The biggest sale of the year is back - but when does Black Friday end and how long have you got to shop the best deals?
If you're wondering when Black Friday ends and how long you have before prices return to normal, you're not alone. What was once a one-day shopping event has transformed into a month-long sale season in 2024, making it trickier than ever to work out exactly how long deals will last.
While Black Friday 2024 officially takes place on 29th November, many retailers started the sale season early this year. But with so many discounts live and prices already slashed across a wide range of products, it's hard to tell how much time you have left to grab the best Black Friday bargains before the sales officially end. Read on to find out exactly when Black Friday ends and when you need to wrap up your shopping before the deals disappear. And if you're wondering about the advantages of shopping on Black Friday vs Cyber Monday, we've got that covered too.
Our pick of the best Black Friday sales
- Amazon: Save throughout Black Friday Week until 2nd December
- Anthropologie: Get up to 50% off in the sale - live now
- Marks and Spencer: Get up to 30% off homeswares, clothing and more
- Very: New Black Friday deals launching daily
- Sephora: Save up to 25% on make-up, skincare and fragrance
- Argos: Biggest-ever Black Friday sale now on
What date is Black Friday?
Black Friday falls on 29th November in 2024. Shoppers in the UK are confused about the date this year because so many retailers launched Black Friday sales early, extending the deals event from a single day into an epic month-long shopping spree. To confuse things further, the date changes every year because Black Friday takes place the day after Thanksgiving, which is celebrated on a different date each year in the United States - the fourth Thursday of November.
What is Black Friday 2024?
Black Friday is an annual sales event that takes place on a different date in November each year. It has grown in popularity in the UK in recent years. Before that, it was primarily a US-focused sale event, taking place the day after Thanksgiving.
Some retailers don't participate in Black Friday, but many do, including Amazon, Anthropologie, Nordstrom, Very, LookFantastic, Nars, Selfridges and Trinny London.
How long do Black Friday deals last?
Black Friday was once a 24-hour sale but in recent years retailers have turned it into a much longer sale season, with deals lasting for days and even weeks throughout November.
Increasingly, retailers are extending their Black Friday sale periods and introducing discounts in advance of Black Friday. Some begin their promotions just a couple of days before, but many start slashing prices weeks in advance of the official date. Some retailers even run a month-long Black Friday event. The length of the sale period varies between retailers.
You can expect most retailers to offer deals for at least four days, launching on Black Friday itself, then running throughout the weekend and ending on Cyber Monday, which falls on 2nd December this year. It's worth noting that many deals will end when items are out of stock.
When does Black Friday end?
Black Friday officially ends at 11:59 PM on 29th November but most retailers will continue offering Black Friday deals throughout the weekend and into Cyber Monday, which falls on 2nd December this year. To avoid missing out, it's advisable to snap up a deal as soon as you spot it because there's no guarantee that stocks will last, especially on very popular items. You can expect to see prices slashed on a variety of products until 11:59 PM on December 2, depending on the retailer, but it's not wise to wait until then to shop in case of low stock.
How often is Black Friday?
Black Friday deals happen once a year in November. In addition to Black Friday, many retailers host a significant summer sale as well as one in January, and you'll often find end-of-season clearance items available on retailers' websites throughout the year. However Black Friday is unofficially the biggest sale event of the year for most major retailers.
Why is it called Black Friday?
The modern use of the term Black Friday to describe the day after Thanksgiving originated in the 1950s in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, when huge numbers of shoppers and football fans descended upon the city, creating heavy traffic. Law enforcement officers - forced to work longer hours to accommodate the crowds -began referring to this chaotic day as Black Friday.
By the late 1980s, retailers had also begun using the term to describe a notable shift in financial status from the red (indicating losses) to the black (indicating profits) due to this annual day of peak shopping activity.
What is Cyber Monday and when is it?
Cyber Monday is the Monday immediately following Black Friday which marks the last official day of Black Friday sales. This year, Cyber Monday is on 2nd December.
Historically, Black Friday deals were in-store-only discounts, with retailers then slashing online prices the following Monday, earning it the name Cyber Monday. That distinction no longer applies since most retailers offer online shopping as standard, but the name Cyber Monday has stuck to signify the last day of deals before Black Friday ends.
What is Cyber Monday for?
In the past, Cyber Monday was the day when retailers offered exclusive discounts for online shoppers following the main in-store price cuts on Black Friday. Today, there's little difference between Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.
