Eight in 10 Black Friday deals are the same price or even cheaper at other times of the year, a new report by Which? claims.
The annual shopping bonanza is officially due to kick off on November 28, with retailers across the UK slashing prices both online and in store.
The event originated in America. However, it was brought over to the UK in around 2010 and marketed as a way for shoppers to get big discounts on products ahead of Christmas.
It’s one of the big shopping events of the year, but retailers often run promotions all year round such as seasonal sales and flash offers.
Which? compared prices on 175 home, technology and health appliances from eight major retailers.
This included Amazon, AO,, Boots, Currys, John Lewis, Richer Sounds, and Very.
Prices were compared for six months either side of Black Friday last year.
Which? said it found 83% were cheaper or the same on at least one other date outside of the four-week sales period. This ran from November 15 to December 12.
On the day of Black Friday itself, the group found there were no deals at all that were at their cheapest of the year surrounding the sale.
At John Lewis, Which? found that 94% of the products it analysed were the same price or cheaper at other times of the year.
One of these deals involved a Samsung Jet Bot Robot Vacuum Cleaner, which was £350 on Black Friday but had been £299 for 29 days in May and June 2024.
It was £399 for 35 days in August to September, before jumping to £500 during the first week of October.
Also at John Lewis, the Samsung Series 5 WW90CGC04DTH Freestanding Ecobubble washing machine was £399 on Black Friday, but had been the same price or cheaper on 108 occasions prior to the sale day and 115 after.
It was cheaper than its Black Friday price 47 times after the sale with a lowest price of £369.
At Very, 93% of deals were the same price or cheaper outside of the Black Friday sales period.
At AO, Which? found that 85% of Black Friday deals offered during the four-week sales period were at the same price or better at other times of the year.
Which? did find that Currys kept a promise that no sale products would have been cheaper in the six months prior to Black Friday.
However some items did drop in price after the event and there were times before Black Friday where shoppers could have paid the same as the sales price.
At Boots Which? found an Oral B Vitality Pro Electric Toothbrush advertised as ‘save £25, RRP £50’ but the product was cheaper or the same price for more than 96% of the year.
Three questions to ask yourself when shopping online
- Does the price sound too good to be true?
- What do the reviews say on third-party websites like Trustpilot? (Ignore reviews on the companies’ own websites.)
- Can you find the company’s address, and are they UK-based?
The £50 recommended retail price (RRP) was only in place for 13 days in the six months prior to the sale.
Similarly, also at Boots, the Oral-B Junior Kids Electric Toothbrush was advertised as ‘save £35, RRP £70’, yet the £70 RRP was only in place for three days in the six months prior, otherwise, it was priced at £35.
In contrast, Richer Sounds had by far the best performance in the analysis, with only 55% of analysed products found to be cheaper or the same price at other times of the year.
The group said its findings showed that shoppers should not feel rushed into buying anything on Black Friday as it was likely they would still find a competitive price ahead of Christmas and – if they are willing to wait – in the January sales.
Which? Retail editor Reena Sewraz said: “Our research exposes the harsh truth: for the majority of shoppers, Black Friday is a false economy. Retailers are relying on hype and urgency to push products that are the same price, or even cheaper, at other times of the year.”
A John Lewis spokesperson said: “Our Black Friday offer represents a great saving, and previous offers reflect us price-matching a competitor’s short-term promotion, to make sure we remained unbeaten on price.”
An AO spokesman said: “We welcome scrutiny that helps customers make informed choices, and our focus remains the same, delivering great value every day of the year, not just on Black Friday.”
A Currys spokesperson said: “Restoring consumer confidence has been a key focus for us and it’s disappointing to see that others in the industry are still falling short.”
A Richer Sounds spokesman said: The market may move after Black Friday and if this is the case, we will always look to pass any extra savings on to our customers.”
An Amazon spokesman said: “ Customers can shop with confidence at Amazon, where they’ll find everyday low prices across a wide selection of products, all with the fast and convenient delivery they expect.
A Boots Spokesperson said: “We strive to deliver great value for money for our customers every day.”
A spokesperson from The Very Group commented: “We’re committed to delivering great value across our department store all year round.”
How to only bring home the bargains you need this Black Friday
It can be hard not to get caught up in the madness of Black Friday and over spend on deals you may not always need.
Before buying anything, use price comparison tools to make sure you are getting a great saving.
For Amazon, use the CamelCamelCamel tool (uk.camelcamelcamel.com) or download the Idealo app (idealo.co.uk) to check the price history of items and to set price alerts.
Another trick to avoid over spending is to write a firm list of what you intend to buy and take a photo of it on your phone.
Before making any purchase, consult your list. If the item is not on it, it doesn’t belong in your basket.
Plus, in a world of contactless payments, it is easy to lose track of your spending.
Plan ahead for what you actually have to spend and withdraw a set amount of money for your purchases.
Some banks, such as Barclays, allow you to set a spending limit for single transactions via your banking app.
