Over 90% of Black Friday product deals the same price or cheaper before
Consumers are being advised to do their research before buying this year
Last updated 23rd Nov 2021
Nine out of 10 Black Friday 'deals' are the same price or cheaper in the six months beforehand, consumer group Which? has found.
Which? analysed 201 of last year's Black Friday deals at six major retailers and compared them to the cost of the same products in the months before.
Of the product deals on offer at Amazon, AO, Argos, Currys, John Lewis and Richer Sounds, around 92% (184) were the same price or cheaper in the six months before Black Friday.
Deals were on items such as washing machines, soundbars and TVs, while, during the six months after Black Friday, 98.5% of the products were the same price or cheaper.
The consumer group used a Zanussi ZWF81441W washing machine on sale at John Lewis as an example, with the cost being £60 less (£249) five months before Black Friday (£309).
With this year's Black Friday coming this week (November 26), Which? advised that shoppers should research the costs of their items before buying.
Ele Clark, Which? retail editor, said: "Take time to identify the products you really want and check that the 'deal' you're seeing represents a genuine saving.
"That way, you can beat the hype and be confident that you'll emerge from the Black Friday sales with quality products that will last for years to come - and all for a bargain price."
Of the retailers analysed, Which? said Richer Sounds had the best deals, with four out of 14 products not being cheaper or the same price before.
A statement from Richer Sounds said: "Prices fluctuate pretty wildly in our industry, both up and down for all sorts of reasons, but primarily availability from suppliers and the prices we have to pay to our suppliers.
"So, this can mean that products (annoyingly for all) may be sold in the following Black Friday promotion at prices that are higher than during the preceding year but rest assured that all the deals that we sell are at the keenest prices possible at the time of the Black Friday 'event' (which, please note, starts several days before the day itself)."
John Lewis said: "As a participating retailer in Black Friday, we offer fantastic deals across technology, home, beauty and fashion - these are just some of the many promotions our customers can take advantage of throughout the year."
Check out a list of the top toys for children this Christmas
Barbie™ Dreamtopia Rainbow Magic™ Mermaid
It's Barbie, she's always a popular choice. This one comes with rainbow hair and a mermaid tail that changes colour in water, so it's brilliant for bath-time.
Price: £24.99
Bluey Family Home Playset
Bluey's from the animated TV series on CBeebies and Disney+. This toy is definitely in the doll-house category, and complete with 10 accessories so the kids will be occupied for hours (most likely).
Price: £39.99
CoComelon Deluxe JJ Interactive Doll
This toy is a large doll, that's also a boy! That will see a lot of young lads set their sights on this one. You can feed him, while he also sings songs and makes cute baby giggle sounds. That means it could get annoying, but come on - It's for Christmas!
Price £39.99
Gassy Gus
Gassy Gus is the only game to make it into the top 12, so if you want to get your kids something other than a plain old toy that's still popular, this is the one! Players take it in turns to inflate Gus's stomach, with him letting out a big fart and a chuckle when he gets too full. What's not to love?
Price: £24.99
Hot Wheels® Massive Loop Mayhem™ Track Set
It's Hot Wheels, it's colourful and it looks awesome. There's nothing else to say.
Price: £54.99
Jurassic World Slash 'n Battle Scorpios Rex
This action figure will be massively in demand after the Jurassic Park franchise's big recent reboot. Younger kids who haven't seen the films will still love it because, well, it's a dinosaur.
£31.99
Piggly from Little Live Pets
Piggly would be an adorable addition to Christmas this year. It squeals and snorts and has a very cute little trot. Any little one who fancied their own pet would love this.
Price: £24.99
L.O.L. Surprise! Movie Magic Doll
Packaged in small round balls, each LOL doll has ten surprises, including a secret message, 3D glasses, a fashion outfit and a movie script. This one is all about anticipation, and kids will love not knowing which doll they'll get.
Price: £10.99
A Magic Mixies Cauldron
If you're looking for something a bit more impressive, this is the winner. Kids can mix potions and create a magical creature. It's guaranteed to be a success.
Price: £69.99
Chase's Deluxe Transforming Vehicle from Paw Patrol
This is going to be pretty popular for fans of the show. For those kids that aren't (are there any?), you can push the car's spoiler to reveal a projectile launcher that will shoot discs at the press of a button. It's a certain hit.
Price: £44.99
A plush toy of Pikachu from Pokémon
This 8" plush Pikachu is super soft and perfect for bed time. Plus, it's Pikachu - everyone's favourite Pokemon.
Price: £13.99
from LEGO Star Wars
No top toys list is complete without Star Wars or Lego - this one combines the two. It's a model of the best part about the latest Star Wars craze, Boba Fett's ship from The Mandalorian. This one will go quick from shelves, and it's a great one for family time.
Price: £44.99