You open a shopping website to buy a £12 phone case. Twenty minutes later, you are considering a £700 television because a countdown clock says the offer ends…
You open a shopping website to buy a £12 phone case. Twenty minutes later, you are considering a £700 television because a countdown clock says the offer ends in six minutes. Black Friday has a remarkable ability to change our shopping plans.
The event began in the United States and takes place on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Today, retailers around the world offer discounts across November, often combining Black Friday with Cyber Monday. But does the word 'sale' necessarily mean you are getting a bargain?
The UK consumer organisation Which? studied 175 home, technology and health products from eight retailers. Researchers tracked prices around the 2024 Black Friday sale, then published their findings in 2025. They discovered that 83% of the products were available for the same price or less at least once outside the four-week sales period. The finding applies to that sample, not to every product sold worldwide.
Shops know how to attract attention. A large discount label, a limited-time message and a nearly empty stock counter can encourage impulse purchases. People may fear missing a good opportunity, even if the product was never on their original shopping list.
To shop carefully, decide what you need before visiting sales websites. Compare prices across different retailers, check the price history when possible and read independent reviews. Remember to look at delivery charges and return rules too.
An actual bargain is something you needed at a genuinely good price. Otherwise, saving 50% on an unnecessary item may be a rather expensive way to feel clever.
Percentage discounts can be particularly misleading when the reference price is unusually high or rarely charged. A product advertised as 'was £200, now £100' may look impressive, but that claim tells you little about its typical selling price. The relevant question is whether £100 is competitive today and whether the item meets your needs.
Not every promotion is dishonest. Retailers may genuinely clear stock or negotiate attractive prices, and shoppers who have monitored an item for months sometimes benefit. The problem is the emotional pressure surrounding the event. Scarcity messages and countdowns can shift attention away from value towards urgency.
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