Arguably the biggest sale event of the year, Black Friday, is slowly edging closer, with some retailers already starting to slash their prices.
To help you prepare, we’ve explained everything you need to know about the annual shopping event, alongside tips and tricks on how to make sure you secure the best possible deals.
We’ve also put together what type of deals you should expect to see during Black Friday, with price cuts expected across games, phones, home appliances and much more.
When is Black Friday 2025?
Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving in the US, which is the fourth Thursday in November. That means this year, Black Friday will officially land on November 28th.
Having said that, it’s worth remembering that retailers tend to start their Black Friday sales earlier and earlier every year. Amazon is kicking things off on November 20, running until December 1.
When does Black Friday end?
While its name is undoubtedly misleading, Black Friday is no longer just a one-day event and lasts at least throughout the weekend and up until Cyber Monday.
Why is Black Friday celebrated?
Black Friday is known worldwide as being one of the most generous sales events throughout the year, as countless retailers offer discounts across a huge variety of products. Plus, as Black Friday is always the day after Thanksgiving in the US, it marks the beginning of the festive season for many, especially as consumers rightly use the sale to start holiday shopping too.
There’s many theories as to who originally coined the term “Black Friday”, with some dating as far back as 1869. While the US was the first to reposition Black Friday as a sales event, sometime between the 1950s and 1960s, the UK didn’t really adopt the term until around 2010.
Is it better to buy on Black Friday or Cyber Monday?
Whether or not to hold out until Cyber Monday is a highly debated question, which we cover more in our Black Friday vs Cyber Monday guide.
Our stance is that if you see a solid price cut during Black Friday, for an item you need or have had your eye on for a while, then it’s better to snap it up while it’s live. While some retailers have been known to slash prices further on Cyber Monday, this isn’t a guarantee and by holding out for an additional discount, you risk losing out on the deal entirely. Plus, remember that all deals are at the discretion of the retailer, who can quietly change or event remove the savings without warning.
Should I wait until Black Friday?
This depends mainly on the time of year. If you want to buy a home appliance, phone or laptop during the first few weeks of November, and can hold out for a bit longer, then we’d really recommend waiting until Black Friday to avoid paying the full price and nabbing a welcome discount.
However, we would also advise that you manage your expectations for Black Friday. Sure, there are plenty of items that will see decent price cuts, and some products should even reach their lowest ever price during the sale, but there are still some caveats to keep in mind. For example, if you’re hoping for a huge price cut on a recently launched phone, say the iPhone Air, then you may be disappointed.
What Black Friday deals are there?
We’ve covered countless Black Friday events over the years, and have seen everything from washing machines and dishwashers to tablets and TVs drop to record low prices. With this in mind, we can expect price drops across a huge variety of tech including:
- Home entertainment systems, including TVs, soundbars and speakers
- Vacuum cleaners, and some of the best robot vacuums
- Gardening tools
- Air fryers and other kitchen appliances
- Laptops and PC equipment
- Mobile phones and accessories
- Game consoles and games
- Smart home appliances
- Health and beauty tools
