BLACK Friday might be several months away, but it’s never to early to get prepared for deals season.
Read on to find out more about the biggest sale of the year, and what to expect when the best Black Friday deals land.
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As late November approaches, savvy shoppers know to get their wallets ready for the biggest sale event of the year: Black Friday.
While the name suggests a single day of deals, the reality is that the discounts often start much earlier, sometimes even weeks in advance, and can last well beyond Cyber Monday into the beginning of December.
This extended sales period presents the perfect opportunity to either treat yourself to a bargain you’ve been waiting for or get a significant head start on your Christmas gift shopping, all while saving some serious cash.
In this explainer, we’ll be your guide through the sales madness, walking you through everything from what to expect from the deals to how to spot a genuine bargain among all the noise.
Closer to the time, we’ll be keeping this page updated with all the top Black Friday deals as we find them, helping you navigate the best offers from major retailers.
When is Black Friday in the UK?
Black Friday falls on 28th November this year – that’s the day after Thanksgiving in the U.S.
Black Friday is a massive shopping tradition that began in the US during the 1960s. It made its way across the Atlantic to the UK roughly a decade ago and has since exploded in popularity.
For more information about the date and the history of the sale, head to our when is Black Friday page.
Now a global event, Black Friday grows bigger every year, with thousands of brands and retailers worldwide participating in the sales frenzy.
When the November sales period lands, make sure you head to our Black Friday hub, where we’ll be covering all the latest brand sales that launch, and any highlight discounts.
The November sale is a clear rival to the popular UK Boxing Day sales period following Christmas and the October Amazon Prime Day.
Where to find the best Black Friday deals
Get ready for huge discounts across multiple sectors this Black Friday, from tech and beauty to homeware, toys, and more.
Historically, some of the most impressive savings have been found at major online retailers. Based on previous years’ events, you can expect to find the best Black Friday deals from powerhouse sellers like Amazon, Argos, Very, John Lewis, Currys, and eBay.
Beyond these giants, there are many other retailers and brands that are definitely worth keeping an eye on throughout November for fantastic deals.
Here are several other retailers and brands worth checking out during November:
As Black Friday lands just before Christmas, it’s the perfect time to get a jumpstart on your shopping and save on gifts and toys.
Head over to our Black Friday toy deals page for this year’s biggest bargains.
You can also take a look at our Tonies Black Friday deals guide if you’re on the hunt for even more toys.
When should I start looking for Black Friday deals?
Traditionally Black Friday sales begin at midnight on November 29, however, many retailers now launch their sales weeks in advance.
The best offers are generally only available during the week of Black Friday, so keep your eyes peeled throughout the month.
We’ll recommend all the best bargains in our Black Friday guides, so do have a read for inspiration, and remember to bookmark all of your favourite pages.
You can also sign up for retailer newsletters and follow key stores on social media to get important announcements and sale previews.
Most Black Friday sales will come to an end on Cyber Monday, which falls on December 2, 2024.
Cyber Monday is traditionally an online-only sale for retailers to slash prices ahead of the festive season.
Originally just a marketing ploy, the event has now become a final opportunity to pick up savings on coveted items.
How to find the best Black Friday deals
Shopping during Black Friday can feel overwhelming, but with a bit of planning, you can score some incredible deals.
The key is to be prepared and strategic.
- Do your research. Before the sales begin, make a list of the items you want and check their current prices. Knowing the regular price will help you spot a genuine discount and avoid fake deals.
- Compare prices. Don’t assume the first deal you see is the best one. Retailers are all competing for your business, so check different stores and price comparison sites to find the lowest price.
- Start shopping early. Many retailers start their Black Friday deals weeks in advance. By keeping an eye out for these early-bird specials, you can snag great savings before the main event. If you are waiting for Black Friday itself, set an alarm and get an early start to beat the rush.
- Wait for last-minute deals. If you are willing to take a risk, you might find some of the biggest discounts at the end of Cyber Monday. Retailers often offer their final, steepest price cuts to clear out remaining stock.
- Use price comparison sites. These sites are your best friend during Black Friday. They show you the price history of a product, so you can easily see if a “deal” is actually the lowest price the item has ever been.
When do the best early deals start?
In 2024, many of the UK’s biggest retailers, including John Lewis, Boots, Lookfantastic, and AO, launched their sales on November 1st.
The Black Friday sales period is getting longer every year as retailers compete for your attention.
In reality, Black Friday 2024 spanned the entire month of November, and it’s part of a trend we’ve been watching over the past few years.
We in the Sun Shopping team are making a well-informed prediction it will be exactly the same for 2025.
What Black Friday deals to expect?
Black Friday has become synonymous with tech savings, and shoppers can expect deals from popular brands such as Apple, Samsung, Fitbit, and more.
If you’re after an Echo Dot, Ring Doorbell, or any of Amazon’s cheap-and-cheerful smart devices, they’ll almost definitely be absurdly cheap.
Big-brand appliances that rarely go on sale will get their moment in the limelight too.
You can also expect incredible savings on other categories such as baby, beauty, and fashion.
And don’t go thinking it’s just high-spend items that are included in the sale.
During Black Friday, a quick browse on Amazon will throw up all sorts of discounts on everyday products such as dishwasher tablets and boxes of Quality Street.
There’s always a saving to suit your shopping needs!
What was in the sale last year?
Best Black Friday Deals 2024
During last year’s Black Friday was a goldmine, with thousands of deals hitting the web.
Our team of experts waded through all of them – the good, the bad, and the just plain average – to find the genuinely amazing deals.
Here’s a pick of the top deals available last year.
Best Appliance Deals
- Shark Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Vacuum Cleaner: £150 (was £320) from Argos
- Ninja Foodi MAX Dual Zone Air Fryer: £159 (was £229.99) from Ninja Kitchen
- Ninja Creami Ice Cream Maker: £149 (was £199) from Amazon
- Kenwood kMix Stand Mixer: £180 (was £419.99) from John Lewis
- Barista L’Or Sublime Piano Noir: £59.99 (was £151.49)
- Meaco Arete 12L Low Energy Quiet Dehumidifier: £194.98 (was £252.98) from Appliances Direct
- Roomba Combo i5+ Robot Vacuum: £319 (was £649)
Best Beauty Deals
- MAC Go For Gold Golden Heroes: £39 (worth £94) from Boots
- Shark FlexStyle Air Styling & Hair Drying System: £199.99 (was £269.99) from Shark
- Superstar Facial Kit: £44 from Beauty Pie (for members)
- Charlotte’s 3 Steps To Beautiful Lips: £42 (was £70) from Charlotte Tilbury
- Olaplex In Good Repair Hair Kit: £33.75 (worth £67) from Lookfantastic
- GHD Curve Wand Creative Curl Wand Gift Set: £119 (was £159) from GHD
- Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray: £19.95 (was £27) from Lookfantastic
Best Tech Deals
- Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite with Alexa Voice Remote Lite: £21.99 (was £34.99)
- Sky Stream, Sky TV and Netflix: £19 (was £26) per month
- Amazon Fire TV 55-inch Omni QLED series 4K UHD smart TV: £419.99 (was £749.99)
- Tile trackers (Starter Pack): £29.24 (was £44.99) from Tile
- Echo Dots: £22.99 from Amazon
Best Broadband Deals
- BT Fibre 2 Broadband: £29.99 p/m
- BT Fibre 2 Broadband + Phone: £34.99 p/m
- Sky Stream, Sky TV, Netflix & Full Fibre 75 Broadband: £36 p/m
- Sky Stream, Sky TV, Netflix & Full Fibre 150 Broadband: £38 p/m
- Sky Stream, Sky TV, Netflix & Full Fibre 500 Broadband: £44 p/m
- Virgin Media Gig1 Fibre Broadband: 3 months free then £34.99 p/m
- Virgin Media Bigger Combo bundle: 3 months free then £39.99 p/m
- TalkTalk Full Fibre 150: £28 p/m
- TalkTalk Fibre Entertainment: £42.98 p/m
- EE Full Fibre 300: £32.99 p/m
- EE TV and Full Fibre 300: £43.99 p/m
- Plusnet Fibre: £24.99 p/m
Best Home Deals
- Hexclad 7-Piece Hybrid Stainless Steel Cookware Set: £297.49 (was £439)
- Simba Hybrid Original Mattress: from £449.25 (was £599)
- ProCook Professional X50 Contour Knife Set: £99 (was £149)
- Oodie Original: £32.50 (was £65)
- Oodie Blue Weighted Blanket: £47.50 (was £95)
- Oodie Camel/Black Zip Through Outdoor Jacket: £54.50 (was £109)
- Kudd.ly Weighted Blanket: £39 (was £99)
- Kudd.ly Komfies Heated Slippers: £29 (was £40)
- Kudd.ly Bamboo Bedding Set: £39 (was £113)
Best Food and Drink Deals
- Baileys Original Irish Cream (1 litre): £13 (was £22) from Amazon
- Kraken Black Spiced Rum (1 litre): £25.49 (was £35) from Amazon
- The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve Single Malt Scotch Whisky: £22.99 (was £39.50) from Amazon
- Jameson Original Irish Whiskey: £24.70 (was £34.90) from Amazon
- Tanqueray No. TEN Gin: £24.50 (was £35.50) from Amazon
Best Fashion Deals
- Monica Vinader: up to 50% off in daily flash sale
- Small Stella Satchel Crossbody Bag: £158 (was £395) from Aspinal of London
- Men’s 997H Shoes: £57 (was £95) from New Balance
- Berghaus Men’s Vaskye Synthetic Insulated Jacket: from £60 (was £120)
- Rocket Dog Women’s Slope Long Boots: from £25.99 (were £110) at Amazon
- Gymshark Training Leggings: £18 (was £30)
- Black Satin Bias Cut Midi Skirt: £12 (was £25.99) from New Look
- Mulberry Alexa Leather Shoulder Bag: £955 from John Lewis
- Phase Eight: 20% off everything
- Adidas Originals Campus 00s Women’s: £70 (was £90) from JD Sports
- Charles Tyrwhitt: 50% off shirts
Best Toy Deals
- LEGO Disney Stitch Buildable Toy with Figures: £44 (was £60) from Argos
Why you can trust The Sun when it comes to Black Friday
You can count on us to find the best Black Friday deals every year. But you’re probably asking, “Why us?”
Our team is full of experts in tech, fashion, beauty, home, and garden products.
We’re not just looking for deals – we’re obsessing over them. Head to our Meet the Sun Shopping team page to find out more about us.
We live and breathe this stuff, and we love sharing what we find.
We’ve spent years learning what makes a product great and what makes a deal even better.
Our promise is simple: we’ll only recommend products we’ve thoroughly vetted and genuinely believe in.
Visit our shopping reviews page, and you’ll see we’ve put hundreds of items through their paces, so you can trust that our picks are worth your hard-earned dosh.
So, when the sales kick off, you know where to look. We’ll be updating our site with all the best Black Friday deals as they go live.
