STORE AND ORDER
Avoid the lawless lines at shopping centres across the nation with Sarah Young’s guide to the year’s biggest discount day
Black Friday officially begins tomorrow and while the sales frenzy has seen queues stretch into shopping centre car parks and fights break out over televisions in previous years, it’s still the perfect opportunity to get your hands on some of the best deals as retailers promise to slash prices on a wide range of products.
Last year, 91 per cent of stores took part in the UK and we predict the same for 2018 with the very best discounts to be found online. So, whether you’re after a new television, a laptop or the best Amazon bargain, here’s everything you need to know about this year’s sales.
Smart speakers
Alexa has become a household name this year, with Amazon’s smart speaker range becoming hugely popular along with Google Assistant and Apple HomePods. Simply put, they are speakers that you can interact with just like you would with your smartphone. They connect via the internet to virtual assistants (such as Siri and Alexa) and help you control all your other smart technology in your home, from door locks to heating. They can also play music, control your TV, give you daily news updates and more.
– Amazon Echo (2nd Gen) smart speaker with Alexa – was £89.99, now £54.99 (amazon.com) – Apple HomePod – was £319, now £299 (currys.co.uk) – Google Assistant – was £129, now £79 (johnlewis.com)
Smartphones
What better time to treat yourself to the latest phone that you’ve had your eye on?
– Samsung Galaxy S9 – Save £200: £26.99 a month, no upfront cost (carphonewarehouse.com) – Huawei P20 – Save £200: £24.99 a month, no upfront cost (carphonewarehouse.com) – iPhone SE 32GB – £10 a month, no upfront cost (sky.com) – iPhone XS 64GB – £37 a month, no upfront cost (sky.com)
Tablets
Still a Christmas present staple, tablets were popularised with the launch of Apple’s iPad in 2010. There’s far more on the market nowadays than just Apple’s offering, with Samsung, Amazon, and Microsoft being big contenders.
– Samsung Galaxy 10.1in tablet – was £229, now £159 (very.co.uk) – Microsoft Surface Pro – was £2,699, now £1,999 (ao.com) – iPad Mini 4 – was £469, now £299 (amazon.com)
Kitchen appliances
Who doesn’t love saving money on pricey kitchen appliances?
– De’Longhi Autentica bean to cup coffee machine – was £699, now £399 (ao.com) – Kenwood American-style fridge freezer – was £799.99, now £699.99 (currys.co.uk) – Rangemaster Kitchener 90 dual fuel range cooker – was £1,399, now £999 (currys.co.uk)
Home appliances
Spruce up your home with some top savings.
– Shark DuoClean cordless upright vacuum cleaner – was £449.99, now £339.99 (sharkclean.eu/uk) – Phillips built-in pressure sensor sonic electric toothbrush – was £179.99, now £59.99 (phillips.com) – KitchenAid Stand Mixer – was £549, now £274 (currys.co.uk)
Mattresses
Choosing a new mattress is a huge investment, especially when you’re supposed to spend eight hours of your day sleeping on it.
– Leesa is offering £140 off its Leesa Mattress plus free delivery with the code “BLACKFRIDAY” (leesa.co.uk) – Dreams is offering £430 off the Kendall Pocket sprung mattress, down from £719 to £289 (dreams.co.uk) – Tweak is offering £130 off its range with the code “SLEEPTIGHT”. A free sleep tracker is thrown in too, worth £69.99 (simbasleep.com)
Which stores will be taking part?
Although we can’t predict exactly what stores will be taking part, we can make an educated guess based on last year’s offering and those that have already set up dedicated Black Friday web pages.
Here’s our roundup of some of the retailers to watch out for:
Amazon – The online giant’s 10-day sale runs until 25 November. The online retailer makes a big deal of Black Friday, promising to launch “Lightning Deals” of discounted products available for short periods of time. This year, we expect that Amazon’s sale will include major discounts on everything from electronics to must-have toys, games, fashion, jewellery and beauty products.
AO – This online electrical retailer has started Black Friday early, with daily deals already available. AO is promising its biggest Black Friday yet with deals on a wide range of electricals across the weekend as well as on the big day. You can even sign up for WhatsApp alerts on offers.
Argos – To allow shoppers to find deals and shower at the same time, Argos is giving away 100 free shower curtains with built-in pockets for tablets and mobile phones. The finer details of Argos’s discounts are still under wraps but expect big savings on everything from toys to homeware and electricals. Last year the store sold 15,394 TVs.
Asos – Fashion fans will be pleased to hear that online retailer Asos takes part in Black Friday every year. In 2017, it offered customers 20 per cent off everything on the site.
Boots – If you’re looking out for discounts on perfume, gifting, skincare and electrical beauty then Boots should be your go-to destination. It will be kicking off its sale both online and in store tomorrow.
BT – If you’re looking for a new broadband package, you should seriously consider BT’s deals. The company has already launched its offers, with up to £440 to save on broadband, TV, sport and mobile.
Currys PC World – Last year Currys PC World offered savings on thousands of products and it is a top destination for anyone looking for discounted tech and electronics such as laptops and TVs. It has already started slashing prices.
Debenhams – Kicking off its sale earlier this week, the department store is promising fantastic savings with its best online offers including amazing deals and discounts from your favourite brands.
Game – Starting from 6pm today, we’re expecting big discounts on the latest games and console bundles from this retailer.
Gtech – British company Gtech will have offers on all your floor-cleaning needs, from vacuum cleaners to power sweepers.
John Lewis – With offers available in store and online, John Lewis is expected to price match rivals on popular tech, home and fashion lines thanks to its “never knowingly undersold” tag line. The retailer is currently offering 30 per cent off Levi’s, Radley, Ralph Lauren, 25 per cent off Karen Millen, 20 per cent off Barbour and much more. It also has beauty and fashion deals, including 17 per cent off selected fragrances.
M&S – Despite not taking part in Black Friday last year, M&S still offered discounts for as much as 60 per cent on selected lines during the event. We’re hopeful of similar deals this year.
Now TV – The popular contract-free TV service has already launched its deals, with 12 months of Sky Cinema for £55, which is worth more than £115.
Sky – With a free 43in UHD LG TV up for grabs when purchasing its Black Friday Bundle, Sky isn’t waiting until tomorrow to announce its deals.
Shark – You can save up to £200 on Shark’s vacuum cleaners in its sale. Offers are already live online but are selling out fast.
Superdrug – The health and beauty retailer is set to offer huge deals both in store and online for Black Friday this year, members get sent exclusive offers before the big day, too.
Very – With discounts already available on a range of products covering fashion, home, tech and gifts, Very should be on your list this Black Friday. It is running deals all the way up to next Tuesday.
Vodafone – From smartphones to tablets, Vodafone didn’t disappoint last year with its deals and 2018 is set to be even bigger. The telecoms giant has already launched its broadband offers and its Superfast 1 deal comes with an average speed of 35Mbps for just £21 a month for new customers.
When does Black Friday start?
Black Friday has nothing to do with the UK’s traditional winter sales and instead originates from America. In the US, it traditionally follows Thanksgiving and is widely regarded as the beginning of the Christmas shopping season.
This year, the event falls tomorrow. However, many stores have been offering deals and discounts in the weeks leading up to the big day.
How can you get the best deals?
When it comes to making the most of Black Friday, preparation is key and, with 98 per cent of the UK’s shoppers planning to buy online, that’s where you can expect to find the very best deals.
But whether you’re shopping in store or bargain hunting from the comfort of your sofa, it’s important to shop around and research items you want to buy well in advance rather than splashing out on a whim.
We suggest sticking to a shopping list of items that you know you actually want, setting yourself a budget and watching out for additional discount codes online.
It’s also a good idea to check retailer’s returns policies before buying and to check terms and conditions for sites you’ve not used before.
For your one-stop shop of all the very best deals, make sure to keep checking our Black Friday pages where we will be constantly updating the best deals.
How long will the discounts last?
Black Friday 2018 looks set to be one of the longest-running yet. Last year, it went from just one weekend to an entire week, so you can expect that trend to continue this time round.
What were the best deals last year?
Last year, there were some impressive deals on the then-new Nintendo Switch and a number of discounts on mobile phones including the iPhone 7 and X, the Google Pixel 2 and Samsung Galaxy S8.
Amazon’s own product range – including Echo devices, Fire tablets and Kindles – had massive discounts too.
Can I get cashback on Black Friday deals?
This all depends on your debit or credit card provider. During the Black Friday period, a number of companies offer cashback on purchases while websites such as Quidco also offer cashback for new customers of big brands.
What is Cyber Monday?
A continuation of Black Friday, Cyber Monday is an online-only sale – hence the name. It always takes place on the Monday following Black Friday.
What’s the difference between Black Friday and Cyber Monday?
There isn’t much of a difference between the two at all. Originally Cyber Monday was completely unconnected to Black Friday as it focused on all of its deals being online.
However with the growing popularity of Black Friday, both in store and online, the lines have become more and more blurred.
Am I protected on Black Friday and Cyber Monday?
As well as genuine deals, Black Friday and Cyber Monday can bring out fraudsters so it’s important to be
vigilant. Make sure you check any emails you receive properly before clicking links to make sure they’re legitimate.
If you’re shopping from a computer, it’s also a good idea to ensure your anti-malware software is up to date.