The American shopping phenomenon is well and truly part of the French retail calendar

Black Friday, a pre-Christmas shopping event of US origin, is now becoming more popular worldwide, including in France. Here is how it works, and how to get the best bargains.

What is Black Friday?

The term ‘Black Friday’ first originated in the US state of Philadelphia in the 1960s, when police used it to describe the chaos created by crowds and traffic jams the day after the US festival of Thanksgiving, which is always held on the fourth Thursday of November. 

Now, Black Friday is associated with major shopping bargains, which technically start the day after Thanksgiving – although many retailers do not adhere strictly to this date, particularly as increased numbers of international stores and online giants join the event.

This year, Thanksgiving is on Thursday, November 28, meaning that the official ‘Black Friday’ begins on Friday, November 29.

Discounts can reach up to 80% across all types of items, including fashion, sports goods, electronics, and homeware.

Similarly, early November is also associated with another increasingly-popular shopping event: Singles Day (also called Double 11). Originally from China, this is sometimes known as the “Asian Black Friday”, with retailers offering major discounts here too. 

There is also Cyber Monday, which takes place the Monday after Black Friday, and began as a separate sale for online retailers and high-tech gadgets. 

When is Black Friday in France?

Some offers have already started to appear, ahead of what is now increasingly being called ‘Black Week’, starting on November 22, the week of Thanksgiving. 

Black Friday itself is the same date in France as in the US, which this year is November 29.

Cyber Monday will take place on December 2. 

Which retailers are taking part in Black Friday 2024?

International online retail giants are among those to be taking part most obviously in the event. These include: 

• Amazon, Cdiscount, Rakuten, Manomano, Sephora

Other international brands offering major deals include:

Among French retailers, those taking part include: 

There is even a website dedicated to Black Friday in France, BlackFridayFrance.fr. Visitors can sign up for updates from French stores on their Black Friday deals and offers. 

The website aims to provide a list of major stores and brands in France that are offering deals over the Black Friday period. 

It also enables you to search by category of item to search for the best offers. The site states that the majority of offers in France discount to a maximum of 50 – 60%.

How to get the best out of Black Friday and Cyber Monday

BlackFridayFrance.fr has some tips for shoppers to maximise their Black Friday experience:

• Decide what you want to buy beforehand. This will avoid impulse buys and purchases of things you do not really want or need.
• Do some research before the event. Find out the normal prices of your intended items so you can recognise a good discount.
• Consider a loyalty card. Some shops have loyalty cards that help you maximise savings even more. For example Fnac offers cashback on your loyalty account for every €100 you spend, even on offers and deals.
• Add products to your basket before the event. This will enable you to log on and quickly take advantage of deals, so you can purchase before the item inevitably sells out.
• Sign up for email alerts. The website suggests that signing up to its alerts could mean you will receive information on good deals ahead of time so you are prepared.