A new Which? investigation looked at prices six months before to six months after Black Friday 2017. It tracked the prices of 94 popular products, including TVs, cameras and fitness trackers from leading retailers, including Currys PC World, Amazon, John Lewis and Argos. An overwhelming majority (87%) of products were cheaper at other times of the year.

Which? said its research brought into question the true value of Black Friday. Shoppers should do their homework and not feel pressured into buying.

The investigation found almost half (46%) of products on offer were sold for less in the six months following Black Friday (Dec 2017 to May 2018). When looking at the two-week period surrounding Black Friday, Which? found that three-quarters (76%) of products were cheaper or the same price at other times in the year, and 74% could be picked up for the same price or less in the six months after.

It gave the example of an LG TV (60UJ630V, 60” 4K). This was advertised at £799 by Amazon on Black Friday. It was £50 cheaper on at least 62 occasions after Black Friday and dropped a further £150 for at least four days at the end of December and beginning of January.

The Sony Cybershot HX60B Superzoom compact camera was advertised as £189 (save £10) on Black Friday by Currys PC World, but was at least £10 cheaper 27 times in June and July 2017. It was also cheaper by £10 or more at least 43 times in the six months following Black Friday (including 33 days in December and January).

The 49” LG 49SJ810V TV was £599 on Black Friday from Currys PC World, but it was £20 cheaper from the end of December to mid-January, and again in April.

Alex Neill, Which? managing director of home products and services, said: “The results of our investigation will disappoint many who are expecting nothing but bargains this Black Friday. While retailers are bombarding us with promises of great discounts and time-limited sales, it’s clear that not all deals are as good as they might appear. To bag a bargain, do your research and don’t get carried away by the hype when shopping in the upcoming sales.”

There are now a number of price tracking websites that can show whether a product has hit its lowest price. Keepa tracks prices on Amazon. Price Spy has a full list of Black Friday deals on certain products and shows the best prices across different websites.

Which? said shoppers should make sure they know the sorts of products they want to buy and how much they are prepared to spend before starting shopping. It suggested finding out about offers in advance by signing up to favoured retailers’ newsletters for inside tips. Finally, it is worth comparing prices on previous days

* (Fear Of Missing Out)