Black Friday 2026 will take place on Friday, November 27, and retailers are already rolling out early discount events ahead of the official date.
The annual sales event, which began in the USA in the 1950s, always lands the day after Thanksgiving, marking the unofficial start of the Christmas shopping season. Shoppers can expect discounts on popular items including TVs, iPhones, beauty products, children's toys and clothing.
While a decade ago crowds would gather outside stores on the morning of Black Friday, many retailers now offer the same bargains online.
Early Black Friday sales begin
Some early Black Friday sales are already underway, with further promotions expected in the coming weeks. The Liverpool ECHO is tracking the latest bargains on its dedicated Black Friday page, alongside coverage of deals from major brands.
Why is it called Black Friday?
The term Black Friday was first used in reference to the crash of the US gold market on September 24. It was later adopted to describe the day after Thanksgiving, when police officers dealt with the chaos of shoppers rushing to buy Christmas presents.
Retailers later attempted to rebrand the day as “Big Friday,” but the name did not stick, according to the BBC. Some used the phrase more positively, claiming it marked the day when more businesses “went into the black” and turned a profit.
