Black Friday Sales

BLACK FRIDAY IN AUSTRALIA

The biggest, but most controversial sale event of the year is here – Black Friday Weekend! Black Friday marks the official start of the Christmas shopping season. It's an event filled with dazzling discounts and deals to be had.

You can bag some of the best deals around if you've done your research, so I've prepared the 411 on Black Friday. What exactly is it, and how can you save some serious dollars heading into the silly season?

If you've heard of Black Friday but are still a little murky on what it all means, you're not alone because it's still a new concept to Australia. This phenomenon, also known as Cyber Weekend, originated in the US over half a century ago and finally filtered down to Aussie shores back in 2011. This weekend of sales kicks off the day after Thanksgiving in the US, where eager shoppers line up from some unearthly hour of the morning, ready to hit their credit card limits (at least they're saving money, right!?).

When I refer to a controversial history I mean discounts have been so good that things have turned ugly. Big, American malls have seen brawls, arrests, and even deaths on Black Friday itself. So much for the festive spirit! Thankfully, Black Friday has become safer over time, and now a large portion of shoppers choose to simply shop online.

That's where Saturday, Sunday and Monday come in. We couldn't call it Black Friday Weekend if it was just one day, of course! Some stores extend their sales over the weekend, giving those who are too bloated from Thanksgiving dinner to move a chance to grab their bargains.

If you're an online shopping maven, the real fun starts on Cyber Monday. A public holiday across the US, this is the day to pick up insane deals online, on goods that range from clothing and beauty through to big-ticket electricals. When Apple gets in on the deal, you know it's gotta be good!

When Is It?

You know that Black Friday Weekend starts the day after Thanksgiving, but for all of us Aussies…when is that, exactly?! Black Friday 2017 begins on Friday November 24, and runs through to Monday November 27. Some sites may offer one day only deals, but others have discounts that span the entirety of the four days.

Who Participates?

Although it's still a growing event in Australia, we've seen amazing uptake, even in the past year or two. The line-up last year consisted of online beauty stores, clothing boutiques, furniture and homeware retailers, big electrical brands and many more. At RY.com.au we've got several discounts for online shoppers, from saving up to $85 on Ghd, to saving 40% on Dermalogica.

I think this year's Black Friday sales in Australia will be bigger and better than ever! Good luck bargain hunting to all the savvy shoppers out there, and be sure to check out your favourite brands and see what they're offering come Friday.