Will the UK Black Friday deals get better this week ahead of the actual holiday?

Black Friday paints a bleaker picture than it used to. What was once a high-octane in-person shopping event has now become a largely mistrusted online deals bomb.

According to YouGov, 35% of Brits are less interested in Black Friday than they were two years ago and 63% of those said it was due to misleading discounts, while 40% said there were just too many sales events throughout the year.

Yet, at the same time, 32% agree that they still hold off on making essential purchases until November and The Guardian reports that online retail sales fell by 1.7% last month, as many were anticipating Black Friday price reductions.

Now the Black Friday sales have officially kicked off, here's the question – is it worth waiting until actual Black Friday itself?

Black Friday lands on 28th November, the day after American Thanksgiving, however as the sales period now lasts throughout November, it's unclear whether the real Black Friday holds any worth.

Below, we're unpacking whether actual Black Friday is the best time to get deals, and if another sales period is the one to go for. As well as a few live deals we really don't think you should miss.

Jump to:

• Do prices go down more on actual Black Friday?
• Is it better to buy before or after Black Friday?
• What UK retailers wait until Black Friday to launch sales?
• What discounts to expect on Black Friday 2025?
• 10 Black Friday deals you shouldn't wait for

Do prices go down more on actual Black Friday?

Usually, no. Unless a retailer has specified they will be launching their sale on Black Friday itself or releasing specific deals, the offers normally stay the same throughout the entire sales window.

For instance, if a store started their sales today (Monday 24th November) the deals will likely remain the same up until Cyber Monday (1st December).

Some exceptions include Pandora and Boots who tend to run their deals in stages throughout the week e.g. 40% off Disney charms today.

Is it better to buy before or after Black Friday?

According to Money Saving Expert, 50 popular products were cheaper during Black Friday than during the pre-Christmas sales, with an average discount of 37% compared to 25%. That means Black Friday is still the best time to shop a deal.

YouGov also found that 38% of British shoppers wait to buy luxury items during Black Friday and 63% of spent between £51 and £250 last year, so you can expect retailers to cater to that by putting most prices within that range.

Our advice: shop this week during Black Friday, especially if you're looking for a big-ticket item or a Christmas present.

What UK retailers wait until Black Friday to launch sales?

Plenty of major brands do wait until Black Friday itself to launch their deals, including LEGO, Apple, and Oliver Bonas. Brands like UGG and Coach are also holding off and Uniqlo has yet to launch its big sale. But other than that, you'll find most deals are live.

What discounts to expect on Black Friday 2025?

Traditionally Black Friday was the best time to pick up a saving on toys, designer clothes and household products such as sofas and mattresses, meanwhile Cyber Monday would typically centre around tech and gadgets. But nowadays, it all blends into one and tech has become a major feature throughout November.

This year has been big for tech with AirPods, Macbooks and digital notebooks like the reMarkable 2 all going on sale. We're also seeing more promising offers on actual phones like the first truly significant iPhone deal in years (£90 off the 16e).

For gaming, we're seeing a slightly different pattern from previous years. While consoles like the PS5 and Meta Quest 3 went on sale, the Xbox and Nintendo Switch 2 have hardly budged, however, accessories like controllers and headsets have been heavily discounted.

As usual, we're seeing big discounts on TVs, laptops and projectors – perfect for RadioTimes.com readers! – especially from Samsung and Hisense.

Amazon is also a major player in Black Friday and discounts all of their owned products like Kindles, Ring Doorbells, Amazon Echo's and Amazon Fire TVs.

Last but not least, Black Friday is always an ideal time to pick up essential kitchenware – dare we mention air fryers? – whether you want a Ninja Creami, slow cooker or microwave, you'll be able to find a major deal.

Plus, and this is the best tip we can give, always wait until Black Friday to buy an electric toothbrush, Oral B always hold enormous savings and you can get smart toothbrushes for under £20.

10 Black Friday deals you shouldn't wait for

£100 off the PS5 Pro

What's the deal: The PS5 Pro is really at its lowest price ever. The console came out in November 2024 for the price of £699.99, where it has stayed for the past 12 months. However, PlayStation has now launched its Black Friday sale meaning a ton of retailers have knocked either £90 or £100 off the PS5 Pro. So right now, the cheapest you can get it is £599.99 at Amazon.

Why we chose it: The PS5 Pro is all about console performance optimisation. Using Advanced Ray Tracing, the PS5 Pro provides gamers with enhanced realism thanks to better reflections, shadows and lighting. It also features PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR), which uses AI to improve resolution without impacting the device's frame rate. In short, it's for hard-core gamers and its the most advanced PlayStation yet.

Buy PS5 Pro | £699.99 £599.99 (save £100 or 14%) at Amazon

Save £90 on the iPhone 16e

What's the deal: The 16e is Apple's newest mid-priced iPhone which came out in 2024. Despite costing less than say the standard 16, it is still rarely discounted as Apple is notoriously stingy with their deals. However right now, the iPhone 16e has been reduced by £90 at Amazon, taking the cost to £509.

Why we chose it: I actually bought this iPhone 16e during this year's Amazon Prime Day sale, where it was available for the same price. As an iPhone user on a budget, I found it delivered everything I needed at a much lower cost than it's top-price counterparts. There is only a single camera but it has 48MP quality which works well and its battery lasts for well over 18 hours.

iPhone 16e | £599 £509 (save £90 or 15%) at Amazon

This Lululemon City Essentials Mini Shoulder Bag is half price

What's the deal: Lululemon hasn't launched their official Black Friday sale yet but you can already get 50% off the lilac shade of the City Essentials Mini Shoulder Bag, so it now costs £24.

Why we chose it: This bag (particularly in purple shades) sold out in many Lululemon stores when it came out – I know because I tried – and went viral for its adorable design. So, a half price saving is hugely significant.

Lululemon City Essentials Mini Shoulder Bag | £48 £24 (save £24 or 50%) at Lululemon

LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon Collector Series Set

What's the deal: Zavvi is running a solid LEGO sale on their site – which is handy because LEGO won't launch theirs until next week – including £185 off the LEGO Millennium Falcon Collector Set. This takes this immensely impressive set from £734 to £549.

Why we chose it: This is the ultimate collector's set for many LEGO Star Wars fans, in fact, Games Radar dubbed it the 'best LEGO Star Wars set ever'. We know that £550 is still a lot of money, but £185 is still a meaty discount.

LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon Collector Set | £734.99 £549.99 (save £185 or 25%) at Zavvi

Get the Ninja Creami Deluxe Four Tub bundle at no extra cost

What's the deal: Right now at Ninja, the Ninja Creami Deluxe Four Tub Bundle costs the same as the Two Tub Bundle, meaning you can make double the food at no extra cost. This bundle is now £188.99 in total.

Why we chose it: The Ninja Creami has a 4.5 rating on Good Food, lauding it for how easy it was to clean and use. The only downside for their experts was its loudness when blending.

Ninja Creami 4 Tub Bundle | £275.98 £188.99 (save £86.99 or 31%) at Ninja

Grab the Dyson Airwrap Origin for £100 off

What's the deal: The Dyson Airwrap Origin has an original cost of £400, but right now is on sale for £299, saving you 25%. According to price tracker camelcamelcamel, this is the lowest the device has ever cost.

Why we chose it: We all know how viral the Dyson Airwrap has gone, and many of us have probably considered buying it but shuddered at the price. Right now it's at its lowest price ever, so you can't get more of a saving than that.

Dyson Airwrap Origin | £399 £299 (save £100 or 25%) at Dyson

Save 30% on the Ninja Double Stack XL Air Fryer

What's the deal: Ninja's Double Stack XL Air Fryer is now £188 – just £3 more expensive than its lowest ever price (£185).

Why we chose it: This device is among Good Food's best air fryers with a 5/5 star rating. It's packed with plenty of space and power and is surprisingly easy to store and move around.

Ninja Double Stack XL Air Fryer | £270 £188 (save £82 or 30%) at Amazon

All-new low price on the Apple AirPods 4

What's the deal: This is again the lowest price we've seen on the AirPods 4, now costing £99 at trusted third-party retailer OnBuy. There might be more AirPods deals coming next week in the lead up to actual Black Friday, but for now, this is the best.

Why we chose it: The AirPods 4 came out in 2024 and are one of the comfiest AirPod designs yet. With their shorter stem and Personalized Spatial Audio, they fit perfectly to both your ear and hearing requirements.

Apple AirPods 4 | £119 £99 (save £20 or 16%) at OnBuy

40% off Le Creuset Cast Iron Classic Round Casserole Dish (Juniper)

What's the deal: Both the 22cm and 26cm versions of this Juniper Le Creuset casserole dish are 40% off, taking the price of the latter to £213.

Why we chose it: LeCreuset is known for its aesthetics and its cost, but every year they come through for Black Friday. I'd always suggest buying one now if you see a colour you like.

Le Creuset Cast Iron Round Casserole Dish (Juniper) | £355 £213 (save £142 or 40%) at LeCreuset

Save 60% on the Ring Battery Video Doorbell

What's the deal: Get the Ring Battery Doorbell from £39.99 at Amazon, saving you £60 or 60%.

Why we chose it: Although Amazon is sometimes a bit secretive with their deals, this is genuinely the lowest price the Battery Ring Doorbell has been. Last Black Friday it dropped to around £69 so this is another 30% off from then.

Ring Battery Video Doorbell | £99.99 £39.99 (save £60 or 60%) at Amazon

Make sure you also check out when does Black Friday start and the Meta Quest 3S Black Friday. Plus, the Steam Deck Black Friday deals and PS5 controller Black Friday deals.

You can also take a look at the Nintendo Switch 2 Black Friday deal and PlayStation Portal Black Friday sale.