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As the final day of Amazon Black Friday Week gets underway, we've checked the prices and availability of products mentioned in this article so they are up to date.
Wondering when Amazon Black Friday is? Well it's actually the final day of the sale today, but the mega retailer is still slashing prices left, right and centre. So it's your last chance to bag a discount on the top Christmas toys. But before you go on a shopping spree, it's important you know how to navigate the sale wisely to bag the best discounts.
In the Black Friday vs Cyber Monday debate, you might be wondering which has the better deals, but while there was historically a marked difference between the days - Black Friday discounts were usually found in store and Cyber Monday offers were found online - now, especially on Amazon, there isn't such distinction.
While the origins of Black Friday come from the USA - it takes place on the Friday after Thanksgiving each year - it's grown in popularity in the UK. And if you think it doesn't seem that long since the last Amazon sale, you'd be right. Amazon launched its Big Deal Days in 2023, which took place across 10 and 11 October.
When is Amazon Black Friday?
Amazon Black Friday Week ends at 11.59pm today - so you'll need to be quick if you want to take advantage of the discounts on offer. The 10-day sale event started at 00.01 on Friday 17 November and so it's been underway for almost 10 days. But, remember, the discounts available and the products discounted changed throughout those 10 days, so there could be some great discounts added today that hadn't been available previously. Some discounts will only be available for a few hours, while you'll have a few days to grab some others.
Cyber Monday occurs every year towards the end of November, although the specific date changes. In the US, Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday in November, Black Friday always falls the day after and Cyber Monday is always the following Monday.
According to Businesswire, Amazon customers purchased a record number of products in the 2022 Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale, including homeware, beauty and tech. In the US, the best-selling products over the Black Friday weekend included the Amazon Echo Dot, Fire TV Stick and Apple AirPods.
To take advantage of the Amazon Black Friday Week discounts, you will need to be a Prime member. If you don't already have a membership, you can get a free 30-day trial (and enjoy all the Prime perks) for free, or you can join for a monthly or annual fee.
And it's not just Amazon that gets in on the Cyber Monday action - the likes of Argos, John Lewis, Currys, eBay, AO, Boots and Asos usually treat Cyber Monday as the last day of their sales too.
When is Cyber Monday 2023?
Today is Cyber Monday, and it usually signals the end of the Black Friday sale period for many retailers, including Amazon. While lots of retailers start slashing their prices way in advance of Black Friday, they all tend to wrap up their sales at the end of Cyber Monday.
But there is still time if you want to bag a serious bargain, whether that's the best Cyber Monday toy deals, the best air fryer for a fraction of the normal price, or an iconic designer perfume without the designer price tag.
How long does Cyber Monday last?
Cyber Monday is just one day, and it's your last chance to benefit from discounted prices in the Black Friday Weekend sales. When it comes to Black Friday weekend, historically, deals were contained to four days, starting on Black Friday, running over the weekend and finishing at the end of Cyber Monday.
While Amazon offers deals and discounts all year round, the volume of deals and the size of the discounts is likely to be its best during its Black Friday Week event which ends today.
You will need to be an Amazon Prime member to take advantage of the best deals over Black Friday
How much do prices drop during Black Friday Week at Amazon?
There's no set price drop on products during Amazon's Black Friday Week sale - but this being said you can usually expect discounts of between 20-70% depending on what you buy. Amazon-owned products are usually discounted heavily. Right now you can get 60% off an Echo Dot smart speaker, Fire TV sticks have 44% off and 52% off the Amazon Fire 7 kids tablet. You tend to see really sizeable discounts on big-name brands including up to 50% off Tefal appliances, and up to 70% off oral care for the whole family from the likes of Oral-B, Panasonic and Philips. But you'll also see smaller discounts of maybe just a pound or two flagged as deals, so it's worthwhile knowing how to spot a good deal and avoid a dud.
It's a good idea to shop around and see what other retailers are charging for a similar product, so you can get a really good sense of just how much money is knocked off on Cyber Monday. Checking the Amazon price against other retailers is also well worth doing as Amazon won't always be the cheapest price (even if it's the most convenient). You can also check the price history of any Amazon product using a website called CamelCamelCamel which will show you when the product is normally at its lowest price (which may turn out to be a random Tuesday in April, and not during one of the sales events).
Our pick of the best family-friendly Amazon Cyber Monday deals
How to make sure you're getting a bargain during Amazon Black Friday Week
1. Research in advance
If there is anything you have set in your sights, check the other retailers that might sell it and compare the discounts against the RRP. If you can, it's a good idea to do this before the sale starts.
As consumer expert at Resolver, Martyn James, explains: "I get lots of complaints about items in the sale that turn out to have been more or less permanently discounted on the website throughout the year. Others have questioned whether the items were ever available at the non 'sale' price."
This is why it pays to monitor the prices ahead of time, so you know if you're getting a true saving or not.
2. Set up alerts
Across its sale events, Amazon usually lets customers sign up for notifications - so that when the discount you’re waiting for is applied you’ll get pinged. The best way to keep on top of these notifications is to download the Amazon app - so that the alerts will pop up on your home screen.
It's also worth familiarising yourself with the deals - some Amazon Cyber Monday offers last only a few hours. So make sure to check the timeframe you have for snapping up that bargain.
You can also request an invitation to 'Invite-only deals' where Prime members can get exclusive access to limited time deals. Once you've been invited, you'll be sent an email with a temporary link where you can shop the deal, so make sure you check your emails regularly if you plan on bagging an invite-only deal.
3. Take your time
You'll no doubt be inundated with messages of 'ending soon', 'hurry! 1 left in stock' during Cyber Monday - adding to the sense of urgency to buy now 'in order to avoid disappointment'. But don't be sucked in by this - it's a surefire way to spend money on stuff you didn't need. Take stock and take your time.
4. Don’t break the bank
A simple but very important message that some of us shoppers need to hear amongst the sale madness: "Remember that Black Friday and Cyber Monday are marketing events designed to make us spend more money," says consumer expert Jane Hawkes of ladyjaney.co.uk. "You’re not getting a bargain unless you wanted it in the first place, you’ve budgeted to buy it and now you’re getting it at a cheaper price."
5. Remember Amazon might not always be the cheapest
Die-hard Amazon Prime members love the ease and convenience of shopping with the online giant - quick and free delivery, your account and payment details are already saved in your account, and thanks to the range of products available on Amazon, you can often get everything you need in a single transaction.
But by not shopping around, you could find that you are paying considerably more for that convenience. If you're looking to keep costs low, it's a good idea to Google a product you are looking to buy, and click on the shopping tab to see how much other retailers are selling that item for. If you find it cheaper elsewhere, remember to factor in any delivery charges you might have to pay to see how the total costs compare.
When was the last Cyber Monday?
The last Black Friday took place on Monday 28 November 2022, and in the case of Amazon, was the final day of a week long discount-athon.
But Amazon Black Friday Week isn't the only time of year the mega-retailer slashes its prices - it also has Amazon Prime Day, a 48-hour discount extravaganza that takes place in July, and since 2022, it's also added another 48-hour sale to its roster in October. In 2022, it was called the Prime Early Access Sale, while in 2023, it was called Big Deal Days.
If you're looking for the perfect gift for the mum in your life or a little treat for yourself we've found the best Cyber Monday perfume deals including the fragrances that are more than half price!
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