What: Which? research reveals 92% of Black Friday deals were cheaper or identically priced at other times of the year, exposing widespread misleading pricing practices among major UK retailers.

Why it is important: As retailers invest heavily in AI-powered pricing systems and consumers embrace technology for price comparison, this investigation underscores the urgent need for more honest and transparent promotional practices in the retail sector.

Which? has uncovered significant concerns about Black Friday pricing practices among major retailers. Their investigation of 227 products during last year's Black Friday fortnight revealed that 92% of deals from eight prominent home and tech retailers were available at the same price or cheaper at other times. The research particularly scrutinised the credibility of "was" prices used to demonstrate supposed savings, finding that in 60% of cases, the higher price was in place less than half the time during the previous year. Most concerning were 14 instances where the higher reference price had never been charged by the retailer in the preceding 12 months. Specific examples included a Remington hair dryer at Boots advertised with a 62% discount from a price never actually charged, and a Garmin smartwatch at John Lewis with an inflated reference price. The investigation marks the first time that every analysed deal was available for the same price or less at other times, with approximately 40% being cheaper outside the Black Friday period.

IADS Notes: The Which? investigation into Black Friday pricing practices comes at a crucial time when retailers are fundamentally transforming their promotional strategies. As revealed in November 2024, John Lewis's successful implementation of AI-powered price matching represents a shift toward more transparent and technology-driven pricing approaches. This contrasts sharply with the misleading practices exposed by Which?, where 92% of deals were available at the same price or cheaper at other times. The retail industry's increasing adoption of AI-driven pricing strategies, as reported in October 2024 , suggests a move away from traditional blanket discounts toward more sophisticated, data-driven promotional approaches. This evolution is particularly significant as consumers themselves become more tech-savvy, with BCG's November 2024 research showing 38% of shoppers now using AI tools to verify deals . This changing dynamic, combined with the previous year's global average discount rate of 27% , indicates that retailers must balance competitive pricing with transparent practices to maintain consumer trust and market position.

Nine in 10 Black Friday ‘deals’ cheaper or same price at other times of the year