Cyber Monday - live: Online sales continue at brands including Amazon, eBay and Boots
Huge discounts are still on offer following Black Friday
Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more
Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more
Following the shopping frenzy of Black Friday, the discounts continue on Cyber Monday with retailers reducing prices on everything from headphones to gaming consoles.
What originally began in 2005 as a marketing tactic in the US has quickly become an international phenomenon, with consumers rushing to their computers and smartphones so that they can sweep up the best online deals.
The discounts won't last for very long, so make sure that you keep an eye on your favourite online retailers so that you don't miss out on any exciting offers.
Follow all the latest news on deals and bargains with our live blog below.
Black Friday 2018 – in pictures
Show all 20International Buy Nothing Day: the anti-Black Friday
Black Friday is all about finding the best deals and acquiring more products, so it's no surprise that the annual bargain hunting day is not favoured by anti-consumerist protestors, who have been taking part in International Buy Nothing Day since 1992.
Held as an anti-Black Friday protest on the same day, the campaign aims to pick apart the materialism that defines the Christmas shopping season by encouraging people to buy nothing for an entire day.
It was invented by a Canadian artist named Ted Dave and was soon picked up by a left-wing Vancouver-based magazine, Adbusters, before becoming popular in North America and the rest of the world as “a day for society to examine the issue of overconsumption” and the problems associated with consumer choices, not least the environmental impact of manufacturing.
But the day has garnered criticism, with people arguing that it ultimately achieves nothing and is somewhat futile.
Campaigns like Shift Your Shopping have been proposed as more practical alternatives, guiding consumers towards more ethical choices on the high street.
Shoppers scramble to get the best deals as websites crash and queues get out of hand
Black Friday is no stranger to chaos, with people lining up outside shops as early as 5am in order to ensure they get the best deals.
But some people have been disappointed to find that by the time they get into stores, the deals they wanted had already sold out.
On Thursday evening, there was already a long queue forming outside Amazon UK's popup Black Friday store, where the online retailer is offering major discounts across its product ranges .
You might think skipping the queues and choosing to make your purchases online is a better alternative, but websites have been crashing too, with GAME's site going down at 6pm on Thursday as more than 200,000 people tried to get their hands on the tech retailer's latest deals.
See our handy guide to all the best Black Friday deals here, where we'll be posting regular updates detailing which retailers are offering what on everything from furniture and laptops to smartphones and consoles.
See the latest deals from Apple
Apple products are some of the most popular on Black Friday, with shoppers keen to take advantage of special deals and discounts on items such as iPhones, Macs and Apples watches, all of which are normally very expensive.
But despite rumours that the tech retailer would be offering major deals on its products for the first time, it transpires that the "four day shopping event" it had advertised follows the usual format of what it has done in the past, which is to offer customers gift cards when they buy selected items.
If you buy an iPhone 8, for example, you will receive a £40 gift card to spend on other Apple products, likewise for purchases made on Macs, iPads and Apple Watches.
However, for those looking for more tantalising deals, there are plenty of discounts available on Apple products at other retailers, with John Lewis, Currys, Argos and Very all offering the company's most-coveted items at bargain prices.
Click here to see our guide to all the best Apple deals this Black Friday, which will be regularly updated throughout the day.
John Lewis & Partners reveal their best-selling items of Black Friday so far
Black Friday is the busiest day of the year for British retailers, and John Lewis was one of the many companies to get ahead of the game by starting its sales on Monday.
Now, it has published a list of statistics revealing how well its bargains have gone down thus far.
It seems that Apple are set for a big Black Friday, with the Apple Airpods (now £269, saving £100) and the Apple Watch series three (now £29, saving £60) named the two most searched-for products on John Lewis' website today.
(Pictured: John Lewis' distribution centre in Milton Keynes preparing for Black Friday.)
Other popular deals on the site include one of the Mulberry Bayswater bag, which is priced at £877.50 today, saving shoppers 35 per cent.
But it seems that John Lewis is struggling to keep up with its customer's demands, as the website appears to be down.
Naturally, shoppers are voicing their frustrations on Twitter.
Flying Christmas egg selfie drones and a twerking robot among the most bizarre Black Friday deals
Black Friday is well and truly underway, and while the majority of offers are on conventional products - dishwashers, laptops, mattresses etc. - there are some weird and wonderful items on offer this year.
For those looking for something extra quirky, why not pick up a drone? And not just any drone: a flying Christmas egg selfie drone. Yes, it turns out that such a thing exists - and it's been heavily discounted for Black Friday, now costing just $47.99, down from $70.
"The built-in LED lights enable to egg drone to glow like shiny stars at night," the item's product page states, while also boasting of a "headless mode".
If that doesn't quite tickle your pickle, you could invest in a twerking robot. Again, yes, that really is a thing.
"Some robots have very specific purposes," the product's description reads.
"Maybe they are made to help with surgery. Maybe they are made to play chess against grandmasters. Or maybe they are made to twerk. You may be asking yourself if science has gone too far with this one. We assure you that your mind will be at ease once you see it in action."
The Twerkbot9000, as it's named, has been reduced from $24.99 to $14.99, offering shoppers all the kooky fun of a twerking robot for a fraction of the price - what a bargain.
Click here to see our roundup for all the best deals (on slightly less niche products) happening this Black Friday, featuring hand-picked bargains and advice on how to get the most out of the UK's biggest shopping day.
Black Friday chaos: shoppers scramble over one another during sale in Sao Paulo, Brazil
People go to great lengths to get their hands on a bargain.
This is most evident on Black Friday, the global shopping day that sees retailers slashing prices by substantial amounts in the run-up to Christmas on a whole host of goods, from electronics to home furnishings.
But the excitement was all too much for some people in Sao Paulo, Brazil, with one woman taking a hit in the face from a large TV as she fought her way through the crowds.
Thankfully the crowds have been a little less manic across the pond in the UK, where the majority of people are making their purchases online, leaving high streets, such as the below one in Glasgow, which looks rather desolate.
See our roundup of the best deals this Black Friday here.
Shoppers stress over John Lewis website crash
It appears that the John Lewis website has gone down, with customers complaining on Twitter that they've been unable to access the retailer's Black Friday deals, which include a variety of offers on everything from TVs to smartphones.
"Sorry about the wait, please try again soon," a message on the site reads.
"It's our Black Friday event so we're busier than usual," an explanation continues. It gives people an easy way to refresh the page and reminds them that John Lewis's offers are available in its shops, too.
But shoppers aren't having any of it, expressing outrage at the retailer's technical glitch.
Empty high streets across the UK as Black Friday shoppers make their purchases online
The UK is set to spend £2.5bn this Black Friday, but it seems the most people are taking their shopping online, as photographs emerge of desolate high streets across the UK.
In Glasgow City Centre, it looked like the day was unfolding as normal, devoid of the long queues that had been predicted (SWNS).
Perhaps shoppers were put off by the freezing conditions (SWNS).
One New Look store in the Scottish city looked completely deserted (SWNS).
Luxury home furnishings: pick up a new bed from £179
Black Friday is one of the best times to invest in some new items for your home, with great deals on everything from beds and duvets to sofas and wall hangings.
If you’re buying a large piece of furniture, check sales return policies before getting too carried away. And do measure your space, if you can.
Here are some of the best deals on offer so far:
Lavender 3000 Pocket Sprung Memory Foam Mattress – was £334.99, now £184.99, Happy Beds
Duck Down Duvet – was £95, now £76 at Feather and Black.
Handwoven Pankha Rug – was £168, now £67.16 at Anthropologie
Amelia Wardrobe – was £845, now £422 at Feather and Black.
Sprint Bed – was £229, now £179 at Made.
Click here to see our full list of the best Black Friday deals on furniture.
How to survive Black Friday without spending every last penny to your name
Black Friday has begun, cue thousands of shoppers scrambling to get the best deals possible.
With some of the biggest retailers offering substantial discounts, it's all too easy to get swept up in the seduction of it all and splash out, leaving you with very few pennies to your name.
If you want to join in the fun but you're worried about the state of your wallet, fear not, we've rounded up some tips from James Walker, founder of consumer help website Resolver.
Click here to see his top tips, which include drawing up a masterplan and checking delivery charges ahead of time.
See our roundup of the best Black Friday deals here.
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