Black Friday

I am more than happy- I bought a pair of shoes (I normally buy this type) and received 20% off. I also stocked up with prescription cat food and got 15% off so my cat has enough dry food until spring or longer. I did all of this on line quite late at night to avoid the rush.

It's called Black Friday as it is supposed to be the day when the shops make enough profit to get in the black. Even the Americans are cutting back on it as their bkack Friday sales started earlier this week.

If not on a good wage it's understandable people hope to find a bargain

Most of the so called massive savings are far from what they seem. Almost all the sites seem to be claiming massive discounts on the recommended retail price NOT their normal selling price. Other items that seem like bargains are, as other contributors have noted, end of lines not wanted anymore so again not an honest bargain.
I have ordered a vacuum cleaner today as the motor burnt out on my old one, I compared a lot of sites and gave up on the black Friday "bargains" . I have also bought a few Christmas toys for the grandchildren but only things that I was going to buy, some of the cashback sites had extra offers ie higher percentage cashback for black Friday.
I find the whole thing really annoying as like many other things it has come over from America and doesn't have the same relevance here as it does there.
I would say I was on the non shopping side as I did not trawl through for any bargains and deleted all the emails telling what amazing bargains retailers had.

Blow Black Friday. I made my first batch of fudge, much of which will join jars of River Cottage Glutney (saw it on Gransnet and downloaded Hugh F-W's recipe) as Christmas gifts, including for the DGCs' teachers.

Beats fighting one's way through a sale.

I've seen reports saying that this year's Black Friday, has been more like a pale grey Friday, although the internet has been busy.

what Black Friday? As far as I could see no different to usual though I only popped out for essentials; to a local shopping centre. Asda have cut petrol and diesel prices for 2 days - always good

I've been buying my Christmas gifts over the last few months so I wouldn't feel pressured to go and buy today... either at the shops or on line! Watching my budget so I don't end up begrudging it come January.

Indeed. British, then.

What about the rest of the UK, ffinnochio?

The Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish are not immune to the lure of a possible bargain...

Just seen this and thought I would mention to the OP that not all American culture is silly and greedy.

Black Friday is just their equivalent of the Boxing Day sales.

More fool the English that buy into the concept of either.

Not sure about this and whether it's even worth thinking about rushing into the melee!

I was recently looking for a particular perfume for a celeb minded niece (!). On-line said perfume (same site) 30 ml Black Friday price £12.00, 50 ml price NOT Black Friday price £9.00 (on offer).

Just bought some gorgeous purple suede boots for 25 pounds, reduced from 85, in small shop in town. I just happened to be walking past the shop.

Just seen on the news that Black Friday seems to be a non-event, except on-line. Voting with the feet, or fingers.

I think if you need something and it is reduced then yes. I was down at the shops this morning and it wasn't too bad, I was only down to buy food from M&S Dine-In offer. Some folk were rushing about as if their life depended on it, but I feel most people now have no patience at all. I'm glad I got out of retail before all this craziness started, I do not understand why we have to adopt everything from America.
As for Christmas, if you are short of cash and need to watch the pennies it is good but why kill each other when there are sales all year round. Christmas lost all it's true meaning years ago, but the shops and the media drive this, not people.

No! In a word. I have bought bits this week online in the Black Friday week as I needed them however that's it. It's all a con anyway. I wanted this fascinator for my son wedding from a certain well known brand.

It was knocked down in price through ''normal'' sale, until a week ago when I went on to see if it was still on sale. They had put it back up to full price. This week it has gone back down again in price to the same sale price as before.

No point in Black Friday IMO! If something is on sale and you are happy to pay the sale price whatever the time of year is then get it then

The presenter on my local radio breakfast show decided to see if things were cheaper today than when he bought them a few weeks ago. With the exception of books and DVD's he found the presents he had bought would have cost him more today.
The sooner this stupid American import returns whence it came the better. Why must we always copy?

Just got both DIL Christmas pressies free p&p and reduced from the comfort of my armchair.

Well of course it would be Black Friday. My trusty little bedside alarm clock has given up the ghost, so I decided to replace it with a mains powered clock radio. The Argos site was jammed. I kept getting to the " pay now" bit, then OOPS, we've encountered a problem, or words to that effect. I have finally managed to order one, and will pay when I collect. Seemed much easier than trying to pay before collection, why??? It has taken me all morning, good job that I've nothing more exciting to do than sit here and watch the screen until now, but I'm off out this afternoon, volunteering. Perhaps the customers will all want more of a bargain than they usually get in our shop. . Have a good weekend one and all.

Feeling smug because I did all my shopping yesterday. Car parks were packed so obviously there are loads of people avoiding Black Friday.

I opt out of ''Black Friday'' Why Black, will somebody tell me. It seems like an excuse to spend money you don'd really want to and I have a feeling that somewhere along the line, greed plays a part. Sadly, yet another import from America.

I have to admit to taking advantage of Black Friday this year. I bought a couple of items in East 30 per cent off, they are still too expensive though. When I wandered into my nearby town yesterday to make my purchases, and although many shops had already marked down their Black Friday bargains, it was all Quiet on the Western Front. I may go again later today, but the scenes I saw on the tv last year of people manhandling wide screen tvs and elbowing fellow customers out of the way, exemplified the worst of consumerism in my opinion. I think many are opting to do their buying on line anyway.

I saw a woman interviewed last year who had bought something like a TV or some other largish item, and she actually said that she didn't really want it! That definitely puts me off.

I saw a woman interviewed last year who had bought something like a TV or some other largish item, and she actually said that she didn't really want it! That definitely puts me off.

Me too. Got to fit it in between the early crowds and the pick-up-from school mums ...