Date and UK offers to expect

The biggest shopping event of the year, otherwise known as Black Friday, will take place on Friday 27 November this year.

As the event originally hails from America, the date always falls the day after Thanksgiving, and then is followed by Cyber Monday (30 November) which is traditionally the online-only day of the sale.

Although this year, because of coronavirus, more shoppers are likely to buy online on Black Friday rather than in physical shops.

With a range of retailers set to slash their prices on big ticket items like TVs and coffee machines, it’s the best time of the year to find a deal and of course, get your Christmas presents sorted.

Since Amazon first brought the event online in the UK, it has overtaken other big annual sale events like Boxing Day and the January sales.

Traditionally, the Black Friday sale has extended in length every year, and 2019 saw the event last for more than two weeks, with pre-sale deals happening earlier than expected.  But this year the retailer giant has gone one rather lareg step forward and has alreayd started its sale, a month early. We’ve rounded up the best early Amazon Black Fiday deals in our guide. 

So, whether you’re after a new television, a laptop, your favourite perfume or kids’ toys, you’ll be able to find a great deal during the mammoth sale event.

Here’s everything you need to know about getting the best deals.

Our IndyBest team hand-picks every deal we feature. We may earn some commission from the links in this article, but our selections have been made independently and without bias. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

What is Black Friday?

Black Friday has nothing to do with the UK’s traditional winter sales, but originates from America. In the US, it traditionally follows Thanksgiving and is widely regarded as the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. Since Amazon introduced the event to the UK, the sale will run across the same dates here.

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When is Black Friday?

This year, Black Friday will fall on Friday 27 November, and the event will run over the weekend until 30 November, which is Cyber Monday. Last year Amazon’s sale ran for two weeks, the longest ever, until this year. 

Amazon has already launched its early deals, we’re expecting othe retailers to follow suit in a bid to make up for lost revenue earlier in the year because of the pandemic. 

What are the best early Black Friday deals?

Nintendo Switch – neon red/neon blie with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: Was £318.99, now £309

While it’s a small saving, it’s rare, as discounts on the Nintendo Switch come few and far between, and with this console also comes the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe game, that can be played by two gamers in handheld mode, four players on TV and 12-players online. 

The Independent’s technology editor and avid gamer, Andrew Griffin, explains what makes the Switch such a great choice, whether you’re looking to update your gaming kit or shop for a loved one’s Christmas present.

“To get this out the way: the Switch is an entirely different proposition, but one that’s not worth ruling out,” he says.

“The games are incredible, the console is packed with fun, and Nintendo have pulled out a stroke of genius all around. It has its downsides – the graphics and performance are nowhere near as futuristic and powerful as the other bigger consoles – but that’s what you get for it all fitting in a box you can throw in your bag and play on the move.”

Buy now

Huawei MateBook X Pro: Was £1,199, now £849.98

If you’re in the market for a new laptop, this Huawei model has 38 per cent off, and it was featured in our guide to the best high-end laptops.

Our tech critic, David Phelan, who reviewed it said: “The bezels around the edge of the bright, colourful 13.9in display are amazingly thin, giving an immersive, all-screen effect.”

He went on to say:“The camera is  buried in the top row of the keyboard. Although it’s a slightly different angle, the view isn’t pointing as much up your nose as you might fear. Like the Apple laptops, there’s a fingerprint sensor in the power button which is fast and responsive.”

Buy now

instax mini 9 clear camera with 10 shots: Was £74.99, now £56.99

This polaroid camera is a modern take on a nostalgic throwback when smartphones didn’t exist. You only get one shot with not editing available, allowing you to capture friends, family and your surroundings in the moment to make unique memories that print out instantly.  

Each photo from this design is the size of a credit card, so you can pin your favourites up on the fridge or keep them in your purse. There’s three colour filters to choose from, a selfie lens and a close-up lens to experiments and comes with 10 shots.

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Philips Lumea advanced IPL hair removal device: Was £300, now £200

This tool impressed our reviewer in our guide to the best IPL and hair removal devices earlier this year, so while it has a huge £100 off, add it to your basket asap.

According to our reviewer it has two treatment modes “slide and flash” and “step and flash” which allow you remove hair on larger areas such as legs or targeted zones, such as your bikini line, with an additional trimmer attachment if you want to tackle upper lip and chin hairs too.

As explained in our guide, IPL works by destroying the root of the hair over time, and is much, much cheaper than costly laser appointments so while its winter, now is the perfect time to treat yourself, as your skin needs to be tan-free in order to as effective as possible.

Buy now

De’Longhi scultura traditional barista pump espresso machine: Was £199, now £139.99

For a bigger piece of equipment to serve all your caffeine needs, this elegant tool comes with 15 bar presure which will enable you to make everything from rich espressos to frothy cappuccinos that will rival your favourite coffee shop.

It even comes with a cup warmer, so on dark wintery mornings, finding the energy to start work from your makeshift office won’t be so bad.

Buy now

Oral-B SmartSeries black 6500 cross action electric toothbrush: Was £229.99, now £89.62

Ensure your teeth are squeaky clean with this electric toothbrush from the experts at Oral-B that has a discount of more than 60 per cent off.

It comes with four brush heads and a travel case for easy transportation and has five modes from daily clean, pro clean, sensitive, gum control and whitening, so it will reach every nook and cranny. At this price, it’s a no brainer, brilliant budget buy.

Buy now

Flymo contour 500E electric grass trimmer and eger: Was £59.99, now £38

Before it gets too wet to do so, make sure the edges of your lawn are in tip top shape with this trimmer and edger from Flymo, which we featured in our guide to the best grasstrimmers.  

Our review said: “This 25cm cutter with a 10m cable produced some good results on a smaller area. The addition of a large, edging wheel meant that inline edges came without any jagged spots and it was simple to define shrub borders.”

It has an adjustable handle and by twisting the head you can convert it between its two functions, with a plant guard that will protect trees and plants so you only trim exactly what you need to.

Buy now

Which stores are taking part in Black Friday this year?

Every year, increasing amounts of brnads take part in the big sale as it grows in popularity. 

When it comes to tech and home appliances, big retailers that host impressive Black Friday sales include John Lewis & Partners, Currys PC World, Very and Argos, while fashion and beauty retailers like Asos, Nike, Superdrug and Debenhams also take part.

For more details, read our extensive guide to all the stores we expect to take part this year. We will be updating it as soon as brands annouce their deals.

How can I get the best Black Friday deals?

When it comes to making the most of Black Friday, preparation is key and, with 98 per cent of the UK’s shoppers planning to buy online, that’s where you can expect to find the very best deals.

But, whether you’re shopping in-store or bargain hunting from the comfort of your sofa, it’s important to shop around and research items you want to buy well in advance rather than splashing out on a whim.

We suggest sticking to a shopping list of items that you know you actually want: is s it a new winter coat from The North Face, a pair of wireless Beats headphones, an iPad or a Foreo Luna beauty gadget?Then set yourself a budget and watching out for additional discount codes online.

The key is not getting drawn into seemingly “good looking” deals that you don’t actually want or need.

Once you know what you want, make sure that you shop around to find the best price for it before the Black Friday sale begins. That way, you’ll know if a sale deal really is a bargain or not.

It’s also a good idea to check retailer’s returns policies before buying and to check terms and conditions for sites you’ve not used before.

Our IndyBest team will be doing most of the hard work for you, finding the best offers on everything from TVs and fashion to furniture and home appliances and plenty more, as well as providing extensive guides on how to bag the best bargain. As a result, it’s worth checking back here closer to the time for our top tips and deals.

How long will the Black Friday discounts last?

Black Friday 2019 was the longest running event to date, which saw sales covering more than two weeks. Previously the event ran for just a weekend, while before that it had been only days.

This year is already longer thanks to Amazon, but at the moment no other retailers have joined in this early, but we do expect them to begin sales earlier than in previous years.

What were the best Black Friday deals last year?

Last year, there was some impressive deals on a range of tech, including games consoles like the Nintendo Switch and a number of discounts on smartphones, including the iPhone X, the Google Pixel 2 and Samsung Galaxy S8.

Amazon’s own product range – including Echo devices, Fire tablets and Kindles – had massive discounts too, as did PS4 and Xbox One bundles, OLED TVs, vacuum cleaners, IPL hair removal machines and kids’ scooters.

Tips for Black Friday shopping online

Make sure you’ve already got an account with big retailers like Amazon or John Lewis & Partners to make shopping easier and quicker (that way, there will be no time wasted entering all your details as a new customer), and if you want next day delivery, register for Amazon Prime.

Sign up to newsletters from brands that you like and might want to shop from so you’ll be the first to know when their sales start and will have access to any discount codes you might need.

Download the apps of retailers you use and follow them on Instagram and Twitter for deals, too.

To find the original price of a product, use PriceSpy or CamelCamelCamel – the latter is especially useful for Amazon.

To make sure you are shopping safely online, check any sale emails you receive properly before clicking links to make sure they’re legitimate.

If you’re shopping from a computer, it’s also a good idea to ensure your anti-malware software is up to date.

Am I protected on Black Friday and Cyber Monday?

As well as genuine deals, Black Friday and Cyber Monday can bring out fraudsters so it’s important to be vigilant.

Make sure you check any emails you receive properly before clicking links to make sure they’re legitimate.

If you’re shopping from a computer, it’s also a good idea to ensure your anti-malware software is up to date.

Read more on Black Friday 2020

Best Amazon Black Friday deals – There will be millions of deals, so check in here for our pick of the best

Best Currys PC World Black Friday deals – For everything from TVs to laptops, and kettles to coffee machines 

Best John Lewis & Partners Black Friday deals – With great deals on fashion, beauty, tech, kids and homewares it will be a go-to for many 

Best Argos Black Friday deals – Covering everything from kids to homewares and fitness to DIY 

Best Apple Black Friday deals – The tech giant is notorious for not participating in Black Friday, so how can you find deals on Apple products? Find out in our guide

Best Black Friday tech deals – Whether it’s a new phone contract or noise-cancelling headphones, you’ll find the best deal here

Best Black Friday TV deals – Update your at-home cinema experience without paying full price with our featured deals

Best Black Friday laptop deals – There’s hundreds of pounds to be saved on laptops from big-name brands such as Apple, Microsoft and HP

Best Black Friday gaming deals – Struggling to choose which console to buy, or after a new controller or game? Here’s our expert guide

Best Black Friday home appliances deals – Now’s the time to upgrade your vacuum cleaner or coffee machine

Best Black Friday fashion deals – Whether its a pair of boots or a coat, treat yourself to new season essentials

Best Black Friday beauty deals – Stock up on your favourites across make-up, skincare, haircare and fragrance

Best Black Friday kids’ toys deals – Get your Christmas shopping done and dusted, with deals from Disney, Lego, Playmobil and more

Best Black Friday mattress deals – Rest easy with big discounts for brands such as Emma, Eve Sleep and Simba

Best Black Friday furniture deals – There’s no need to wait until the January sale to get a bargain sofa, wardrobe or armchair

The stores taking part in Black Friday – Our predictions based on last year, which we’ll be updating as the deals begin

Read more

Best Apple Black Friday deals 2020: Offers to expect

Best Black Friday kids’ toys deals 2020: Offers to expect in the sale

Best Black Friday furniture deals 2020: Offers to expect in the sale

Best early Amazon Black Friday 2020 deals available now

Best Black Friday gaming deals 2020: Offers to expect in the sale

Best Black Friday TV deals 2020: What to expect in the sale

Best Black Friday fashion deals 2020: What to expect in the sale

Black Friday 2020: Which stores are taking part in the UK?

Black Friday 2020: The best Currys deals we predict will be on offer, from speakers to fridges

Best John Lewis Black Friday deals 2020: What to expect in the sale

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