10 Top Tips on How to Survive Black Friday Weekend

While Black Friday weekend in the UK is now considered to be one of the biggest shopping events of the year, the huge amount of discounts and special offers can be overwhelming. Lots of shoppers still need that extra helping hand to navigate this shopping craze to make sure that they are getting the best deals and don’t get sucked into impulse purchases. Starting as an American holiday, Black Friday has really grown in popularity in the UK with the whole weekend plus Cyber Monday being the perfect time to shop for big ticket tech, branded fashion, top toys and lots more and will get your Christmas shopping off to a great start. Black Friday only comes around once a year so to help, we have put together 10 popular questions that you need to read before you start your shopping as well as a full YouTube guide to make sure that your money is well spent and you really make the most out of these not to be missed bargains.

What is Black Friday?

Want to know exactly what this event has to offer? Find out below. 

How Did Black Friday Get its Name?: The Day Black Friday refers to the day after Thanksgiving in America and is officially the start of the Christmas shopping season. The name is widely believed to be linked to the term being ‘in the black’ as lots of money is made by lots of retailers on this day. However, within history, it is understood that police in the 1950’s used ‘Black Friday’ as a way of describing the long hours they’d have to serve on this day due to the busy crowds and traffic. Which do you believe is the real meaning?

When Does the Black Friday Sale Start?: Black Friday always falls on the last Friday of November and deals will typically last for the weekend until the following Monday which is Cyber Monday where you will find lots of more online focussed offers.  

Will Black Friday Start Early This Year?: Originally Black Friday was limited to the single day of shopping as well as Cyber Monday. However each year, the sales start earlier and earlier with it first turning into a full weekend of events and now retailers start as early as the 1st of November. This year will be no different so be sure to keep up to date with our Black Friday and Cyber Monday Category to see which brands have already released some Black Friday discounts. What’s more, sometimes you can get a better deal when you shop early and you don’t run the risk of letting your must-have items go out of stock. 

Black Friday Deals

Check out these FAQs to see to see what deals you can take advantage of this year.  

What Black Friday Deals Does Apple Have?: Apple products are amongst the most sought after items on Black Friday weekend with the new iPhone models, Apple Airpods and iPads being most wanted. If you shop directly with Apple, you are unlikely to see much in the way of discounts, however if you shop through sites like Amazon, Currys or AO.com  who stock Apple products, this is where you’ll really see prices drop on Apple tech. Check out our tech deals roundup from 2020 which includes discounts on Apple Airpods, the iPhone 11 Pro and the Apple Macbook for an idea as to what 2021’s Black Friday offers may bring. 

Will Black Friday Have PS5?: Most likely but stock will be hard to find. Historically, new consoles like the Nintendo Switch and the Playstation 4 have been the most in demand items on Black Friday so there will be offers available but you will have to be quick to snap them up. Even though the Playstation 5 was released in 2020, lots of gamers are still yet to get their hands on it due to stock issues throughout the year so with lots of shoppers looking to bag it for Christmas, this will be a particularly in demand item. We would recommend keeping an eye on social media for confirmed restock dates and creating accounts with the shops you know will sell them so that you can check out quickly in the frenzy.

What Black Friday Deals are on Now?: Luckily for you, you can keep up to date on all of the live Black Friday deals through November using our website. Whether you want to update your winter wardrobe at Missguided or Pretty Little Thing or want to score a cheap washing machine at Currys or Amazon, our Fashion, perfume, furniture, TV and electricals Black Friday pages will be updated daily with the very latest discounts available. 

Are Black Friday Laptop Deals Worth It?: When it comes to big brand laptops from Apple, HP, Lenovo and more, it is important to do your research to ensure that the price you purchase it for is the best you’ll get during the Black Friday season. We would recommend comparing across lots of different websites and looking out for Black Friday price guarantees that freeze the price and stops it going any lower before the big day.  

Are Black Friday TV Deals Worth it?: The demand for TVs over the Black Friday period is always high as it is the perfect time to shop for an expensive item and see up to a few hundred pounds potentially knocked off the price tag. Smart TVs are in particularly high demand with the rise in at home box office premieres and streaming services. We would recommend comparing prices across multiple websites and reading up on all the specs to make sure you are getting the features and make and model you want. Stock can be an issue with the increased demand so getting a TV in one of the early Black Friday discounts may be a better idea than waiting until the actual day and you might even bag yourself a better deal. 

Extra FAQs 

Can Black Friday Items be Returned?: Absolutely! Just because you are shopping in the sales doesn’t mean that you won’t be entitled to the same shoppers rights as you would be if you were buying your item at full price. Make sure that you check the returns policy whether you are shopping online or in store if you think that you might need to return or exchange your purchase as this will tell you the amount of time you have to do it and what their specific store policies are.  

Can Black Friday Items be Brought Online?: Yes, in fact you can typically get the best Black Friday deals online compared to in store. When Black Friday first started in the UK, the sales were limited to a few categories like tech and appliances and were largely something you’d find in store. Now, with the rise in online shopping and price comparison on the go, nearly all brands get involved in Black Friday in some way and this is where you’ll find the best bargains. Cyber Monday is also a dedicated day that differs slightly to Black Friday as it tips more towards online shopping sales rather than in store sales.  

Now that you have all of the information you need to navigate this massive shopping day and know when the sales are likely to start, which deals will be worth it and whether online or in store is better, all that's left to do is check out our Black Friday and Cyber Monday page and start shopping your must have items for less to get the best offers this Black Friday. 

By Sophie Watson, 6th November 2021