In 2025, Black Friday lands on Friday (obviously), the 28th of November, with Cyber Monday following on the 1st of December shortly after. While it began as an American phenomenon, it soon spread to the UK. This is the country where Martin Lewis dominates our television in the mornings. We do like a bargain, after all. 

The thing with Black Friday is that it’s a pre-Christmas spending spree and a chance to pick up your presents at a discounted rate. In 2024, it was estimated that UK consumers would spend over £7 billion, which was a big leap from previous years. What this tells you about the economy, we don’t know for sure, but here is a rundown on the long weekend. 

A guide to the Black Friday sales

If you’re thinking Black Friday is a frantic 24-hour dash, you’ve been watching too many clips from Walmart and Target in the US. These days, in the time of online shopping especially, it’s a drawn-out “Black November”. A month-long reminder shopping marathon. 

E-commerce platforms report that November campaigns increase revenue as high as 40%. But the most revealing change is how we’re shopping: only 11% of consumers now make most of their purchases on Black Friday or Cyber Monday itself, while nearly half (47%) spread spending out. This is good news for strategic shoppers hunting iPhone Black Friday deals or other tech – all they need to do is monitor the price compared to pre-Black Friday levels. If they’re happy with the discount, then no need to wait until the day itself.

The early bird vs. the day-of gambler

66% of shoppers believe Black Friday is a “con”, which says a lot about British cynicism. And what they often mean by this is that prices are often hiked in September/October for a fake sale in November. 

While this is certainly a common tactic, it still doesn’t present any alternative. We need to do Christmas shopping (or just purchase our tech at some point in the year), and there is no single day or weekend where we can reliably find a big sale. The worst outcome is that the product isn’t on much of a true discount, while the best outcome remains possible – that it is a good discount. So there’s little to lose, and something to gain. The key is to check price histories and get a sense of the product’s value beforehand. 

As for the sweet spot, there is little reliable data because of this overused tactic. We believe that if you see a true discount, just go for it and don’t wait because a lot of the sales occur for the entire month due to online competition.

Is Cyber Monday the real deal?

Cyber Monday has taken on a lot of cultural weight of its own now. In 2024, UK online order volumes on Cyber Monday outperformed Black Friday by 78% as shoppers held out for final deals. This could be a matter of being disappointed by Black Friday not being much different to the month-long November sales leading up to it, so they avoid the purchase and hold out til the last minute. If you need the item, you’ll buy it on Cyber Monday because there’s little advantage to purchasing in December.

There is a slight difference, in that Black Friday is more focused on “doorbuster” deals like TVs, consoles and big-box items, while Cyber Monday is focused on premium brands, and even refurbished versions of premium brands (this can be where the ultimate value is found: a refurbished tech item found with a Black Friday discount). 

The strategy for this Black Friday is to understand the product’s price before you get into sales territory and pull the trigger when you see a genuine discount. Wait for Black Friday if nothing comes up, and then use Cyber Monday as your last-ditch safety net.