Just one in 20 Black Friday ‘deals’ are cheapest on the day, Which? claims
JUST one in 20 Black Friday deals are cheapest on the day, according to new research by Which?.
The consumer group found that a shocking 95 per cent of so-called "bargains" are actually the same price or cheaper at other times of year.
Which? analysed 83 tech, home and personal products and compared the prices in the Black Friday sales to prices in the six months before and after.
Just five per cent of the deals tracked - which included retailers like Curry's, John Lewis and Amazon - were at their cheapest in the Black Friday sales.
The products tested included speakers, soundbars and kitchen appliances.
For example, the Samsung HW-MS650 soundbar was £299 at Currys PC World on Black Friday, but within a month the price dropped by £49.
In fact, it was £279.97 at least 13 times in the six months after Black Friday.
The De'Longhi Autentica Cappucino Bean-to-Cup coffee machine was priced at £399 by John Lewis on Black Friday.
But it was cheaper on at least 64 days in the six months after the sale day, including being priced at £368 on at least 35 occasions.
And the Amazon Echo (2nd Gen) was on offer at £54.99 on Amazon but it was cheaper on at least 13 occasions before Black Friday.
Our tips for finding the best deals this Black Friday and Cyber Monday
IT might be tempting to dive in and snap up LOADS of items on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but here’s how you can guarantee you’re getting a good deal.
PREPARE Research the items you want to buy and find out the cheapest price. Websites like PriceSpy, PriceHistory and CamelCamelCamel will give you historical data on prices so you can see how much you should pay.
GET FOLLOWING Follow your favourite shops on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and sign up to its deals newsletter to get the latest on any offers. We post the best deals in our too.
EARN CASHBACK Check websites like Quidco and TopCashback BEFORE you place your order. Cashback websites PAY you to shop. All you have to do is click through their links and the money is added to your online account, usually within 14 days.
CHECK FOR CODES Take a look at The Sun Vouchers, and see if you can get extra savings with discount codes.
There was no evidence that any of the retailers were breaking the law around Black Friday deals, but Which? is urging consumers to consider carefully before making a purchase.
The consumer champion said it is concerned that shoppers are at risk of being confused by Black Friday offers that might not be as good as they sound.
Natalie Hitchins at Which? said: “We have repeatedly shown that ‘deals’ touted by retailers on Black Friday are not as good as they seem. “Our investigation indicates that this popular shopping event is all hype and there are few genuine discounts.”
Commenting on the research, Amazon said: “Our Black Friday Sale is about thousands of deals on a huge selection of products from every category across the site, at a time of year when we know saving money is important to our customers.”
A spokesperson also told The Sun: “The claim from Which? with regard to Echo is false and we have made this clear in our response to them.
“Amazon.co.uk customers were not able to buy the Echo (2nd gen) device cheaper before Black Friday 2018.”
A Currys PC World spokesperson added: “Our customers tell us that they appreciate the increased choice during Black Friday where we have the most deals on at once.
"When we launched our Black Friday event last year 40 per cent of those products were the lowest price they had ever been.”
And John Lewis said: “Our commitment to being Never Knowingly Undersold means that we continuously monitor and match the prices of our high street competitors throughout the year.
"As such, we offer our customers the best value on the high street all year round, including during the Black Friday period.”
Top Black Friday deals
To help you spot the genuine deals, we're rounding up the best Black Friday sales we see. Check out the best offers around below.
MORE ON MONEY NEWS
Black Friday shoppers beware! Retailers who rip you off are ‘paying Google to come top of search’.
If you do want a bargain, here's the Black Friday items that are actually cheaper four weeks later – including iPhones, cameras and washing machines - and the ones that are cheapest on the day.
Finally, with so many Black Friday offers not being what they seem – here’s how to spot genuine bargains.