Black Friday: Is it the real deal or a dud? How to spot a genuine bargain

Black Friday promises some of the biggest discounts of the year, but are the deals really as good as they look? We look at the latest available research from Which? and explain how to check whether a bargain is worth buying.

There's a special kind of excitement that comes with discovering something you've had your eye on is suddenly half price.

And with Black Friday 2026 falling on Friday 27 November, retailers are already competing to persuade shoppers that now is the perfect time to buy everything from televisions to Christmas presents.

But how do you know whether you're getting a genuinely good deal?

That enormous discount might look impressive, but it doesn't necessarily mean the product is cheaper than it was a few months ago, or even cheaper than it was last week.

Before you let a flashing sale sign make your shopping decisions for you, here's how to separate the bargains from the bluster.

Are Black Friday deals really cheaper?

Some Black Friday deals offer genuine savings, but the advertised discount isn't always a reliable indication of value.

Research published by consumer group Which? in November 2025 found that 83% of 175 products it examined were available for the same price or less on at least one occasion outside the four-week Black Friday sales period.

The investigation tracked home, technology and health appliances at eight major retailers over a year surrounding Black Friday 2024.

It also found that 42% of products were actually cheaper, rather than simply the same price, at least once outside that sales period.

The findings don't mean every Black Friday deal is poor value. The investigation looked at a particular sample of products, rather than every retailer and promotion.

But they do show why it's worth looking beyond the headline discount.

How can you check whether a Black Friday deal is genuine?

Look at the product's price history

One of the easiest ways to check a discount is to find out how much the product has cost previously.

Price comparison and tracking tools can help.

CamelCamelCamel tracks Amazon price histories, while services such as PriceSpy and PriceRunner can help you compare prices across different retailers and, where available, see historical changes.

Imagine a coffee machine advertised at £80, reduced from £150.

That sounds like an excellent saving until you discover it was selling for £85 throughout October.

You may still be saving £5 compared with its recent price, but you're not necessarily getting the £70 bargain the promotion suggests.

Compare the exact product across retailers

Don't assume that because something is discounted at one shop, it must be the cheapest place to buy it.

Search for the full product name and model number rather than relying on a general description.

This is particularly important with televisions, laptops, gaming equipment and other electronics.

Two products might look identical in the advertising but have different storage capacities, processors, screen specifications or included accessories.

You don't want to discover that the bargain laptop you've bought is cheaper because it isn't actually the model you thought it was.

Be careful with recommended retail prices

Retailers often use a recommended retail price, or RRP, to demonstrate how much shoppers could save.

But the RRP isn't necessarily the price customers have regularly been paying.

For example, a television might have a recommended retail price of £999 but spend most of the year selling for £699.

If it's reduced to £649 for Black Friday, the practical saving compared with its normal selling price is £50, not £350.

A big percentage discount can be eye-catching, but the actual price is what matters.

What did Which? find about misleading Black Friday deals?

The Which? investigation published in November 2025 provides some particularly interesting examples.

Researchers found that a Samsung robot vacuum sold by John Lewis for £350 during Black Friday 2024 had previously been available for £299 during May and June that year.

In another example, an Oral-B electric toothbrush advertised at Boots with an RRP of £50 had been cheaper than or equal to its promotional price for more than 96% of the year examined.

These were historical examples from the consumer group's research, not current 2026 offers.

The findings demonstrate why even a dramatic-looking discount deserves a second look.

Read the Which? investigation.

Are Black Friday deals better than January sales?

Not necessarily.

The best time to buy depends on the product, how urgently you need it and what retailers are doing with their prices.

Which?'s 2025 investigation found that 35% of the products it tracked were cheaper at least once after the four-week Black Friday sales period.

That's a useful reminder that there can be opportunities to save money after November.

However, prices aren't guaranteed to fall, and waiting could mean something sells out.

For Christmas presents, availability and delivery deadlines might matter more than getting the absolute lowest price of the year.

For a household appliance you don't need immediately, waiting could be an option if the current deal doesn't look especially attractive.

Does the final price include delivery?

This is one of the easiest ways for an apparently cheaper purchase to become more expensive.

Imagine one retailer offers a gift for £25 plus £4.50 delivery, while another charges £28 with free delivery.

The second retailer is actually £1.50 cheaper overall.

It's also worth checking whether you're being encouraged to add products to qualify for free delivery.

Spending another £15 just to avoid a £3.99 postage charge isn't much of a saving if you didn't need those additional items.

Some retailers also offer cheaper delivery if you're willing to wait longer, or paid delivery passes for regular customers.

The sensible comparison is always the total amount you'll pay, including any extras.

What if the price drops after you've bought something?

Some retailers offer price-match or price-drop guarantees, including during Black Friday.

John Lewis and Currys have seven-day price-match policies for eligible purchases, while AO has advertised an extended Christmas price-match window for qualifying purchases in 2026.

These schemes have conditions, and some require customers to submit a claim rather than issuing refunds automatically.

It's worth checking the terms before you buy, particularly if you're shopping in the early Black Friday sales.

How do you avoid buying something just because it's discounted?

Black Friday makes it very easy to confuse wanting a bargain with wanting the product itself.

A £60 pair of shoes reduced to £30 looks like a £30 saving, but if you weren't planning to buy shoes, you're still spending £30.

One approach is to write your shopping list before browsing the sales.

If you've been planning to replace your vacuum cleaner for months, Black Friday might be an excellent opportunity to do it for less.

If you suddenly find yourself researching bread makers because one has appeared in a countdown sale, it might be worth waiting until tomorrow to decide how much you really want one.

Are Black Friday sales worth it?

They certainly can be, but the best discounts aren't necessarily the ones advertised with the biggest percentages.

Look at the price history, compare identical products and include delivery charges when deciding where to buy.

It's also worth remembering that an expensive purchase doesn't become affordable simply because the retailer has reduced its price.

Black Friday is at its most useful when it helps you spend less on something you were already planning to buy.

And if the deal disappears before you've made up your mind, there will be other sales. A little patience is considerably cheaper than a cupboard full of things you never really wanted.