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| Black Friday sales surge ahead of new year price hikes | Black Friday sales surge ahead of new year price hikes |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| UK shoppers have rushed to buy Black Friday bargains, as estimates suggest sales are on course to beat last year. | |
| Barclaycard said it had seen a record number of transactions, while Argos, John Lewis and Currys PC World reported a surge in orders. | |
| Sales are likely to top £2bn, analysts say, as people hunt for discounts ahead of an expected rise in prices in 2017. | |
| Meanwhile, in the US, where it all started, retailers are expecting 137 million shoppers over the whole period. | |
| The boss of department store Macy's said it had seen a strong start to the sales, although its website later suffered glitches. | |
| Black Friday live updates | Black Friday live updates |
| Black Friday: Top tips to spot a bargain | Black Friday: Top tips to spot a bargain |
| Google aims to tackle Black Friday crush | Google aims to tackle Black Friday crush |
| Is Black Friday still a big deal? | Is Black Friday still a big deal? |
| Black Friday backlash getting bigger | Black Friday backlash getting bigger |
| Online v High Street | Online v High Street |
| Payment transactions were 6% higher than last year's Black Friday, according to Barclaycard, which processes nearly half of the credit and debit card transactions in the UK. | |
| Total spending was £2.9bn, although that also includes non-Black Friday specific purchases, a spokesperson said. The firm processes payments for customers of Barclaycard, Barclays and several major retailers. | |
| The Nationwide Building Society said that by late afternoon purchases by its customers were up 13% on a year ago. | |
| It said spending was about 39% higher than a normal Friday, while the discount retailing site TopCashback reported a 43% increase in spending over last year. | |
| Black Friday sales last year were about £1.9bn in the UK, but retailers are now stretching the one-day shopping extravaganza over several days. | Black Friday sales last year were about £1.9bn in the UK, but retailers are now stretching the one-day shopping extravaganza over several days. |
| Amazon and some supermarkets started their sales up to 10 days ago. | Amazon and some supermarkets started their sales up to 10 days ago. |
| While more than £2bn is expected to be spent in the UK on Friday alone, the total for the following four days is forecast to rise to more than £4bn once the weekend and Cyber-Monday - an online-only event - are included. | |
| Experts say that the shopping cycle has changed in recent years, with Christmas consumer spending stretching for many weeks. | Experts say that the shopping cycle has changed in recent years, with Christmas consumer spending stretching for many weeks. |
| "The Black Friday promotions at the end of November are the start of a longer, more drawn-out peak season, which begins with most of the activity online and then moves in-store as we get closer and closer to Christmas day," said Richard Jenkins, data analyst at credit reference agency Experian. | |
| Increasingly, Black Friday too is becoming an internet bonanza. According to the online retailing association IMRG, well over half the spend on Black Friday will be done online. | Increasingly, Black Friday too is becoming an internet bonanza. According to the online retailing association IMRG, well over half the spend on Black Friday will be done online. |
| Are you heading to the shops for Black Friday? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experiences. | Are you heading to the shops for Black Friday? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experiences. |
| Warnings have been issued to shoppers over the dangers of getting carried along by Black Friday marketing. | Warnings have been issued to shoppers over the dangers of getting carried along by Black Friday marketing. |
| "The key is to make sure you only buy items you were looking for anyway, and not because you fall for the marketing hype," said Gary Caffell, from Moneysavingexpert. | "The key is to make sure you only buy items you were looking for anyway, and not because you fall for the marketing hype," said Gary Caffell, from Moneysavingexpert. |
| "There are some great deals out there but make sure you do your own price comparisons, as prices can fluctuate wildly from store to store - don't just take a retailer's word for it that something is a bargain." | "There are some great deals out there but make sure you do your own price comparisons, as prices can fluctuate wildly from store to store - don't just take a retailer's word for it that something is a bargain." |
| He pointed to cut-price vacuum cleaners, which can already be bought cheaper online. | He pointed to cut-price vacuum cleaners, which can already be bought cheaper online. |
| Andy Webb, of the Money Advice Service, said: "A third of people felt pressure to spend more than they could afford during the whole of Christmas. That leads into debt. | Andy Webb, of the Money Advice Service, said: "A third of people felt pressure to spend more than they could afford during the whole of Christmas. That leads into debt. |
| "The question you have to ask is: 'Can you afford it?' We know a lot of these things are at the same price or cheaper throughout the year. Black Friday is not the biggest sale that is going." | "The question you have to ask is: 'Can you afford it?' We know a lot of these things are at the same price or cheaper throughout the year. Black Friday is not the biggest sale that is going." |
| For some, this can have a serious impact on their wellbeing. | For some, this can have a serious impact on their wellbeing. |
| "Short-term discounts encourage consumers to purchase immediately, rather than reflecting on whether you really need to buy a product and if you can afford it," said Katie Evans, head of research and policy at the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute. | "Short-term discounts encourage consumers to purchase immediately, rather than reflecting on whether you really need to buy a product and if you can afford it," said Katie Evans, head of research and policy at the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute. |
| "This can be particularly difficult for people experiencing mental health problems, who sometimes find it harder to resist impulses and might find that shopping makes them feel better, at least for a short while." | "This can be particularly difficult for people experiencing mental health problems, who sometimes find it harder to resist impulses and might find that shopping makes them feel better, at least for a short while." |
| The institute is calling for new rules to allow people to opt out of email marketing or to set a daily spending limit in online shops. | The institute is calling for new rules to allow people to opt out of email marketing or to set a daily spending limit in online shops. |
| Prices to rise? | Prices to rise? |
| In the US, stores like Macy's, Walmart, and Target opened on Thursday evening to start the sales bonanza early. | In the US, stores like Macy's, Walmart, and Target opened on Thursday evening to start the sales bonanza early. |
| "I was here at the front door and there were 16,000 people that came through these doors," Terry Lundgren, chairman and chief executive of Macy's, told the BBC. "They never stopped, the flow of traffic came from all three sides." | "I was here at the front door and there were 16,000 people that came through these doors," Terry Lundgren, chairman and chief executive of Macy's, told the BBC. "They never stopped, the flow of traffic came from all three sides." |
| But he said the firm has seen a big drop-off in UK shoppers since the fall in the value of the pound after the EU referendum in June. | But he said the firm has seen a big drop-off in UK shoppers since the fall in the value of the pound after the EU referendum in June. |
| Looking ahead, the cost of imported items in the UK are forecast to rise, as the weaker pound finally feeds through into retail prices. | Looking ahead, the cost of imported items in the UK are forecast to rise, as the weaker pound finally feeds through into retail prices. |
| AO World chief executive John Roberts said: "Obviously, with the Brexit currency movements, prices are going to go up in the first quarter of next year. The vast majority of all Black Friday offers were negotiated and in place before [the] Brexit [vote]." | AO World chief executive John Roberts said: "Obviously, with the Brexit currency movements, prices are going to go up in the first quarter of next year. The vast majority of all Black Friday offers were negotiated and in place before [the] Brexit [vote]." |
| Argos boss John Rogers said he "can't rule out price increases" next year because of the falling pound. | Argos boss John Rogers said he "can't rule out price increases" next year because of the falling pound. |
| Fashion retailer Next said that it had managed its currency exposure so that it could keep prices down until January: "Although it is very early in the buying cycle, we currently estimate that cost prices in 2017/18 will rise by less than 5% on like-for-like products." | Fashion retailer Next said that it had managed its currency exposure so that it could keep prices down until January: "Although it is very early in the buying cycle, we currently estimate that cost prices in 2017/18 will rise by less than 5% on like-for-like products." |
| Consultancy group PwC estimated that one-in-four UK adults in the country will spend on average £203 this Black Friday. | Consultancy group PwC estimated that one-in-four UK adults in the country will spend on average £203 this Black Friday. |
| Black Friday 'questionable' | Black Friday 'questionable' |
| Even so, Paul Martin, KPMG's UK Head of Retail, said: "For retailers, it has always been questionable whether Black Friday really benefits them in the long-run, and in the current environment of rising costs and squeezed margins - perhaps it's even more so." | Even so, Paul Martin, KPMG's UK Head of Retail, said: "For retailers, it has always been questionable whether Black Friday really benefits them in the long-run, and in the current environment of rising costs and squeezed margins - perhaps it's even more so." |
| Asda opted out of Black Friday in 2015 and again this year following chaotic scenes among bargain-crazed customers in 2014. Next, Ikea and fashion chain Jigsaw have also declared themselves Black Friday refuseniks. | Asda opted out of Black Friday in 2015 and again this year following chaotic scenes among bargain-crazed customers in 2014. Next, Ikea and fashion chain Jigsaw have also declared themselves Black Friday refuseniks. |
| Deception | Deception |
| Jigsaw chief executive , Peter Ruis, called it "a complete and utter deception". He said: "In fashion, over 50% to 60% of Black Friday purchases are returned. It stays in the supply chain two or three weeks, churns around and everyone's lost the chance to sell it, and it just goes straight into the sale at 50% to 60% off. | Jigsaw chief executive , Peter Ruis, called it "a complete and utter deception". He said: "In fashion, over 50% to 60% of Black Friday purchases are returned. It stays in the supply chain two or three weeks, churns around and everyone's lost the chance to sell it, and it just goes straight into the sale at 50% to 60% off. |
| "It is a double whammy: loss of profit, loss of margin, and that product just sitting around in supply chains," he said. | "It is a double whammy: loss of profit, loss of margin, and that product just sitting around in supply chains," he said. |
| Andy Mulcahy, editor at IMRG, said it can work for companies to stay out of the discounting "if they play it well". He said: "Not everybody likes Black Friday. Some people absolutely hate it." | |
| Are you heading to the shops for Black Friday? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experiences. | Are you heading to the shops for Black Friday? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experiences. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |