New research commissioned by TopCashback shows that shoppers start preparing early for Black Friday, with 61% planning their strategy at least a few days before the big day.
With Black Friday 2025 just around the corner, we commissioned a poll of 2,000 adults in the UK to get an insight into the shopping habits of Brits during the Black Friday season.
The study found that 78% of shoppers will be preparing for Black Friday in some way, with nearly half (47%) setting aside money specifically for the sales.
To help you make sure you’re ready to find the best bargains this Black Friday, Jordon Cox, aka The Coupon King, has been sharing his top tips to help you prepare and save. From deal stacking to price comparison hacks, keep reading to discover how you can make your money go further this Cyber Season.
The power of planning ahead
According to the analysis of last year’s shopping behaviour, one minute spent preparing for the sales resulted in around £2 of savings. With the average person spending 66 minutes researching offers and comparing prices before buying, that means shoppers could save around £132 on average just by researching before they shop.
So, we know the best savings come to those who plan, but when exactly is the optimum time to start prepping, and how should we go about it?
This November, we’re encouraging shoppers to take advantage of Prep Sunday. This is the Sunday before Black Friday, this year falling on 23rd November, five days before the sale begins.
This is the ideal time to set your spending budget and put together a list of things you want to buy.
You may want to make sure you’re signed up to mailing lists for any places you want to shop, and double-check your passwords for those retailers too.
Black Friday can feel overwhelming, with thousands of deals dropping at once. A little preparation goes a long way, which is why we’re encouraging people to make the most of ‘Prep Sunday’.
Spend a bit more time pulling together a list of what you need, setting a budget, comparing prices and checking where cashback is available. It makes the shopping experience less stressful and ensures you’re getting genuine value.
Adam Bullock
UK Director at TopCashback
What are Brits shopping for this Black Friday?
Black Friday is the ideal time to bag sought-after products from top brands at bargain prices.
Fashion, tech and home appliances are among Black Friday’s most popular shopping categories. Top products on many wishlists this year include Ninja air fryers, video games, Apple AirPods and New Balance trainers.
Check out this year’s top 10 most-wanted Black Friday buys:
1. Video games
2. Branded perfume/aftershave
3. Apple AirPods Pro 3
4. iPad Pro
5. Ninja air fryer
6. PS5
7. Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
8. New Balance trainers
9. PS5 Pro
10. PlayStation 5 Slim
The data showed that most shoppers care about more than just getting a discount, with 65% saying Black Friday matters because it allows them to make a saving on something they genuinely need.
Brits forecast to spend £3.9 billion over Black Friday weekend
If you've ever wondered whether Black Friday was losing momentum, TopCashback's latest projections suggest otherwise.
It’s predicted that Brits will spend more than £3.9 billion online over Black Friday weekend this year, including around £1.5 billion on Black Friday itself. This represents an anticipated 5% increase in online retail spend compared with 2024.
But we don’t all shop in the same way. The study found that Black Friday budget varies across generations:
£650 estimated spend for Millennials
£553 estimated spend for Gen Z
£321 estimated spend for Boomers
We’re expecting to see a peak shopping ‘Power Hour’ between 8pm and 9pm on Black Friday. For those shopping in the morning, browsing will spike between 11am and 1pm.
How to get prepared this Black Friday
While many of us will be shopping during the Black Friday sales, not all of us are using the many tricks at our disposal to get the best price.
The data showed that 23% hunt for coupon codes, 21% use price comparison tools, and 20% use cashback sites like TopCashback, but nearly a quarter (23%) aren’t taking advantage of simple tactics to boost their budgets.
Jordon Cox, aka The Coupon King, is here to help. Jordon says:
‘People assume the biggest Black Friday discounts are obvious, but the real savings come from doing a bit of prep.
‘A quick price comparison, checking for bonus cashback on TopCashback, and making use of things like price-promise refunds can make the difference between a good deal and a great one. It doesn’t take long, and it can save you a small fortune!’
As an expert on bagging bargains, he’s sharing his top tips for saving money during the Cyber Season.
💰Stack your savings
Black Friday is one of the few times you can combine multiple discounts to bring prices down even further. Look out for newsletter codes, retailer promotions and bonus cashback rates on sites like TopCashback. Stacking these together can shave £10s or even £100s off big-ticket buys.
🤞 Use price promises to your advantage
Many major retailers now offer price-promise guarantees, meaning if something you’ve bought drops further on Black Friday, you can claim back the difference. It’s still worth checking back on the day though - especially at places like Argos, AO and John Lewis, where competition can push prices even lower.
💻 Compare before you commit
The same product can vary widely in price across retailers, especially throughout November.
A quick click and compare of the products you’re after across a few stores helps ensure you’re actually getting the best deal.
And once you’ve found the lowest price, check whether you can earn cashback on top. If you know carving out some dedicated time will work best for you, use ‘Prep Sunday’ to compare before you commit.
🛍️ Avoid crowds and fees with Click & Collect
Don’t feel like you must go out to the shops on Black Friday - Click & Collect can be your best friend. Several retailers offer Click and Collect when shopping online, so if you still want to head to the high street but want to avoid delivery fees on smaller items - it’s a good option.
Your package is usually held for seven days too, so it can actually help you beat the crowds over the Black Friday weekend.
🎉Look out for bonus perks
If you’re buying something that is the same price everywhere - start to look around at the perks of buying from different retailers. For example, John Lewis offers a 2-year warranty on most electrical items - which is longer than the one year you’d find from most other retailers.
If you buy selected tech at Curry’s, you get three months free subscription to Apple Fitness, Apple Music and Apple Arcade. And of course, with stores such as Boots, you can collect loyalty points that can add up on bigger purchases.
🤔 If you’re not sure, stick to what you know
Quite often on Black Friday, you’ll see a lot of discounted products from brands you’ve never heard of. It’s important not to rush and try and shop like you would any other time of year - by taking steps such as checking the reviews beforehand for peace of mind, if you do see a cheap deal.
Ready, set… shop!
Here at TopCashback, we’ve been very busy finding the best deals and securing the top cashback rates for our members.
Expect to see elevated cashback rates across the whole Black Friday weekend, as we estimate our members will save around £4 million.