When is Black Friday 2020 and how do you get the best deals in the UK?

BLACK Friday is one of the biggest shopping events in the UK calendar, with thousands of shoppers bagging bargains online and on the high street.

It sees thousands of items from electrical goods to clothes and bags slashed with massive discounts.

Black Friday falls on November 27 this yearCredit: Getty Images – Getty

It started off in America and has now become one of the biggest shopping events of the year around the world.

It takes place a few weeks before Christmas, meaning it’s a key time for people to go shopping for presents.

But when does Black Friday fall this year, what is the annual day’s history and how can you find the best sales and deals?

Here’s everything you need to know.

Just because a product is in a Black Friday sale, doesn’t mean you can find it, or something similar, cheaper elsewhere. Always shop around before you spend your money.

What is Black Friday?

Black Friday is an informal name given to a day each year when stores offer a range of highly-promoted sales.

It also sees many stores opening early.

It is one of the busiest days in the retail calendar and typically marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping period.

It began in the US, but in recent years has become an annual fixture in the UK and elsewhere, for retailers and shoppers.

Where did Black Friday come from?

Thanksgiving is a federal holiday in the United States that originated as a harvest festival and has been celebrated on and off since 1789.

Many non-retail employees and schools have Thanksgiving and the following Friday off, creating a four-day weekend and increasing the number of potential shoppers.

The weekend traditionally marks the beginning of the holiday season ahead of Christmas and New Year.

The Friday after Thanksgiving came to be associated with shopping in the 1950s, though didn’t gain the name Black Friday until later.

The tradition has spread elsewhere in recent decades, and is now marked in the UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden, and a growing list of other countries.

When is Black Friday?

Black Friday falls on the Friday after the annual US holiday of Thanksgiving, which is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of each November.

This means that this year it falls on November 27.

Some stores in the US open as early as midnight, but in the UK most open at 6am if they do open their doors early.

But many retailers will make their offers available from midnight online.

Last year’s Black Friday sale was so big in the UK that metrics showed almost a 20 per cent increase in online shoppers, with more deal hunters joining the fray and – crucially – staying active for longer.

And this year, with shoppers predicted to transition their shopping habits online due to post-lockdown rules, competition for deals will be fiercer than ever before.

Where can you shop during Black Friday?

Several of shoppers’ favourite stores are taking part in this year’s event, so we’ve rounded up what you may expect from the retailers below.

Aldi – The discount supermarket is known for not only its food and drinks but also its special buys range, which can include DIY, homeware products and toys.
Amazon – An online retail giant, Amazon sells anything and everything you could possibly need from electronics to furniture. Previous Black Friday sales have seen the prices of toys and electrical goods slashed.
Agent Provocateur – Saucy lingerie brand Agent Provocateur may be known for its delicates, but they also sell bralettes, corsets, swimwear, dressing gowns and sleepwear.
Argos – Previously of catalogue fame, Argos sells everything you could possibly want for your home.
Asda – Supermarket Asda also sells homewares and electronics too. Plus its George brand, which offers clothes for adults and kids, may offer some great deals too.
B&M – Shoppers love the bargains here and on Black Friday they get even better.
B&Q – home and garden bargains can be found at the DIY store and last year there was even a discount on inflatable hot tubs.
Body Shop – Time to pamper yourself with goodies from this high street favourite.
Boohoo – The high street brand is known for its stylish fashion and partnerships with celebs.
Cotswold Outdoor – If you need a waterproof jacket, tent or any camping gear, Cotswold Outdoor is a great go-to.
Currys – Electronics giant Currys takes part in Black Friday every year and is bound to slashed thousands of prices.
Cult Beauty – The Beauty Brand carries high end brands, such as make up brand Charlotte Tilbury, to low-cost skincare companies, like The Ordinary.
Decathlon – the sporting superstore is a great place to pick up all those fitness related bargains.
Disney – now’s the perfect time to get some deals on toys ahead of Christmas – who doesn’t love Mickey Mouse and Toy Story?
Dune – Home to boots, sandals, heels and shoes, Dune has dozens of different types of kicks.
Ebay – Online auction website Ebay is bound to have thousands of deals on offer, so make sure you check them out too.
The Entertainer – One for the kids for sure, The Entertainer is a toy shop jam-packed with different toys.
Ernest Jones – Those who want to get something special for their partner, the jeweller is bound to have some great deals to make their loved one’s eyes sparkle with delight.
Farfetch – The online retailer is a luxury fashion brand which sells sells products from over 700 boutiques and brands from around the world.
Fatface – For more casual gear, Fatface is a great place to buy comfortable, well-made clothes.
The Fragrance Shop – Want to find your scent? You can use Black Friday to give a new brand a whirl.
Game – Gamers are bound to log on to Game’s website during the discount day to see what deals they can get on new consoles and the latest action-packed game.
Halfords – with bikes a big hit in 2020 this store is a good place to keep an eye out for deals,
House of Fraser – There’s likely to be savings across departments including fashion, beauty, electricals and furnishings.
John Lewis – This high street favourite usually has discounts across departments.
Lidl – It’s cheap already but on Black Friday things get even cheaper at the German discount supermarket.
Littlewoods – This shop is a great place to pick up top brands on sale.
Matalan – The retailer usually offers discounts across its women’s, men’s and children’d fashion as well a kitchen and homeware.
Morrisons – The supermarket often has big Black Friday discounts.
Selfridges – the posh department store is where to keep an eye out for designer bargains.
Smyths – popular toys from Fisher-Price to Nintendo could be cheap on Black Friday.
Superdrug – bag a beauty bargain at this high street retailer along with cupboard essentials.
Tesco – Supermarkets love a Black Friday deal and Tesco’s no different.
Very – deals here on top brands are common on Black Friday – and very appealing.

More Great Black Friday Deals

Take a look at some of the other Black Friday deals we’ve found around the web

How long does Black Friday last and how do you get the best deals?

Strictly speaking, Black Friday is just one day.

But since the trend took off there are many shops that extend their Black Friday sales for a few days either side and with some, it’s even weeks.

That means Black Friday often starts earlier and that you’re likely to start spotting deals ahead of this year’s Black Friday on November 27.

The Monday after Black Friday is often called Cyber Monday and that’s when lots of online deals launched, whereas Black Friday was focused on in store promotions.

These days, you’ll find deals available online and in store throughout the extended Black Friday period.

While some stores haven’t revealed when their sales will start, we’ve made some predictions of when early deals will take place at different retailers.

You can bag a deal by doing your homework beforehand and checking out the prices of items you’re eyeing up ahead of time, that way you know you are actually getting a bargain.

And make sure you know exactly what you want and what your budget is – it’s very easy to get sidetracked and end up buying things you don’t need or spending more than you intended.

You can get all the latest on the best Black Friday deals here too – we’ll be updating them when the sales launch and finding the biggest bargains for you.