As Black Friday sales dominate retailers across the United Kingdom, new research provides compelling evidence that November offers significantly better discounts than the traditional Boxing Day sales for most popular products.
The Great Shopping Showdown: November vs December
According to exclusive analysis conducted by The Independent's consumer team, more than half of expert-recommended products were cheaper during Black Friday 2024 compared to their Boxing Day pricing. The comprehensive study tracked 50 bestselling items across multiple categories, providing shoppers with crucial insights for their festive purchasing decisions.
The data reveals that 52% of IndyBest-approved products were more affordable on Black Friday, while only 14% were cheaper during the Boxing Day sales. The remaining 34% maintained identical pricing across both shopping events.
Tech and Gaming: Black Friday Dominates
Technology enthusiasts should particularly focus their attention on Black Friday deals, with more than half of gadgets experiencing significant price reductions. The research examined laptops, tablets, gaming consoles, and smart watches, finding consistent savings during the November sales period.
One standout example was the Ring doorbell, which sold for £54 at B&Q during Black Friday compared to £67.99 in the Boxing Day sales. Other notable tech deals included the Nintendo Switch OLED, PS5 slim standard, and Sony WF-1000XM5 wireless earbuds, all demonstrating better value during the November event.
Alex Lee, senior tech critic at The Independent, explained the seasonal pattern: "After tracking prices over the years, I've seen how prices plummet during Black Friday, then shoot up the closer you get to the festivities." He emphasised that unlike fashion items, technology doesn't experience the same seasonal clearance mentality during post-Christmas sales.
Beauty and Household Bargains
The beauty sector followed a similar trend, with 54% of products offering superior discounts during Black Friday. The Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood flawless filter demonstrated one of the most dramatic differences, costing 33% less during the November sales compared to Boxing Day.
Lucy Smith, beauty writer, shared her professional insight: "In my experience, beauty gift sets are where the best offers sit. Once you factor in an additional Black Friday or Boxing Day saving, you've often racked up a discount of 40-60 percent." She recommended focusing on brands like Clinique, Estée Lauder and Olaplex for the most substantial savings.
Household items presented a more mixed picture, with 45% showing Black Friday discounts while the majority maintained consistent pricing across both sales periods. The Hotel Chocolat velvetiser exemplified the potential savings, dropping to £74.99 during Black Friday before increasing to £94.80 by mid-December.
Smart Shopping Strategies
The research methodology employed publicly available price tracking tools that any consumer can access. Websites like PriceRunner, PriceSpy and camelcamelcamel provide historical pricing data that reveals genuine discounts versus artificial promotions.
A practical example emerged with the Kindle Paperwhite, currently reduced to £124.99 on Amazon. While the retailer claims the RRP is £159.99, price comparison tools revealed that Very offered marginally better pricing, demonstrating the importance of shopping around even during major sales events.
Consumer scepticism appears justified in some cases, with a YouGov poll indicating that more than a third of UK shoppers have grown less interested in Black Friday over recent years, primarily due to concerns about misleading discounts. However, the data confirms that genuine opportunities for significant savings do exist for informed consumers.
The research methodology involved comparing prices from Black Friday 2024 with those from 20 December 2024, capturing the beginning of the Boxing Day sales period. Products examined included the Dyson supersonic, Ninja Foodi Max air fryer, and other expert-approved items across technology, beauty and household categories.
