Black Friday 2022: Dates, expert tips and predicted deals

There is no bigger sale event globally than Black Friday and this year’s mega sale is quickly approaching. First started in America, it’s now a cultural phenomenon and has expanded to include all brands across tech, lifestyle, beauty, furniture, cooking, fitness, food and more. 

Black Friday is still the cheapest and is more affordable than Amazon’s Prime Day, which took place earlier on July 12 & 13, 2022.

Last year, Black Friday took place on November 25, 2021 but expect to see discounts happen way ahead of the actual day. Beat the rush by getting ready now and find out all the information, expectations and expert tips and tricks you’ll need to get the best offers.

This year, Black Friday is expected to happen at the same time as last year and will fall on November 25, 2022 with Cyber Monday happening on November 28, 2022. But don’t just wait for the day, many deals will start beforehand with some even predicted to start in late October.

In 2022, most retailers like Currys and Argos started offering discounts in October and early November, and carried on until Cyber Monday. Global supply chain issues had a significant impact on Black Friday sales and consequently resulted in a lack of stock levels on discounted products. Most shoppers became increasingly frustrated trying to get a PS5 or Xbox Series X and items quickly sold out. However, those issues have cleared up now and won’t be a major factor this year. Despite stock issues last year, Black Friday generated £9.2 billion in sales which was 15 percent more than the year before. This year, it’s only set to be even bigger.

Start shopping early as the biggest takeaway last year was that more than half of British brands and retailers launch their sales ahead of the day.

According to a survey from Esendex, 76 percent of Brits start saving up money a whole month before Black Friday sales kick off. So it’s a wise idea to put some money aside now so that when it comes to Black Friday, you won’t feel out of pocket.

Last year, due to supply chain issues, most new launches and releases sold out immediately. While most of that has cleared up this year, it’s wise to buy new releases as soon as it’s put on sale.

Most retailers don’t share whether they’ll be participating in Black Friday or not until the month before.

However, shoppers can expect to see huge sales from Amazon, AO.com, ASOS, Dell, eBay, HP, Very, John Lewis, Argos, Currys and Boots.

Although it’s a major retailer, it’s unlikely that Aldi will take part in Black Friday this year. Last year, an Aldi spokesperson said: “We believe great prices should be offered every day, not just a Friday. Aldi’s prices are always unbeatable – whether it’s Black Friday, or any other day of the year.”

To get that long awaited air fryer or iPhone, here are some top tips and tricks to aid you with your shopping and give you the best advantage on deals.

The easiest way to buy what you want is to make sure you know what you’re looking for. First figure out what you’re shopping for, have you just moved home and need a new TV or do you want to buy Christmas presents for friends and family ahead of holidays? Then, figure out what budget you would like to spend.

Create a list of products that you specifically want to buy for yourself or as a gift because this will help you not get lost in the amount of deals.

Doing this also helps to prevent you from buying products you don’t actually want or need. If you’re unsure of what product you want but know the type of item i.e an air fryer, it’s a good idea to do research ahead of the day on the top reviewed models out there. That way you can look out for discounts on the items and you won’t blindly spend on an air fryer that’s subpar in performance.

If you want to be the first to shop Amazon’s Black Friday sale, you need to be an Amazon Prime member. Amazon Prime offers members exclusive 30 minute access to all Lightning Deals, which are hot products that are discounted for a few hours. 

If you’re not an Amazon Prime member, you can sign up and enjoy a free 30 day trial here. The best time to sign up to Prime before the Black Friday shop opens is at the start of November. Plus, you can always cancel the trial after the event if you don’t want to enjoy the benefits that Amazon Prime offers.

Once you know what product or deal you’re looking for, research all the available sites to see where it’s sold and have those bookmarked. The major retailers have a tendency to price match each other, but during Black Friday, some will offer more incentives like free gifts, free shipping or bundles. Express.co.uk will have be bringing you all the best deals but do have a look to see at all retailers available. 

Black Friday is a time that retailers use to shift out the last of this year’s stock and while it’s a good idea to get a discount on new items, its also smart to buy products that were launched last year as older releases will be discounted for cheaper prices. For example, Shark launched the new Vertex Ultra Lightweight Cordless Stick Vacuum earlier in February and its fantastic for all home cleaning. However, the Shark Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Vacuum Cleaner is almost as good but more likely to have a bigger discount on Black Friday, making it the better saving.

You can sometimes get cash back available on Black Friday deals but make sure to check with your credit or debit card. It’s a good idea for shopping on Black Friday as it’s a time you’ll be spending more money but it’s also good in general for online shopping.