

The tradition first started in 2005, when the National Retail Federation, an American trade association, noticed a spike in online sales the Monday after Thanksgiving. 

Last year's Black Friday deals

Our story on Black Friday deals to avoid revealed the so-called 'deals' that shoppers would have regretted snapping up.

Below are some of the other stories we published.

Best Black Friday deals by retailer 2019

Best small appliance Black Friday deals 2019

Black Friday deals on mobile and broadband providers 2019

Best tech Black Friday deals 2019

Best Black Friday deals on white goods 2019


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