Black Friday is starting earlier than ever, with Currys kicking off its sale on 30 October, nearly four weeks ahead of the official 28 November date. The tech and appliance giant is offering “lowest ever” prices on big-ticket items, including refurbished iPhones, Samsung TVs, and Dyson vacuums.
Currys isn’t alone. Very and AO have also launched early deals, with discounts of up to 40% on tech and fashion at Very and up to £500 off premium appliances at AO. Retailers are pairing these offers with price match guarantees and extended returns to reassure shoppers.
The early start follows an ongoing trend of Black Friday evolving into a month-long shopping season, as retailers compete for consumer spend amid economic uncertainty. This trend of shopping peaks flattening isn’t just restricted to the UK or even Europe – promotions for China’s biggest shopping event, Singles Day, which traditionally takes place on 11 November, began a record five weeks early this year.
Economic uncertainty changing consumer behaviour
Economic uncertainty and increased consumer caution are the main drivers behind the shift. Consumers are beginning their holiday shopping earlier as they look to spread the cost of Christmas across several months – according to Forbes, nearly one in five UK shoppers now begin festive planning before July. Retailers are recognising that with their extended holidays sales period – Currys guarantees its early Black Friday prices are the lowest and won’t drop further before the sale ends, while Argos and other retailers are also offering price locks until Christmas.
And it’s not all bad news for retailers, as the flattening of holiday shopping peaks helps avoid the logistical bottlenecks and operational challenges of short, sharp shopping festivals. Spending this Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) is expected to outperform last year, with 80% of UK retailers anticipating higher sales than last year, and festive retail sales forecast to rise 3.2% year-on-year.
With inflation still squeezing household budgets, retailers are betting that early deals will drive engagement and boost conversion ahead of the festive peak. And, with retail defying analyst expectations to grow for a fourth consecutive month, there’s a good chance they might be right.
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