Black Friday – is it the real deal or a dud?

Brits are set to spend around £14 billion during this year’s Black Friday weekend. This is a £4 billion increase on last year’s spend, showing a growing demand for special offers ahead of the festive period.

Black Friday is synonymous with huge savings and offers on everything from tech to clothes. So, it’s no wonder many shoppers wait to make big purchases or do their Christmas shopping until the end of November.

But not all deals are all they’re cracked up to be. In fact, a Which? investigation comparing more than 200 items last year found that 4 in 10 were cheaper at other times of the year compared to Black Friday. A staggering 9 in 10 deals were the same price or cheaper, meaning there were virtually no savings during the event.

Nobody wants to be duped by a fake deal, especially when it might mean paying over the odds for a product. Here are a few ways to work out when a deal’s worth it and when it’s a dud.

Check the product’s price history

Before you click “buy,” take a moment to check the item’s price history. Our resident consumer expert Vix Leyton says: “Retailers are absolute masters of psychology. That ‘WAS £100 NOW £50’ might look impressive, but if it’s been £55 for the past six months, you’re not getting a steal, you’re clearing out their stock.

“Make sure to do a quick search on anything with a high value or a suspiciously deep discount to make sure you’ve got the full picture on the saving.”

Tools such as CamelCamelCamel and PriceSpy can help you see whether the price has genuinely dropped or if it’s been sitting at the same level for months. If you notice the item was cheaper in October or during summer sales, then the Black Friday deal might be more of a dud.

Compare prices across retailers

Don’t assume the first deal you see is the best one. Take a few minutes to search for the exact product name and model number on different sites like Amazon, Argos, Currys, and John Lewis. You might be surprised; what looks like an “exclusive” offer at one store could be cheaper somewhere else.

Also, watch out for variations. Some retailers promote older models or stripped-down versions at large discounts. For example, a laptop might look like a great deal, but it could have less storage or a slower processor than the newest version.

Always check the specifications carefully and compare them with the current model to make sure you’re getting what you expect. If you notice a big price difference between retailers, it’s worth digging deeper to see why.

Ignore RRP-based discounts

The Recommended Retail Price (RRP) is set by the manufacturer, but many products never actually sell at that price. Shops use it to make discounts look bigger than they really are.

For example, a TV might have an RRP of £999, but if it’s been selling for £699 all year, a Black Friday “deal” of £649 isn’t a £350 saving; it’s just £50 off. A better gauge is checking the product’s price history or comparing across retailers.

Stack discount codes and use cashback sites

Even if the discount isn’t huge, stacking savings can make a real difference. Cashback sites like TopCashback or Quidco, combined with voucher codes, can help you squeeze out extra value. It’s a simple way to make sure you’re getting the most for your money.

Vix adds: “While you’re at it, check out thinkmoney’s SmartPlus account – you can buy digital gift cards for some of the UK’s biggest household names, with money off the price on the front. They work just like cash and mean you’re saving before you’ve even hit the checkout.”

Shop sensibly

We say this a lot because it’s true – a deal’s only a deal if you actually need the item. An impulse buy on a whim isn’t a saving. In fact, do it enough times, and you can put a huge strain on your budget.

It can be tempting to add things you don’t need to your cart when the discounts look incredible but ask yourself if you’d buy it if it wasn’t on sale before deciding.