Retailers and shoppers alike are gearing up for what has become one of the biggest dates in the consumer calendar – Black Friday.

The late November deal frenzy is the perfect opportunity for many consumers to make the most of cut-price offers and provides a boost to retailers profits in the run-up to Christmas.

Although traditionally an event at the end of this month, some retailers are already showcasing some early sales to get shoppers in the mood for some major spending.

We take a look at the details.

When is Black Friday 2024?

Black Friday is always the last Friday in November, straight after the Thursday Thanksgiving celebration in the US.

This year it falls on 29 November 2024, which means it is just a matter of weeks away.

However, some retailers are offering price-cutting deals ahead of that date.

And the bargain bonanza is expected to run across the whole weekend at the end of November and beginning of December, including what has become known as Cyber Monday which will be on 2 December.

What are the best UK deals on offer?

Amazon has always led the pack in the UK with online Black Friday sales and will be holding 12 days of deals from 21 November.

Ahead of this date, it also has some Early Black Friday promotions including:

• Echo Dot (5th generation) reduced from £124.97 to £48.98
• Hisense freestanding washing machine reduced from £279.99 to £219.00
• Panasonic breadmaker reduced from £199.00 to £149.00

Retailer Argos, which operates online and within Sainsbury’s stores, is also offering a range of early Black Friday offers including:

• Reebok FR20z Floatride Treadmill reduced from £749.00 to £529.00
• Shark cordless vacuum cleaner reduced from £320.00 to £150.00
• HP 15s 15.6in i3 4GB 128GB Laptop Bundle reduced from £379.00 to £229.00

Other retailers proffering early Black Friday bargains as well include: Aldi, Boots, Currys, Dyson, Halfords, John Lewis, Sainsbury’s and Tesco.

How did Black Friday get its name?

The term “Black Friday” is believed to have been first coined in the Factory Management and Maintenance journal in November 1951, referring to the practice of workers calling in sick the day after Thanksgiving.

Around this time, the Philadelphia Police Department also started using the phrase as shoppers and traffic headed into the city for the day. Officers weren’t permitted to take time off on that day in order to help control the ensuing chaos.

Retail firms later adopted the expression for the day, as it was widely believed to be the point in the year when they started to make a profit, going from “in the red” to “in the black”.

In 2010, Amazon introduced the concept of Black Friday to the UK for online shopping.

Three years later, supermarket chain Asda was the first to have an in-store event in the UK in 2013.

Discounts of 70 per cent led to crowds of customers queuing to rush in when the stores opened.