While we've still got more than three months until Black Friday 2026 rolls around, I can already hear the snip, snip, snip of price tags being cut in the distance. Before you know it, retailers will be falling over themselves to tempt shoppers with deals on everything from TVs and laptops to coffee machines and air fryers.

And with the biggest shopping extravaganza of the year starting earlier and earlier, you won't have to wait until Black Friday itself to bag a bargain. Brands and retailers of all sizes are now launching deals weeks in advance, starting as early as October.

I’ve been hunting down the best Black Friday deals for an entire decade (someone give me a medal), so I know how to spot an actual bargain from a dud. Here's everything you need to know about Black Friday 2026, including the key dates, when the sales are likely to start and the best deals to expect.

When will Black Friday 2026 deals start?

When you've been covering the Black Friday sales for as long as I have, the date becomes seared into your brain. For those who don't know the lore, Black Friday always falls on the day after Thanksgiving in the US, so while the exact date changes each year, the day itself stays the same.

This year, Black Friday lands on 27 November. Of course, it's no longer just a one-day event. But of course brands and retailers have turned Black Friday into a weeks-long shopping festival.

Last year, several retailers even launched their offers in October – yes, really. Currys and John Lewis & Partners both kicked off their discounts on 30 October, with Argos joining the celebrations a day later on 31 October. I’d expect the same again this year – maybe even earlier than that.

When will Black Friday 2026 sales end?

While retailers are starting their Black Friday sales earlier than ever, most still wrap things up on Cyber Monday. This year, Cyber Monday falls on 30 November 2026, and many of the biggest deals will disappear at midnight like Cinderella in her pumpkin carriage.

That said, last year, some retailers continued offering discounts well into December, with Lookfantastic extending its sale until 3 December last year. A number of retailers also launched “Cyber Week” promotions, extending the sale even further into the first week of December. It goes on and on.

What is Cyber Monday?

Cyber Monday is the online shopping event that follows Black Friday. It takes place on the Monday after Thanksgiving weekend in the US. This year, Cyber Monday will fall on 30 November 2026.

While Cyber Monday was originally created to encourage shoppers to buy online, we’re living in the 21st century and everyone shops on the internet, making the concept of Cyber Monday slightly redundant. It’s now just an extension of Black Friday, giving you a final chance to save before Christmas.

Some brands and retailers have tried to popularise other shopping events, but most have had about as much success as Gretchen Wieners trying to make “fetch” happen.

There's Travel Tuesday, for example, which takes place on the day after Cyber Monday and focuses on deals for flights, hotels and package holidays, and Small Business Saturday, which encourages shoppers to support independent retailers instead of the big chains.

Why is it called Black Friday?

It’s one of those campfire tales that’s been passed down through the generations. There are so many different origin stories that no one can say for certain which is true.

The earliest recorded use of “Black Friday” dates back to 1869, when the term was used to describe a financial panic triggered by two financiers whose attempt to corner the US gold market ended in a spectacular crash. It's an interesting story, but it almost certainly isn't the origin of the shopping tradition.

The most widely accepted origin for the shopping version of Black Friday can be traced back to the 1950s and 1960s. Police officers used the term to describe the traffic, crowds and shoplifting that followed Thanksgiving in Philadelphia.

There’s also one more slightly more cheerful reading of the tale, and that it was the day retailers went from being “in the red” to being “in the black”, meaning they were finally profitable as Christmas shoppers flooded their stores.

Is Black Friday really the cheapest time to buy?

After tracking prices on a whole host of products for an entire decade, I can wholeheartedly say yes. In fact, it’s the shopping event I save up for, beating both the January sales and Boxing Day sales.

I saw huge reductions last year as retailers competed to lure in customers in what was a very tricky year for households financially. That’s likely to continue in 2026.

Which retailers take part in Black Friday?

A better question might be: which retailers don’t? Black Friday has become such a huge event in the retailer calendar that almost every major retailer and brand takes part, even if it’s just for one day.

You’ll be able to shop discounts at Amazon, Currys, John Lewis & Partners, Argos, AO, Very, Boots, Samsung, Shark, Ninja, Dyson, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Adidas, Nike, Asos, Zara and plenty more.

There are still a few notable exceptions, however. Apple doesn't discount its products, instead it offers gift cards in exchange for selected purchases. Ikea and Lush don’t have Black Friday sales either, while The Ordinary shuts down its website and stores for 24 hours to protest over-consumerism.

Even so, you'll often find discounts on their products elsewhere. Apple devices, for example, are regularly reduced by retailers such as Amazon, Currys and John Lewis during Black Friday, often making them a better place to shop than buying direct.

How can you tell if a Black Friday deal is genuine?

The easiest way is to check a product's price history. If it's been the same price for weeks before Black Friday, or the discount is only a few pounds, it probably isn't as impressive as it looks. Make sure to write a list of everything you want and need, noting down the current price so you can check the discount in November.

I also recommend comparing prices across multiple retailers, Just because something has a big percentage off doesn't automatically make it a good deal.

What were the best deals in last year’s Black Friday sale?

Literally almost everything goes on sale for Black Friday. While Black Friday started out as an electronics sale, it's since grown into a shopping black hole that devours every category imaginable. From bog roll, toothpaste and teabags to beard trimmers, TVs and even a new Nissan.

As always, there were plenty of savings to be found on tech. Argos slashed £60 off the Apple AirPods Pro 2, taking them down to £169, while Amazon cut the price of the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones (was £399, now £349, Amazon.co.uk) by £100. Even newer products weren't immune, with the PS5 Pro (£779, Amazon.co.uk) falling from £699.99 to £569.99 at Argos less than a year after launch.

Boots also shaved £100 off the Oura ring 4 (was £349, now £244.30, Oura.com), Amazon reduced Apple's latest 11th-generation iPad (£409, Amazon.co.uk) from £329 to £299, and Currys slashed the Oral-B iO2 electric toothbrush (£45, Boots.com) from £100 to just £34.99.

Home appliances were just as competitive. Amazon slashed the Shark clean & empty cordless vacuum (£329.99, Amazon.co.uk) from £349.99 to £196.02, while the Ninja double stack air fryer (£183.99, Sharkninja.com) dropped from £229.99 to £179.

Beauty buffs had lots to snap up, too. Boots slashed £150 off the Dyson airwrap i.d. (was £479.99, now £379.99, Boots.com), taking it down to £349.99, while Superdrug halved the price of Marc Jacobs Daisy perfume (was £54, now £43.20, Boots.com) from £50 to £26.50.

Even Lego sets, luxury watches and premium office chairs received big discounts. You’ll have loads to save in the Black Friday sale.

I’m expecting to see lots of discounts on TVs, laptops, smartphones, headphones, smart home devices, coffee machines, air fryers, vacuum cleaners, mattresses, gaming consoles and wearables, as well as fashion, beauty, toys and home appliances.

Now we just have to sit on our hands and wait until November rolls around (or October for some retailers).

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