Black Friday bargains going cheaper at other times

HUNTING for bargains on Black Friday can be a waste of time for shoppers, as a study by Which? has found cheaper deals are available on other occasions.

An investigation by the consumer watchdog found that out of 94 popular products on offer last year, including televisions, cameras and fitness trackers, 87 per cent were cheaper at multiple times before and after Black Friday.

Taking place on Nov 23 this year, Black Friday sales are a Thanksgiving tradition that was imported to the UK from the United States about five years ago.

Which? tracked product prices at leading retailers including Currys PC World, Amazon, John Lewis and Argos, finding that almost half of products on offer were sold for less in the six months following Black Friday.

The deals investigated by Which? include a 60in television, which Amazon advertised as £799 on Black Friday, but was £50 cheaper on at least 62 occasions afterwards.

A Sony Cybershot compact camera, advertised as £189 by Currys PC World, was also available for less money at least 27 times in the six months leading up to the busy shopping day.

Which? said the findings bring “into question the true value of Black Friday” and it urged shoppers to do some price research leading up to the sale.

It has also advised consumers to be cautious of online reviews, after the watchdog’s recent investigation found that shoppers are being misled by unscrupulous sellers using fake and paidfor online product reviews.

Alex Neill, the managing director of home products and services at Which?, said: “The results of our investigation will disappoint many who are expecting nothing but bargains this Black Friday. To bag a bargain, do your research and don’t get carried away by the hype when shopping in the upcoming sales.”

A John Lewis spokesman said that prices were lowered throughout the year as part of its “never knowingly undersold” commitment.

A spokesman for Currys PC World said it offered customers “pricing transparency” by stating in all channels exactly when a product was available for a higher price.

An Amazon spokesman said the online retail giant offered “thousands of incredible deals” around Black Friday, which save shoppers millions of pounds.