How to tell if a Black Friday deal is actually a deal

A big red percentage is the easiest thing in retail to print and one of the hardest to interpret. Whether a Black Friday price is genuinely good depends on what it is being compared with, how long that comparison price was actually charged, and whether the product itself is the one you think it is. Here is how we read an offer before we list it — and how you can check one yourself.

1. Find out what the discount is measured against

Every discount is a comparison between two prices. The current price is usually clear; the reference price is where things get slippery. Retailers use several kinds of reference price, and they are not interchangeable:

• List price — the price the retailer lists as its regular price for the item.
• Previous price — what the same retailer charged recently, before the sale.
• Manufacturer's suggested price (MSRP) — set by the brand. Many products rarely sell at MSRP, so discounts measured against it can look larger than the real saving.

On BlackFridaySales we only show a discount when the source feed supplies a reference price, and we label which kind it is. If a feed gives us only the current price, we show only the current price. We also round percentages down, never up.

2. Check the price history, not just today's price

The most useful question is not 'how much is it off?' but 'is this lower than it has been?'. A product that has sat at the same 'sale' price for two months is not a Black Friday deal, even if the tag says 40% off. Each deal page here records the prices we have seen from the source over time, so you can see whether today's number is new.

3. Confirm the exact model

Holiday sales often feature model numbers made for a specific retailer or a previous year's version of a popular product. These can be fine purchases, but they are not always the same product reviewers tested. Compare the full model number, storage or memory configuration, and included accessories against the version you researched.

4. Read the fine print on timing and stock

• Look for a stated end date. We only show 'ends' information when the retailer or feed supplies one — we never invent countdown timers.
• Check whether the price requires membership, a store card, in-store pickup or a specific payment method.
• Prices can change after we last checked. Every deal shows when it was last confirmed; the retailer's checkout price is the one that counts.

5. Decide what the item is worth to you first

The simplest protection against a misleading discount is a number you set before the sales start. Write down the handful of things you actually need and what you would happily pay for each. When an offer beats your number, it is a deal for you, whatever the tag says.