When is Black Friday 2023 and how to get the best UK deals?
BLACK Friday is now a major fixture on the shopping calendar around the world.
The annual sales event is renowned for massive discounts on everything, from beauty and technology, to toys and furniture. But when is Black Friday 2023?
Well, this year the key date for your diary is November 24.
Remember that the sale usually continues through the weekend and into Cyber Monday, too.
What was once just a one-day event from the US that followed Thanksgiving celebrations, has ballooned into a month-long influx of deals and discounts to take advantage of before Christmas.
Fast-forward to 2023, and Black Friday sees tens of thousands of brands and retailers around the world taking part.
Following the disruption of the pandemic in previous years, many major retailers have chosen to launch sales at the beginning of the month.
This allows for an extended shopping period for bargain-hunters to take advantage of.
It is also the ideal time to get the bulk of your Christmas shopping out of the way and make some handy savings.
It’s still too early to know how similar this year’s event will be to previous years.
Especially as the cost of living continues to ravage UK consumers.
But you’ll be able to stay up-to-date with all the latest Black Friday news and announcements right here.
You can also keep track of all the hottest deals and discounts by checking out our best Black Friday hub too.
What is Black Friday?
Black Friday is the name given to one of the biggest shopping dates of the year, when retailers offer a range of highly-promoted sales.
It is one of the busiest days in the retail calendar and typically marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping period.
The shopping event originally began in the US, but in recent years has become an annual fixture in the UK and across the globe for retailers and shoppers.
When is Black Friday 2023?
This year Black Friday will take place on Friday November 24.
Black Friday always falls on the Friday after the annual US Thanksgiving holiday, which is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November.
This year we predict competition for deals will be fiercer than ever before.
Which brands are taking part in Black Friday this year?
We’d expect to see big discounts from all the major brands.
Retail giants like Amazon, John Lewis and Argos are always a good bet for Black Friday deals.
Plenty of high street and online fashion brands like New Look, Mango and more will be slashing prices too.
While beauty retailers and brands like Charlotte Tilbury, Sephora UK and Boots, will have hundreds of skincare, makeup and fragrances products on offer.
When do Black Friday 2023 sales start?
Last year many UK retailers kicked off a month-long run of deals from the start of November.
Big brands like Very, AO, Superdrug and eBay all launched their sales early.
Generally most Black Friday deals will be available throughout November, with the latest offers launching from midnight onwards on November 24.
In the US some major retailers will open stores from midnight.
Previously some UK retailers have chosen to extend opening times to follow suit.
But over the years more and more Brits have chosen to shop online rather than in store when it comes to snapping up Black Friday bargains.
What will the best Black Friday deals be in 2023?
Amazon over the last few years has heavily slashed the price of its own-brand devices, so we’d bet that we will see this again for 2023.
We also predict many retailers will slash prices on Christmas gifting items to boost sales and help consumers, especially in light of the cost of living crisis and high inflation currently gripping the nation.
During the sales, online shoppers can also maximise their savings by signing up to a cashback site.
Sites like TopCashback.co.uk are free to join and offer money back on purchases made at hundreds of retailers, across all categories.
Also knowing exactly what you want to buy and doing a bit of research beforehand can also make all the difference.
How to get the best UK Black Friday deals?
Here are some shopping tips to help you nab the biggest discounts come November 24.
- Avoid impulse buys and make a list of what you want and need to buy during Black Friday and stick with it!
- Check the RRP of items you’re interested in a few weeks before the sales start to compare discounts when they launch
- Compare prices of items between retailers as you may find it cheaper elsewhere and save yourself some extra cash.
- Use websites such as PriceRunner to check the cost of coveted items previously.
- Have a look at roundup lists from publishers – they’ll have spent hours scouring the web for the best deals and will have done a lot of the research for you.
When do Black Friday 2023 sales end?
Strictly speaking, Black Friday is just one day.
But Black Friday deals tend to be released throughout the month of November.
Most brands wrap up their sales at midnight on Cyber Monday, which was traditionally the date when online deals launched.
This year Cyber Monday falls on November 27.
It marks the end of the huge sale period before the festive season kicks in.
Where did Black Friday come from?
Thanksgiving is a federal holiday in the United States that originated as a harvest festival and has been celebrated on and off since 1789.
Many non-retail employees and schools have Thanksgiving and the following Friday off, creating a four-day weekend and increasing the number of potential shoppers.
The weekend traditionally marks the beginning of the holiday season ahead of Christmas and New Year.
The Friday after Thanksgiving came to be associated with shopping in the 1950s, though didn’t gain the name Black Friday until later.
The tradition has spread elsewhere in recent decades, and is now marked in the UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden, and a growing list of other countries.
Why is it called Black Friday?
The day was given its name as it is often the day that shops “move into the black”, meaning they have enough money to cover their costs while reducing prices.
You can read more about the origins of Black Friday and the meaning behind the name in our guide.
Check out our expert guide to Cyber Monday 2023.
Plus find all the latest news and deals on our Black Friday hub.
Sun Vouchers is your one-stop shop for every deal and discount code currently available from your favourite online retailers. Don’t click ‘buy’ until you’ve checked Sun Vouchers for a discount code to apply to your basket.