Five things always worth buying in the Black Friday sales and why I avoid Christmas items
MEGA sales event Black Friday is back for 2023 and that means thousands of products at discounted prices.
But if you’ve been left overwhelmed at the sheer number of items on offer, we’ve got you covered.
The Sun spoke to Dan Evans, editor at HotUKDeals, who revealed the five items worth keeping an eye out for, and why he stays away from Christmas-themed goodies.
Remember though, before making any purchases this Black Friday, to shop around for the best deals.
That means seeing how much other retailers are selling a specific product for on their website to see if you’re getting the best price.
Plus, it’s worth using websites such as PriceSpy.co.uk or PriceRunner.com which track a product’s price history as it might have been on sale for cheaper at other times.
Meanwhile, don’t forget a deal isn’t a deal unless you were going to buy it anyway.
It’s pointless putting yourself out of pocket unless you’ve had your eye on something for a while.
In any case, this is what you should keep an eye out for and what to steer clear of this Black Friday.
What to buy
Ring
Brand Ring, owned by Amazon, is known for selling everything from door camera batteries to doorbells.
And Black Friday can be the perfect opportunity to snap up the typically more expensive items for less.
We found a two-pack indoor camera for £55 instead of £100 and a video doorbell for £50 instead of £100 – up to 50% discounts.
Dan said: “Ring doorbells are a luxury purchase for most households, but they do periodically have really solid sales to make them more affordable.
“Black Friday is one of their calendar dates for that – there are some really impressive discounts available.”
“They’re trendy but not essential, so will be on a lot of Black Friday wish lists.”
Lego
Parents and grandparents take note as Lego is one brand worth keeping an eye out for on Black Friday.
The brand usually slashes prices most on its bigger and more expensive sets, so keep an eye out for those.
At the time of writing, we spotted one Star Wars Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder set for £140 instead of £210 at Argos – a 33% discount.
Meanwhile, the retailer had a Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle Toy set for £328 instead of £410 – 20% off.
Dan explained: “You can get brilliant deals on specific Lego sets if you do your research, making some of the bigger, more expensive collector sets much more affordable for the Lego lover in your life.”
Shark
Shark’s products are in demand all-year round so Black Friday is a good opportunity to snap them up for less.
You could save yourself a few quid compared to buying a similar model of Dyson too.
We clocked a Deluxe Black Anti-hair wrap vacuum for £170 instead of £270 and a Pet Stain and Spot Cleaner for £125 instead of £170 – 38% and 27% discounts respectively.
Dan said: “Shark products are deemed by a lot of our community to be on parr with Dyson but for a better price, so the deep Black Friday discounts make them even more compelling.
“Shark vacuum cleaners often come with a variety of attachments and features too, like anti-hair wrap and car cleaning tool sets so they are a bargain even before the discount.”
Video games and consoles
Keep an eye out for PS5’s, Xbox’s and Switch Bundles as you can get some great deals.
This year, Dan and his team have spotted some of the cheapest ever prices on PS5’s and Xbox’s.
Most retailers will offer the same prices on video games and consoles, but you can save some extra cash on delivery fees.
Dan explained: “When it’s a battle of the last few pounds, check out which has the best deal on delivery as there are some big variations.
He added: “In the run up to Christmas this will be a lifesaver for parents – but availability is a massive problem already, so if you see a good bargain then it is best to go for it.”
Fashion
Retail sales fell 0.3% in October, following a larger fall of 1.1% the month before.
And this, Dan said, could lead to some hefty discounts on autumn fashion items.
“Lots (of retailers) are holding stock over the autumn, as cash-strapped shoppers reigned in their spending.
“So you can expect particularly big discounts on coats so if you have the cash.
“Now is the time to invest in one of the higher end brands at more high street prices.”
What to avoid
Christmas trees and decorations
Retailers won’t start slashing prices on Christmas stock until December so it’s worth swerving any festive products such as trees and decorations.
The same goes for sweet treats such as Christmas chocolate.
Dan said: “Nothing before December will be the best deal, where demand is highest.
“On Christmas chocolate, we see deep discounts towards mid-December and then if you can hold off, really strong discounts in January.”
Perfume and aftershave
Again, you’re more likely to bag a bargain on smellies closer to Christmas time rather than in the Black Friday sales.
If you are going to buy aftershave or perfume, be wary of gift sets.
Dan explained: “It’s worth checking the price of the gift set against the bottles individually.
“The recipient would more likely be happier with a bigger bottle for the same budget than a body lotion they’ll never use.”
In other news, earlier this week Poundland launched a Black Friday sale for the first time, with up to 80% off.
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