But amid mounting scepticism, as many as 81% of people in Newcastle could skip the event entirely…
With Black Friday just around the corner, consumer technology review website TrustedReviews.com has released advice for consumers on bagging the best bargains ahead of Christmas.
Trusted Reviews analysed the cost of top products before, during and after the 2017 Black Friday period, and the results make for mixed reading:
- When it comes to premium tech it was often better to buy during Black Friday. For example, the Dyson V6 Animal wireless vacuum hasn’t been cheaper than it was on Black Friday 2017, when it was price slashed by 45% to just £179.99.
- The Bose QuietComfort 25 headphones, meanwhile, saw their best pre-Christmas price on Black Friday 2017, enjoying a 32% discount that brought them down to £159 – the best price until March 2018.
- However, Black Friday wasn’t always the cheapest time to buy as the price of some products dropped again before Christmas. The Sony PlayStation VR headset for example was actually cheapest on December 1 last year, as was the LG 43UJ750V TV.
To help consumers make smarter purchasing decisions, Trusted Reviews has created Black Friday Shopping Tips which recommend using a good price tracking tool to assess potential deals.
Will Black Friday scepticism keep consumers away?
The guidance comes as a Trusted Reviews poll of 1,400 people* reveals that UK shoppers are worried about the quality of Black Friday deals in 2018 compared to previous years – and as much as 81% of people in Newcastle may avoid the event as a result.
According to the research, 34% of people don’t believe 2018’s Black Friday sales will offer as good as value as previous years. A further 50% weren’t sure if 2018’s Black Friday deals would compare favourably to previous years, making for a total of over 84% of respondents who were uncertain about the quality of Black Friday deals.
31% admitted to being cynical of the annual retail bonanza, while 50% said they thought they could find just as many deals before and after the event. This raises the prospect of up to 81% of shoppers in Newcastle sitting out this year’s sales.
However, 31% of respondents do regard Black Friday as a good time to shop for bargains, and 21% said they typically start their Christmas shopping on Black Friday.
Nick Merritt, Editor in Chief of TrustedReviews.com concludes: “Our mission is to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy. While amazing deals are available before Black Friday, not every deal is always as good as it seems. That’s why it’s so important people find a trusted source of impartial information before taking the plunge. Doing so could save you hundreds of pounds!”