The busiest retail event of the year is here, so we’ve rounded up all of the relevant facts and deals to keep you in-the-know when it comes to Black Friday 2016.
What is Black Friday?
Black Friday is an annual shopping event, which began in the US and (unofficially) marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping period. Historically, US stores have coped with loses made over the Thursday bank holiday closure by offering unbelievable deals and early store openings the morning after.
The event was introduced to the UK in the early 2000’s by American brands such as Amazon and Asda. It has now transcended into a shopping-haul frenzy, where amazing deals and discounts both in-store and online generate an overwhelming amount of money.
When is Black Friday 2016?
Black Friday will be held on 25th November 2016. Some online and in-store deals will last all weekend. For those patient enough, Black Friday is closely followed by more deals on Cyber Monday (28th November 2016).
Best Black Friday Deals 2016
Last year, Black Friday deals were everywhere and on everything – from electronics to perfume and from clothing to flights. Amazon claimed that Black Friday 2015 was its biggest sales day in the UK ever, with more than 6 million items being ordered.
However this year, retailers such as Zavvi, Argos, Tesco Direct, John Lewis and HMV are all stocked with competitive discounts and deals that have already begun.
All prices were correct as of our last update:
Band, Film and TV Merch
For discounted merch and money-saving offers – NME Merch’s deals (valid until Cyber Monday at midnight).
Audio
30% off Roberts Revival Radios from Amazon – BUY NOW
Technology Crazy Deals from £9.99 on HMV – BUY NOW
Speaker and Headphone Offers from £29.95 on John Lewis – BUY NOW
Audio and Headphone Offers from £12.99 on Tesco – BUY NOW
Amazon Echo Multimedia Speakers with Voice Control from £119.99 on Argos – BUY NOW
Box Sets
20% off a selection of box sets from Amazon – BUY NOW
DVD Box Sets Crazy Deals from £6.99 on HMV – BUY NOW
Blu-ray Box Sets Crazy Deals from £9.99 on HMV – BUY NOW
Gaming
Recent Games Under £33 from Amazon – BUY NOW
Top Selling Games Under £20 from Amazon – BUY NOW
Sony Playstation 4 Slim Console Bundles from £199.99 on Tesco – BUY NOW
Xbox One S (500GB) with FIFA + Controller from £229.99 on Amazon – BUY NOW
Gaming and Gadget Offers from £14.99 on John Lewis – BUY NOW
For tech deals – Trusted Reviews for a round-up of the latest mobile, gaming and computing deals.
What time does Black Friday 2016 start?
Black Friday begins at midnight. That means most online retailers will start slashing prices and unveiling deals from 12am on the 25th November 2016. Some high street retailers will be opening their doors and revealing in-store deals from 6am.
What happened on Black Friday 2015?
Last year (2015) Black Friday generated between £1.1bn and £3.3bn over the weekend, which is a monumental increase from the year before (2014 – £810m). This year is expected to exceed expectations.