What is Black Friday and who has promotions in Milton Keynes?

The US custom is very much a fixture in the UK calendar now but which stores in Milton Keynes are taking part in this year's Black Friday sales on November 24th?
Black Friday is on the horizon in Milton KeynesBlack Friday is on the horizon in Milton Keynes
Black Friday is on the horizon in Milton Keynes

Black Friday is the day following Thanksgiving in the US and is regarded as the beginning of the Christmas shopping season in America.

A PWC report from last year showed 27% of Brits planned to buy something on Black Friday or Cyber Monday last year.

The shopping craze started in the UK in 2013 with US-owned Asda (Wallmart) and hit national headlines with chaos in shops as shoppers battled for goods.

Milton Keynes stores taking part:

Argos

Boots

B&Q

Mothercare

Currys

New Look

Disney Store

Samsung

Online stores taking part:

Microsoft

Amazon

Acer

eBay

Groupon

La Redoute

ASOS

Very

Last year, following negative headlines previously, ASDA didn’t do black Friday and they are joined by some other big names opting out for 2017.

List of stores NOT taking part:

Asda

Next

Primark

Homebase

Ikea

Apple

Here are Hannah Maundrell, Editor in Chief of money.co.uk top tips:

Your Black Friday battle plan

Sit down with a cup of tea and make a plan -Open a spreadsheet on your laptop or tablet – 15 minutes prep is a must for maximum savings.

Work out who you need to buy for and write a list – This should be everyone so get thinking. Teachers, scout leaders, colleagues, next door neighbours and a couple of extra emergency gifts for the drawer just in case. Go minimalist if you can, now is the time to agree with friends and family to do Secret Santa. You could buy for the kids only, go for drinks instead of gifts or at least set a limit of how much you’ll spend on each other.

Figure out a realistic budget – You don’t want to start January worrying about a massive credit card bill. Look at how much you can realistically afford to spend on Christmas, set some aside for food, drink and the tree and decide a gift budget. This is your limit – challenge yourself to stay within this. The ideal is having this cash spare now so you don’t need to dip into your overdraft or spread the cost over the year (adding interest will mean Christmas costs you a lot more.)

Decide how much to spend on each person– Once you’ve done this add it all up and make sure you haven’t gone over your maximum budget. If you have work out who you don’t mind spending a few quid less on this year or think about what you might be able to make people instead.

Create a wish list – Write down ideas of what you want to buy everyone, or if they’ve given your ideas themselves start researching where to buy them from. Is it cheaper to buy online or instore and make sure you know what colour, type, version etc to save you time when you’re shopping on Black Friday.

Start deal hunting – Find the cheapest place to buy each gift and add the amount and link to the relevant page on your spreadsheet. This will allow you to compare costs on Black Friday to see if you’re getting a true bargain.

Pay the smart way – Paying for items over £100 on a credit card gives you Section 75 protection if things go wrong (getting a cashback or reward card will give you a little extra back too). Debit cards or PayPal also give you buyer protection although they’re not guaranteed by law. If you’ve got old gift vouchers you’ve never spent this can be the perfect time to put them to good use.

Cash in loyalty points -This can net you significant savings – just make sure you check for the best way to maximise their value.

Know your rights – Chances are you’ll be spending a significant amount of cash in the coming weeks so make sure you know where you stand if you change your mind or if something goes wrong. https://www.money.co.uk/guides/your-refund-rights-explained.htm

Work through the links on your spreadsheet - Check for voucher codes and compare this to the amount you would get by going via a cashback site for each. Choose whichever option gets you the best price.

Remember to factor in delivery costs – The cost of delivery could add a significant amount to your total so add it in. See if you can find a voucher for free delivery with the cheapest retailer. Don’t forget to check if a retailer offers click and collect for free.

Don’t assume big retailers will be best – Smaller sites can often have even better deals but just remember to check they’re legit if you haven’t heard of them before. Make sure their site is secure, has a working UK customer service line, their address is registered as a business on Google and good reviews on ReviewCentre or TrustPilot. If they’re registered with the Retail Ombudsman even better.

Check refund windows – Buying on Black Friday can be a great way to save but some retailers will only allow refunds on non-faulty goods for a fixed amount of time (often 28 days). If you’re not sure whether you’ll need to change a gift (because it’s the wrong size etc) after Christmas bear this in mind.

TOP TIPS FOR MAKING THE MOST OF BLACK FRIDAY

NOVEMBER sees the second highest number of searches online for credit cards and related terms. Unsurprisingly after the excesses of the festive period January comes out top of the table but November isn’t far behind as people gear up for Black Friday (24 November 2017), Cyber Monday (27 November 2017) and start their Christmas shopping.

Experts estimate that on Black Friday 2016 a total of £1.23bn was spent online that day. Taking the whole week, from Monday 21 November to Monday 28 November, online sales rose to an estimated £6.5bn. Luckily the Money Guru is here to give his top tips for shoppers on the lookout for a bargain.

Shop around

The old advice is the best, so they say, so make sure you don’t pounce at the first deal you see. Make sure to shop around and sniff out the best deals!

Don’t panic

Don’t worry if you can’t get to the shops on Friday, just lie back and relax because Cyber Monday is just around the corner. Last year £968 million was spent on Cyber Monday, only slightly less than the £1.1 billion on Black Friday.

Be careful

The run up to Black Friday sees lots of dodgy e-mails and websites floating around. Use your wisdom, do not to be fooled and carry on your merry way.

Use a credit card

Unlike cash or debit cards, when paying using your credit card you have extra protection on purchases of over £100 and up to £30,000. So if there is something wrong with what you have purchased or the item doesn’t find its way to you, and you need to bring balance back to your financial karma, you can claim it back under the 1974 Consumer Credit Act (impressive I know).

Let your thumbs do the work

Save time and beat the crowds by doing all your shopping from the comfort of your home. In 2015 36 per cent of e-commerce transactions were on mobile and I can see why. You won’t catch me at the shops, I’ll be shopping from my nice warm dwelling using my mobile in between my meditation sessions.