Black Friday Investigation

That Black Friday deal may look like a bargain, but our year-long investigation has found that you could get a better discount if you’re willing to wait. We tracked the prices of 94 popular products across five major retailers for six months either side of Black Friday 2017, and found that 87% were the same price or cheaper than their Black Friday price at other times of year. Some 46% of products were cheaper than their Black Friday price on at least one day during the six months afterwards. So, while there were certainly deals to be had, and prices are often considerably lower on Black Friday than at other times of year, if it’s the very lowest price you’re after, and you’re not in a hurry, it may be worth holding off. When is the best time to buy? We used our data to try to determine the best time of year to buy popular products. As you might expect, some items did hit their lowest prices in line with big sale periods - for example, smart speakers such as the Amazon Echo were cheapest around Black Friday, Christmas and New Year. Yet, many popular products, like fitness trackers and kettles, didn’t show a clear trend - making the best time to buy them, whenever there’s a good discount. Tips for bagging a Black Friday bargain The end of November can be a great time to find deals, but don’t be pressured by short-lived promotions or claims of big discounts. If you need to buy something, always make sure you’ve done your research and checked product reviews first. And remember, prices fluctuate all year round, so don’t feel rushed into buying straight away. For our Black Friday shopping advice and 1,000s of reviews, visit https://ift.tt/2S4mtLE - Which? Which?: http://www.which.co.uk Twitter: https://twitter.com/whichuk Facebook: https://ift.tt/1fAOmna