The best Black Friday deals in the UK: Consoles, TVs, VPNs, laptops, and more
We have checked out everything on offer in Black Friday 2020, and we'll be posting a handpicked selection of the very best deals on this page. If you are looking for something more specific, we recommend checking out the following pages:
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We are treated to quite a few major shopping events each year, but it doesn't get any bigger than Black Friday. The only thing that comes close is Prime Day, and that has kind of merged with Black Friday in 2020. We've basically been treated to multiple months of sales to end the year, with massive discounts, promotions, and events for savvy shoppers. What a time to be alive.
To make the most of this year's Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and to guarantee that you pick up the best deals, you should be as prepared as possible. There is no golden rule when it comes to Black Friday, but it pays to carefully research the items you want to purchase before the big day arrives.
We don't want to discourage you from simply dipping in to Black Friday sales in the hope of finding something special, because this is definitely possible. We're just saying that your best chance of walking away from Black Friday with a great deal and your sanity is to decide on a shopping list, check out historical prices, and plan your attack.
We know that this seems like a lot of work, but there is no need to panic, because we have done most of the hard work for you. We've researched everything there is to know about Black Friday and Cyber Monday, to answer all of your burning questions about the biggest shopping event of the year.
What is Black Friday?
Black Friday began in the U.S., but seems to be taking on greater significance every year in the UK.
Since the 1950s, shops in the U.S. have offered impressive deals on the day after Thanksgiving to kick-start the Christmas shopping season. In 2013, Asda had a Black Friday sale on this side of the pond, and offered deals on a wide range of goods. Other retailers jumped on the Black Friday bandwagon the following year, and the rest is history.
We collectively spent £435 million in 2013, when the concept was still in its infancy in the UK. In 2019, an estimated £8.57 billion was spent — the highest total in Europe. Black Friday is clearly a very different beast compared to just a few years ago, and this trend is set to continue in 2020.
When is Black Friday in 2020?
Black Friday always falls on the Friday immediately after the Thanksgiving holiday, and that's on Nov. 27 in 2020.
This date is about a month before Christmas Day, so it makes sense to grab as many bargains as possible to help with that shopping list. You might think that you've got plenty of time to tick everything off, but the earlier you start, the less stressful the experience is going to be. We're just trying to help!
What to buy on Black Friday
There are going to be a lot of deals around Black Friday, and finding the best offers can easily become stressful. There are certain types of products that you should prioritise at this time though, because these see the biggest discounts and the best offers. So if you seriously consider these items instead of checking out absolutely everything, you could save yourself time, money, and effort.
Nintendo Switch deals are always popular during Black Friday.
Image: Pexels
We know that everyone will have a different wishlist at this time of year, but these are the products to look out for during Black Friday:
Appliances: Retailers like Argos and Currys always go big on Black Friday, dropping prices on pretty much everything they stock. You can expect deals on washing machines, fridges, freezers, kettles, toasters, and much more. If you're looking to stock up on appliances for your home, these sites should be your first stop.
Games consoles: This has been a massive year for games consoles, with the release of the Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PS5 dominating the headlines. We don't expect to see deals on next-gen consoles because it's too soon for that, but the recent releases should result in deals on the Xbox One and PS4. We expect to see plenty of bundle deals on sites like Amazon, Argos, GAME, and Currys, alongside offers on games, controllers, and gaming accessories.
Smartphones: Retailers like Carphone Warehouse and Mobiles.co.uk always offer plenty of impressive deals on all sorts of smartphones. This year, we expect to see a lot of contract deals for the new lineup of iPhones. Besides the iPhone 12, you should be able to pick up discounted Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, and more popular handsets, plus bundle offers with headphones direct from the likes of Samsung and Apple.
Toys: Black Friday is the best time of the year to shop for toys, if you've got plenty of kids to buy for at this time of year. The most in-demand toys will sell out fast in the run-up to Christmas, so Black Friday presents a great opportunity to get the prized item before the rush. We recommend checking out Amazon and Argos for the best deals on Lego, including those massively popular Star Wars and Harry Potter sets that always cause a stir.
TVs: Black Friday is all about big deals on the biggest products, and that means TVs. These are the items that can cause those infamous stampedes when shops open, but we won't see any of that this year. Instead, we expect pretty much all of the leading retailers to offer fantastic deals on TVs of all sizes from top brands like Sony Bravia, Samsung, LG, Philips, and Panasonic. It's best to shop around for the best TV deals, because there are going to be so many, but you can't go wrong with Currys and Amazon.
VPNs: Virtual Private Networks, or VPNs, are a fairly new addition to the Black Friday shopping scene, but they are having a big impact. More and more people are concerned about cybersecurity, and VPNs offer online protection for your identity and data. All the leading services are likely to offer discounted rates over Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and you should be able to find good deals on the likes of NordVPN, ExpressVPN, PureVPN, and CyberGhost VPN.
What is Cyber Monday?
To the Black Friday newcomer, Cyber Monday might seem like an after-thought. This couldn't be further from the truth. Whilst a lot of the Black Friday deals stay put right the way through to Cyber Monday, there are usually a whole bunch of brand new deals to consider.
It was once the case that Black Friday was focused on consumer electronics, and Cyber Monday more on jewellery and clothing, but nowadays there isn't really much difference in what's being sold. Black Friday sales are now spread across the preceding week and into Cyber Monday (and beyond) as retailers look to make the most of the national spending splurge.
When is Cyber Monday in 2020?
Cyber Monday takes place on the Monday immediately after Black Friday. This means it will be on Nov. 30 in 2020, but there's no real need to keep that date in your diary. As long as you know when Black Friday is kicking off, you should be all set for Cyber Monday.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are sort of the same thing these days, especially as Black Friday extends to all of November. Cyber Monday does have a slightly different focus in some ways, but the difference between the two events is getting smaller every year.
What to buy on Cyber Monday
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are essentially the same thing nowadays, so if you see something on sale before Cyber Monday, we recommend going for it instead of waiting.
You might be better off waiting for deals on clothing.
Image: Pexels
There are still some things that tend to feature more heavily on Cyber Monday though, so you could be better off remaining patient for these products:
Clothing: Leading clothing retailers have a tradition of supporting Cyber Monday, but whether this continues in 2020 is anyone's guess. If we do see activity from the likes of ASOS and Boohoo, it will likely be in the form of discount codes. There's no need to hunt for a specific item, as you can load up on goodies and enter the promo code for a discount at the checkout.
Laptops/PCs/tablets: Black Friday is well known for its focus on technology, but you could be better off waiting for the best deals on laptops, desktops, tablets, and gaming equipment. This is a fairly risky strategy, because you run the risk of missing out on something special, but it could be worth holding out before taking the plunge.
Subscriptions and educational software: We're thinking about things like Audible, Kindle Unlimited, MasterClass, and Udemy. In the past, this sort of thing has been the domain of Cyber Monday and we see no reason for things to change in 2020.
Travel: OK so travel deals are not going to be the same this year, for obvious reasons. In the past, Cyber Monday has been the best time to secure online travel bookings for less, with airlines offering big discounts on tickets and travel sites discounting holiday packages. We're not sure there will be much to shout about this year, but we can all dream.
Again, this year is probably going to be slightly different to previous years, so take everything with a pinch of salt. Generally speaking, Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become one big month of deals, so if you see something you like, go for it regardless of the timing.
Where can you find the best deals?
Pretty much every major retailer takes part in Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and whilst there won't be massive in-store events this year, the focus will be on the online sector. It's a great opportunity for these retailers to clear stock and generate some publicity with great deals, and we expect this to be a big year for Black Friday.
The following retailers are likely to have the biggest say on where money is spent in Black Friday 2020:
Amazon — Amazon always features great deals on everything from console bundles including the Nintendo Switch, to 4K TVs from the likes of LG, Philips, Samsung, and much more. Amazon's prices and range of products are tough to beat, and that's why so many online shoppers will flock to the site this year.
Argos — Argos is always a contender for the best Black Friday retailer, and it will offer absolutely loads of deals on consumer technology, home appliances, and much more. It's also the best spot to find deals on toys.
Currys PC World — Currys goes head to head with Amazon when it comes to deals on things like TVs, laptops, speakers, consoles, and other popular tech products. It's a tough contest for Currys, but it puts up a good fight. Currys generally offers better warranties, if that's important to you.
You could spend hours and hours trawling through these sites for the best deals, or you could simply bookmark this page for a selection of the very best Black Friday offers. We will be carefully selecting the best deals from the bunch for your consideration, so you can save cash without the hassle.
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