Black Friday 2021

Originating in America, Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving and marks the start of the holiday shopping season. This year Black Friday is celebrated on 26th November. Over the past few years, Black Friday has come across the pond and is now celebrated in the UK.

Originally celebrated on one day, this bargain bagging occasion now extends before and after the designated Friday. Black Friday sales often start on Monday of the same week and run until the following Monday – or even longer – a great opportunity to get cut-price goodies! Many high street and online retailers report some of their highest profits on and around Black Friday.

The black element of ‘Black Friday’ relates to businesses recording their losses in red ink and gains in black. This tradition continues in modern accounting software, hence the name.

Top Tips to Make the Most of Black Friday

Consumer organisation Which? has some practical advice and top tips to help bargain-hunters make the most of the Black Friday sales this year.

Black Friday can be difficult to navigate, with many retailers claiming that they have the best possible deals for you. With so many offers, deals and discounts it can be hard to work out whether you are actually getting a bargain.

Which?’s top tips to get ahead of the winter sales are:

1. Don’t assume that the price you see on Black Friday is automatically the biggest discount. Which? has independent and rigorous lab test results for thousands of products on its website (which.co.uk) and a price predictor that tells you when products have been their cheapest.
2. Follow the retailers you are most interested in shopping with on social media and sign up to their newsletters to keep updated on all their latest offers and get notified when sales go live.
3. Find out if any shops will price match Black Friday deals at other retailers, as this will allow you to do a lot of your shopping in one place.
4. If ordering online, look at a company’s delivery costs in advance to make sure you don’t get a nasty surprise at the checkout. Some retailers offer a ‘click and collect’ service. This allows you to save money on any delivery fees and avoid busy shops on Black Friday itself.
5. Check the retailer’s returns policy before buying. Don’t assume you can return a sale item that you change your mind about. When you buy online you have additional rights under the Consumer Contracts Regulations. These give you 14 days from the time of delivery to cancel the purchase, even if it’s not faulty. There are a few exclusions to this such as personalised goods, computer software or some hygiene products.
6. Look at the price instead of the advertised ‘saving’. Big discounts can sometimes be exaggerated to make the deal look better than it really is. It’s all very well being enticed by a product with a £200 discount, but it may still be very expensive, and it might not be quite what you are looking for.

“During big shopping events like Black Friday it can be easy to get overwhelmed by discounts, deals and deductions. To get the best out of Black Friday, shoppers should do their research, form a plan and stick to it.”

– Richard Headland, Which? magazine Editor-in-Chief

Black Friday at The Pantiles

Many of The Pantiles’ retailers are offering customers Black Friday deals. Here is a small selection:

And So To Bed

• Up to 30% off Vispring
• Up to 25% off beds
• Up to 20% off luxury bed linen
• Buy one get one free on bedside chests and tables
• Buy one get one free on lighting

The above discounts are available until 5th December.

The Futon Company

Space saving furniture and savvy accessories are currently at less than half price! See the full range of discounts.

Pantiles Cameras

Head in-store to snap up a bargain with great discounts in the Pantiles Cameras’ sale. See a selection of offers here.

For more details about our stores and their Black Friday promotions, visit their individual store pages on our website.