- Check price history — many “discounts” are from an inflated reference price.
- Decide what you need before the sale starts, and stick to the list.
- Pay by credit card for purchases over £100 for Section 75 protection.
Black Friday produces some genuinely excellent prices and a great deal of theatre. The difference between the two is not obvious in the moment, which is precisely the design. A few habits let you take the real discounts and ignore the rest.
Prepare before it starts
Write the list now
Decide in advance what you actually want to buy, with a maximum price for each. Anything not on the list is not a bargain, however large the percentage.
This one step does more than every other tactic combined. Sales are built to convert browsing into buying, and a list is the only reliable defence.
Track prices in advance
Start watching the price of your target items several weeks beforehand. Browser tools and price-history sites show what a product has actually cost over the past year.
You will find that some items rise quietly in October and return to their normal price in November, labelled as a discount. Knowing the real baseline makes this obvious.
Understand the reference price
A discount is measured against something. Sometimes it is the price the retailer genuinely charged for a sustained period. Sometimes it is a recommended retail price nobody ever paid, or a brief high price set specifically to create the comparison.
Ignore the percentage entirely. Look only at the actual price, and compare it against other retailers and against its own history.
During the sale
- Compare across retailers. The same product is often cheaper somewhere not running a loud campaign.
- Be wary of sale-only model numbers. Some manufacturers produce variants specifically for sales events, with lower specifications than the model you researched. Check the exact model number against the full review, not the marketing name.
- Ignore countdown timers and stock warnings. They are urgency devices, and they frequently reset.
- Route through cashback where it works, and check the retailer’s rate has not been cut for the sale period.
- Check delivery costs before celebrating. A saving eaten by postage is not a saving.
Where the discounts tend to be genuine
Historically the strongest categories are technology and electronics — televisions, laptops, headphones, tablets, and last-generation games consoles. Manufacturers clear stock ahead of new model cycles, and the competition between retailers is real.
Weaker categories include clothing, where similar or better discounts arrive in the Boxing Day sales, and anything from a retailer whose “sale” runs most of the year.
Protect the purchase
Use a credit card over £100
Under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, for purchases over £100 and up to £30,000 the credit card provider is jointly liable with the retailer. If the goods never arrive, or the company fails, you can claim from the card provider.
This matters most when buying from a retailer you do not know. Pay by credit card and clear the balance in full when the statement arrives, so you pay no interest.
For debit cards, chargeback may be available instead. It is a scheme rather than a legal right, and time limits apply, but it is worth knowing about.
Know your return rights
For most things bought online, the Consumer Contracts Regulations give you fourteen days from delivery to change your mind, and a further fourteen to return the goods. This applies whether or not the item is faulty, with some exceptions such as personalised goods and unsealed hygiene items.
In-store purchases carry no automatic right to change your mind — that is retailer goodwill, and policies vary. Check before buying a gift.
Separately, the Consumer Rights Act gives you thirty days to reject faulty goods for a full refund, regardless of where you bought them.
Watch for scams
Sale season is peak season for fraud.
- Be suspicious of prices far below every other retailer.
- Check the URL carefully — lookalike domains are common.
- Never buy through a link in an unsolicited email or text.
- Avoid any seller asking for bank transfer. Card payment gives you protection that a transfer does not.
- Look for a real address and phone number in the site’s contact details.
Buy now, pay later
Deferred payment options are heavily promoted during sales. They are a form of credit. Missing payments can mean fees and, increasingly, entries on your credit file. If you would not buy the item with money you have, spreading the cost does not change whether you can afford it.
Afterwards
Keep an eye on the price for a couple of weeks. Many retailers operate a price promise, and if the item drops further you may be able to claim the difference. Keep your receipts and confirmation emails either way.
