Black Friday sales began in America and falls on the day after Thanksgiving. Black Friday traditionally marks the start of the Christmas shopping season and was imported into the UK a few years ago.
Which? has found that 98% of Black Friday deals are not the cheapest price of the year. These goods were the same price or less at other times of the year.
Genuine Black Friday discounts are few and far between. Black Friday has become a hype-driven sales extravaganza lasting for two weeks, or even longer at some retailers. Shoppers splurged an estimated £13.3 billion in 2023.
Shopping safely online is more important than ever.
Why it is important to know your consumer rights
Consumers need to be aware of their consumer rights more than ever. Firms going into administration has shone a spotlight on the lack of awareness of consumer rights and how to get refunds, with consumers losing thousands of pounds as a result.
The cost-of-living crisis means that consumers need to watch every penny spent and ensure that they are not being ripped off and fobbed off by unscrupulous retailers.
Black Friday and your consumer rights
Your consumer rights remain unaffected on any goods bought in a sale, unless any defects were pointed out to you at the time.
Your consumer rights apply when a contract is formed (when a purchase has been made).
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 states that goods ought to be:
- Fit for purpose
- As described
- Satisfactory quality
- Last a reasonable length of time
This is in effect an implied warranty that gives you up to 6 years free cover in England and Wales and 5 years in Scotland.
Your right to a remedy
Section 22(3) of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 gives you a short-term right to reject goods within 30 days if they are faulty, no questions asked. The onus is on you to prove that the goods are faulty.
Once 30 days has elapsed, you are entitled to a refund/repair/replacement within the first 6 months.
The onus is on the retailer to prove that the goods were not faulty when sold. This is known as the reverse burden of proof.
You cannot choose which option the retailer elects as a remedy.
The short-term right to reject does not apply to digital content, which is covered by Section 34 – Section 36 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015. You can ask for it to be repaired or replaced if it develops a fault, and a price reduction if that is not possible or successful.
After 6 months, the onus is on you to prove that the goods were faulty when sold. This can be done either by a Google search for common faults in the public domain on a particular make and model or an independent report.
You only need to give a retailer one opportunity to repair the same fault. Section 49 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 states that services ought to be carried out with due care and skill. If that repair fails, you are entitled to a refund.
Do you need to buy a warranty?
Nobody ever needs to buy a warranty or care plan. Manufacturer’s warranties are generally very good, whereas ‘off the shelf’ warranties are a waste of money and don’t give you any greater protection than the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
How can I get my money back, including if the item is in a Black Friday sale?
Section 22(3) of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 applies on faulty goods bought as it gives you a short-term right to reject within 30 days and obtain a full refund. You simply need to prove the goods are faulty.
The Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 gives you a 14-day cooling off period to return any goods bought online for any reason. Once you have informed the retailer that you wish to return the goods within 14 days, you have another 14 days to do so.
If the goods are faulty, the retailer is liable to pay for postage. If you have simply changed your mind, you need to refer to the retailer’s T & Cs.
What can I do if the retailer refuses a refund?
Chargeback (within 120 days)
You can enact a chargeback within 120 days with your bank or credit card provider and cite ‘breach of contract’ under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
Make it easy for the credit card provider caseworker to understand your case.
Provide:
- Proof of purchase
- Screenshots, texts, emails, photos and a clear timeline
- All correspondence with the retailer or manufacturer
- Independent assessments, reports and evidence of any failed repairs
Tell them that you have exhausted all options with the retailer and cannot resolve your dispute.
You will need to push hard on this and state that a breach of contract has taken place. This puts the onus on the retailer to prove otherwise.
Your bank or credit card provider should reverse the payment while the transaction is being disputed. This can be reversed back to the retailer if they prove their case.
It’s expensive and problematic for retailers to deal with chargebacks. It’s worth mentioning to the retailer that if they don’t give you a refund that you believe you are entitled to, you will simply go for a chargeback instead.
Section 75 (credit cards only)
S75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 holds a credit card provider and the retailer jointly liable on faulty goods that cost more than £100 and less than £30,000, so you can get a refund with your card provider if the retailer refuses to. This also protects you if the retailer falls into administration.
Online shopping and failed deliveries
Your contract is always with the retailer, not the courier.
Online shopping and problems with parcel deliveries is a constant problem, with courier drivers working against the clock.
If your parcel is lost, stolen or delivered to the wrong address – the retailer must sort it out. You don’t have to play detective and deal with the courier.
Black Friday – Online Shopping Scams
Over £600m was stolen by fraudsters in the first half of 2025 according to latest figures from UK Finance.
More than 1 in 4 parents surveyed (27%) said they have been tricked into a purchase scam.
Only a quarter of parents surveyed (26%) said they always research a seller before placing an order.
Only 53% check website links to ensure they are genuine.
Many scams begin on social media, with adverts offering products or services at cheap prices. The aim is to entice you to click through to a scam website. You will be asked to enter your contact and bank details to buy a product that is usually non-existent. Victims are asked to send money by bank transfer, which offers little consumer protection.
How to protect yourself from online scams
Stay safe and buy from trusted retailers.
Always pay by credit card or a secure online payment system for greater protection.
Never pay by bank transfer. Unscrupulous traders often insist on this because it restricts your right to a remedy. Chargebacks cannot be enacted.
Remember – if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Black Friday Shopping Tips
Check the price history
Use price comparison websites such as Price Spy and Price Runner to see real historical prices so you can see if it is a genuine bargain.
Camel Camel Camel tracks Amazon prices and lets you set price alerts.
Make a list and do your research
Make a list and check price comparison sites to see if the ‘discount’ is genuine.
Stick with well-known reputable brands
Buy cheap, pay twice. Less well-known brands are cheap for a reason.
Look for price matching promises
You may be able to claim back the difference if the price drops elsewhere.
Be wary of online marketplaces
They might be cheaper but they give you fewer rights. Nearly 4 in 5 fraud cases originate on Facebook Marketplace.
Don’t be rushed
Black Friday sales are not a one-day event.
Ignore misleading pop-ups saying ’30 people are looking at this right now’ and countdown clocks.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) fired a warning shot at Wowcher (16/11/2023) for these sharp practices and put them on notice to mend their ways.
These sharp practices breach The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (was Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008). This bans acts and omissions that entice consumers into making a decision they would otherwise not have made.
Is the company UK based?
UK consumer laws only apply to UK based traders, so avoid buying abroad.
Look for contact details on their website
Is there a physical address and phone number? How will you return any goods if they are faulty or if you have changed your mind?
Check online reviews
Knowing how to spot fake online reviews is not easy. A fake reviewer won’t go into much detail as they have not had a genuine experience.
Look out for generic words such as amazing, beautiful, very good / bad, pathetic and so on.
- Do not rely on star ratings alone
- Watch out for the red flags
- See if the reviewer is legitimate
- Check for a flurry of reviews during a short time span
- Look out for fake negative reviews
- Read independent product reviews from established sources
Finally
Look for discount voucher codes and get free cashback for your online purchases via TopCashBack. You can get a £10 sign-up bonus via this link.
What are your thoughts and experiences of Black Friday sales?
I bought a record player with a Black Friday deal and it arrived damaged. I’ve been told that I can return for a refund and then re-order it. However, the price has gone up around £60 (not Black Friday any more) so a refund doesn’t solve my problem.
Can I insist on a replacement?
Thank you for this article. Quite eye-opening. However, I have an issue with a retailer who refunded items I returned that did not fit, but only at the full-price cost, not what I actually paid for a Black Friday deal. The items were purchased on 24 November and returned on 30 November, well within their 60 day refund period, as stated in their Returns Policy. The Policy doesn’t mention anything about not refunding what was actually paid. Is this actually legal?
That was a brilliant read. I will be keeping this in mind as i have been buying in the sales!