In a post on his Money Saving Expert website, they discovered that the best bargains last year were actually on Black Friday.
“If you’re hoping to bag a bargain on Christmas presents, you might be better off buying on Black Friday rather than waiting for last-minute pre-Christmas sales,” said the post.
“It comes as new MoneySavingExpert.com research reveals that over two-thirds of 50 popular items were cheaper on Black Friday in 2023 compared to in the lead-up to Christmas.”
There are three traditional discount periods at this time of year:
Black Friday, November 28
“This is where we tend to see the strongest offers of the year, including blanket discounts, site-wide codes and ‘up to’ sales off ‘everything’,” the post said, and remember – many deals start early.
Pre-Christmas sales – typically referred to as ‘Boxing Day sales’.
These tend to begin just before Christmas, which is handy if you’ve last-minute shopping to do.
January sales
“The post added: “It’s very difficult to compare these as they tend to be retailers shifting surplus stock, rather than store-wide discounts. There can be deeper discounts offered here as the demand for Christmas presents is gone.”
Which sales are best for returning unwanted items?
It’s how, not when, you buy your gifts that makes a difference. Smart shoppers may want to buy online, not instore, for better return rights.
On a previous show, he explained: “You have no legal return rights for goods bought in-store unless they’re faulty. So the shop may have its own policy, it may publish its return rights in which case it’s a contractual right – but your statutory rights, your in law rights, means you can’t take it back.”
But, he’s previously highlighted that many brands are not giving customers their consumer rights to return items bought online – to the point where he has had to report them to Trading Standards.
Talking about online sales – apart from perishable or personalised orders, where the rules differ – he says: “you have an absolute right to change your mind, and you have 14 days after delivery.
“Important, it’s after delivery, not after order, in which to tell them you’re sending an item back, and 14 days after the point at which you’ve told them to actually send it back, which means maximum of 28 days.
30 retailers including Selfridges, New Look and The Range are publishing misleading (worse) return rights information on their websites than you legally have. Find which stores to be careful of, and what your rights are.
For the full list of stores go to https://t.co/OmtOhdU5Hs … pic.twitter.com/shnOBQjD2y
— Martin Lewis (@MartinSLewis) July 7, 2025
“Now, as an aside, if you buy something in store, you have no of return, and there’ll be people with jaws dropping over that you have no right to return items bought in store.
Recommended reading:
“Some stores will allow it as part of their returns policy, and if they publish that returns policy, it’s part of the contract, but you can’t take back goods bought in store unless they’re faulty.”
He continues: “What they’re putting on their websites are the their return rights, right if you’re buying something in store, but it doesn’t apply if it’s faulty.
“For full price items and within 14 days for sale reduced items from the date of dispatch,” he corrects. “Online, by law, you’ve got 14 days to notify them and a further 14 days to send it back.”
