Black Friday discounts average around 30-37% off in the UK, often providing better savings than pre-Christmas sales, though many items are sold at the same price or cheaper at other times of the year. Research indicates that while some, like Shark, offer genuine all-time lows, 80-90% of products might not be at their absolute lowest price.
Black Friday discounts average around 26% to 38%, but this varies significantly by product, with some studies showing far less genuine savings, as many retailers inflate prices beforehand, making it appear as a bigger discount than it is. While you can find good deals, research suggests many products are often cheaper or the same price at other times of the year, with some reports stating up to 80% of Black Friday items aren't at their lowest price ever during the sale.
No, Black Friday doesn't always make everything cheaper; many studies show that a large percentage of "deals" are actually the same price or even more expensive at other times of the year, with some retailers inflating prices beforehand to make discounts seem bigger, though genuine savings can be found on certain items if you track prices and compare. While some electronics or specific products see true price drops, it's crucial to use price tracking tools and not rush, as the hype can mislead shoppers into thinking they're getting a great deal when they're not.
Black Friday is the best time to buy big ticket items, and unsurprisingly, Adobe says electronics, video game consoles, and appliances drove the most sales during Black Friday this year.
Is it better to wait for Black Friday or Cyber Monday?
Black Friday tends to offer stronger deals on big-ticket items and in-store promotions, while Cyber Monday often brings better prices on tech, accessories, and online-only discounts. By planning ahead, comparing prices, and watching for time-limited offers, shoppers can take advantage of the strengths of both days.
Stop Overpaying: Track Prices Before You Buy on Black Friday
What is the biggest sale of the year in the UK?
The biggest sales events in the UK are Black Friday/Cyber Monday (late November), offering massive discounts across tech, fashion, and home goods, followed closely by the post-Christmas Boxing Day sales, a traditional peak for deep discounts on everything from electronics to fashion. Other major sales include the Summer Sales (June/July) and January Sales, plus back-to-school deals in August/September.
One of the things people dislike the most about Black Friday is the huge crowds of people all vying for the same items. Some people wait outside in the cold just to save a few dollars. The biggest con of all may be the increasing trend of violence during Black Friday events in recent years.
That said, shops will always have something up their sleeves to exclusively reveal on Black Friday itself, so it pays not to buy before the big day unless you're absolutely certain that something better won't come along (at the very least, make sure there's a good returns policy, just in case).
No, Black Friday is no longer just one day; while it's traditionally the Friday after Thanksgiving, sales now often start in early November and extend through the whole month, the Black Friday weekend, and culminate on Cyber Monday, creating a prolonged sales event. Many retailers offer deals for weeks, turning it into a "Black Friday Week" or even a month-long period to manage crowds and capture early shoppers.
The first time “Black Friday” specifically referred to shopping the day after Thanksgiving was in the 1950s. Police in Philadelphia complained about an influx of people coming to the city to shop the day after Thanksgiving, calling it a “Black Friday” because they had to control crowds.
At John Lewis, 94% of products in our analysis that were on sale during the Black Friday period had been cheaper or the same price at other times of the year, while 56% had been cheaper. It was a similar story at Very, where 93% of products were cheaper or the same price compared to the Black Friday period.
Black Friday still delivered the highest in-store traffic of any day in 2025, proving its continued relevance as the anchor of the holiday shopping season. "Black Friday 2025 didn't kill the holiday; it changed how shoppers approached it," notes Joe Shasteen, Global Head of Advanced Analytics at RetailNext.
The term “Black Friday” first started circulating in the 1950s and 60s, but it wasn't originally about shopping. Philadelphia police officers used it to describe the huge crowds and traffic jams caused by people coming into the city the day after Thanksgiving.
January and February are typically considered the slowest months for retail as consumers recover from holiday spending and focus on post-holiday savings. According to statistics, e-commerce sales experienced a significant decline during the summer months, with a drop of up to 30% compared to the high sales of December.
The We Ain't Buying It campaign – organized by many of the groups behind the No Kings protests – is asking Americans to stop shopping at Target, Home Depot and Amazon on Black Friday, one of the busiest retail days of the year, while also encouraging people to shop local and support community businesses.
Yet another trend that many people are not aware of when it comes to Black Friday deals is that of inflated prices. Many retailers will actually mark up the price of their products in the weeks leading up to Black Friday, just so they can offer a “discount” that doesn't even come close to their regular prices.
Ulysses S. Grant's popularity slipped as his presidency progressed and scandals damaged his reputation. None struck closer to home than Black Friday — the collapse of the U.S. gold market on September 24, 1869. At the root of the scandal were two well-known scoundrels, Jay Gould and Jim Fisk.
The 10-3-1 sales rule is a guideline suggesting that for every 10 qualified leads, you get about 3 meaningful conversations or proposals, and from those, you close 1 sale, emphasizing that consistent high activity, not just individual efforts, leads to success, especially in advisory or B2B sales. It's a way to manage expectations and understand that most attempts won't close, requiring a steady stream of opportunities to hit targets.
