JUST one in seven Black Friday offers represents a genuine discount, Which? research suggests.
It means shoppers should ignore the hype and look carefully to see whether they are really getting a bargain, the consumer group says.
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Which analysed 214 offers from seven of the biggest retailers in last year’s Black Friday.
It found 183 — 86 per cent — were cheaper or the same price at some point in the six months before the promotion.
All but five of the 214 were cheaper or the same price at some point in the year.
None was cheaper on Black Friday alone.
Reena Sewraz, Which? Retail editor, said: “Finding a good deal on Black Friday is like looking for a needle in a haystack. It’s rarely the cheapest time to shop.”
Which? ranked Amazon and Very as worst retailers, with more than 70 per cent of their products cheaper at other times of the year.
Amazon said it promoted through the year to match competitors. Very did not comment.
The group also found John Lewis had sold a Bosch fridge for £869 during Black Friday that dropped in price by £20 a week later and stayed at the lower price until February 23 this year.
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A spokesperson said the deal related to its price match pledge.
Black Friday has been stretched from a one-day shopping frenzy to an almost month-long discounting event with shoppers set to spend £22.62billion this year, according to VoucherCodes.
