Everyone waits for Black Friday, what's the underrated shopping event nobody talks about?

[CyberWarden]

Black Friday dominates the shopping calendar conversation completely, but there are genuinely underrated shopping windows throughout the year that rarely get the same attention despite offering comparable or even better deals on specific categories. Manufacturer clearance events, end of model year sales, and even certain slower retail months can genuinely surprise you if you're actually paying attention. Curious what underrated shopping event people think deserves way more recognition

Doesn't need to be a huge nationally recognized event, just genuinely underrated relative to the deals it actually delivers. Share yours below along with what category it's actually best for

What's actually surprised you as a genuinely good but underrated time to buy something specific. Genuinely curious what's flying under the radar here

[RVD17]

End of model year clearance sales for laptops and electronics specifically deserve way more attention, since manufacturers need to clear inventory before the next generation launches regardless of what time of year it happens to be. Timing depends on the specific product category rather than any fixed calendar date. Genuinely underrated compared to how much attention Black Friday gets for similar or better savings

[MJF02]

January post holiday clearance genuinely surprises people every year, since retailers desperately need to clear out unsold holiday inventory at genuinely steep discounts right after the actual holiday rush ends. Feels counterintuitive to shop right after the big holiday season but the deals are honestly comparable to Black Friday itself. Underrated purely because nobody's thinking about shopping that specific week

[DarkMatter55]

Back to school sales in late summer genuinely deserve more credit for electronics and computer deals specifically, since retailers compete hard for that specific back to school shopping season in ways that rival the more famous holiday shopping events. Different target audience than Black Friday but genuinely comparable pricing on relevant categories. Underrated purely because it's not framed as a major shopping holiday the way Black Friday is

[AlphaOscar89]

Off season sales for seasonal items specifically, buying winter gear in spring or summer gear in fall, consistently deliver genuinely steeper discounts than any single named shopping event.

Requires planning ahead for a future season rather than immediate need though. Worth the patience for the genuinely better savings if your timing allows for it

[Glacier53]

Manufacturer direct sales events, bypassing retailers entirely, genuinely deserve more attention too, since companies sometimes offer better pricing directly than what shows up through any third party retailer during a major named sale event. Requires actually checking manufacturer websites directly rather than just waiting for retailer promotions. Underrated purely because it takes more active effort to actually find these specific deals

[Current]

Easter is one of those weird shopping windows where the promotions are everywhere but nobody treats it as a major bargain season. There are often decent discounts on homeware, garden equipment, clothing and seasonal food around then.

The garden category is particularly interesting. Retailers want people thinking about outdoor products as soon as the weather improves, so patio furniture, tools, barbecues and gardening equipment can get promotional treatment before summer properly arrives.

The obvious counterargument is that you may get better prices at the end of summer when retailers want to clear the remaining stock. That is absolutely possible. The trade-off is availability.

If you want a specific garden set in a particular size, buying during an early-season promotion can make more sense than waiting for the ultimate clearance and discovering the last remaining item is a pink inflatable flamingo.

Seasonality is really the theme here. The best event depends on whether you value maximum discount or maximum choice. Those are often completely different shopping strategies.

[Saka31]

The common thread through most of these suggestions seems to be that the best shopping event depends on the product's own cycle. Black Friday is convenient because everything gets shoved into one giant window, but it is not necessarily the natural discount point for every category.

Garden equipment follows weather and seasons. Electronics follow product refreshes. Clothing follows collections. Office furniture follows business cycles. Food follows expiry and seasonal demand. Travel follows occupancy and capacity.

Once you understand that cycle, you can stop waiting for the same four days every year. A £1,000 appliance does not know it is Black Friday; the retailer's stock levels and supplier agreements matter far more.

That does require a little more research, but price trackers make it easier. Even a basic record of what something normally costs can prevent you from being hypnotised by a fake crossed-out price.

So I would not abandon Black Friday, but I would demote it from "the shopping event" to "one shopping event among many." The genuinely good bargain is usually hiding somewhere less exciting.

[Metropolis65]

September clearance is a strange one because people associate it with summer ending, but it can be excellent for outdoor equipment. Camping gear, garden furniture, seasonal clothing and some travel products can start dropping before the calendar has fully moved into autumn.

For camping equipment in particular, the end of the season can be a sweet spot. Retailers would rather sell tents and sleeping bags than store them for another year, while customers who are willing to plan ahead get lower prices.

The obvious risk is buying something you will not use for another twelve months and then forgetting where you put it. My garage contains evidence that this is not a theoretical concern.

There is also a difference between end-of-season clearance and old stock that is simply being dumped. Check specifications, warranties and model years, especially with technical equipment.

Still, if you know what you will need next summer, September is worth watching. Buying tomorrow's hobby equipment today can save money, provided tomorrow's hobby actually happens.

[Cole99]

For travel, January and early February can be surprisingly interesting depending on the destination. Airlines and hotels do promotions when demand is quieter, although the quality of the deals varies enormously

The trick is not to assume that a January sale automatically means the cheapest possible holiday. Travel pricing is dynamic, so a discount against an inflated comparison price is not necessarily a bargain

Flexible dates are much more powerful. Moving a trip by a couple of days can sometimes save far more than a promotional code. The same goes for flying from an alternative airport or choosing a nearby hotel

That makes travel a different kind of shopping event. You are not really waiting for a single sale day; you are waiting for the combination of low demand, suitable dates and a price that passes your own threshold

And if you find that combination, book before you start reading another hundred forum posts telling you that someone once paid £14 less. There is always another bargain haunting the internet

[Nomad22]

For groceries, the underrated event is probably the quiet week after a major holiday. Supermarkets have to clear seasonal stock, and some of the discounts can be ridiculous compared with normal pricing

Christmas is the obvious example, but the same principle applies around Easter and other seasonal ranges. Chocolate, baking ingredients, decorations and gift products can tumble in price because nobody wants a warehouse full of them after the event

The important distinction is between things that keep and things that do not. Buying ten reduced cakes because they are 80% off is not automatically a saving unless you actually intend to eat ten cakes

Non-food seasonal products can be especially good because they last. Wrapping paper, cards, decorations and some household goods can be bought for the following year at a fraction of the original price

It is basically the shopping equivalent of buying a Christmas jumper in January for next December. Your future self gets a bargain while your present self gets storage problems

[DestinyShip]

The end-of-financial-year sales are an interesting one, particularly for business equipment and office furniture. Companies want to clear stock, and retailers know there are buyers trying to get purchases completed before budgets reset

That can create some odd bargains. Desks, monitors, office chairs, storage and printers sometimes get bundled or reduced even though none of them are traditionally thought of as seasonal products

The same principle applies to business-to-consumer equipment. A retailer that has been supplying offices may have perfectly decent stock sitting around that suddenly needs moving. It is worth checking the less fashionable categories rather than just searching the homepage

Obviously, the phrase "end of financial year" means different things to different companies, so there is no single magic weekend. That is part of why it stays under the radar

For anyone setting up a home office, though, it is an event worth putting on the calendar. Your wallet may not thank you immediately, but your back might if you finally replace that awful chair

[CantComplain12]

Prime Day gets all the attention, but manufacturer anniversary sales can be much more interesting because the brand has a reason to discount its own products rather than simply matching every retailer around it

Some companies celebrate a launch anniversary, company milestone or seasonal campaign with direct discounts, bundles or extended warranties. The headline percentage may not look spectacular, but a bundle containing accessories you would have bought anyway can beat a larger-looking retailer discount

The other advantage is comparing like with like. If the manufacturer normally sells a product for £300 and drops it to £240, that is easier to evaluate than a retailer claiming a £500 item is now £249 when the thing has been £260 for half the year

Of course, direct sales are not automatically cheaper. Retailers sometimes have their own clearance stock or cashback arrangements, so checking a few prices is still worthwhile

Still, the manufacturer anniversary angle is a good shout. There are some surprisingly good little sales events hiding in company newsletters that never become major shopping-calendar spectacles

[Cass]

The humble bank-holiday weekend deserves a mention. Retailers love attaching promotions to long weekends because people have more time to shop, and the offers can cover everything from DIY to mattresses

What makes these events interesting is that they are frequent enough to be useful without having the same level of hype as Black Friday. You can sometimes find decent deals simply because a retailer wants to create a reason for people to visit during a quiet period

Mattresses are a classic example where I would be careful, though. A 50% discount does not mean much if the original price is artificially inflated or the model is constantly "on sale."

The same warning applies everywhere: track actual prices rather than trusting the percentage printed in enormous letters. A £200 item reduced to £150 is a £50 saving regardless of whether the sign says 25% off or "MEGA WEEKEND EVENT!!!"

Still, bank holidays can be useful if you already know what you need. Go in with a shortlist and a target price rather than allowing the red banners to make your shopping decisions for you

[Jaffa12]

Clearance after a range redesign is one of my favourites because the product can be completely fine while the retailer has decided it no longer fits the visual direction of the shop

Homeware is especially prone to this. A mug, lamp, bedding set or storage unit might be reduced because the store has changed its colour palette, not because the product is defective

That is where being flexible pays off. If you care about function more than having the latest style, you can sometimes pick up excellent stuff for very little

The same happens with clothing when a retailer changes its seasonal aesthetic. Suddenly last year's perfectly normal jumper is treated like an archaeological artefact

Fashion has the advantage of making this particularly funny. Apparently a navy jumper can be worth £80 in September, £30 in January and spiritually worthless by March, despite being exactly the same jumper

[Sheamus]

January clearance is the one I think gets overlooked because everyone has already mentally moved on from Christmas. Retailers are sitting on seasonal stock, gift sets, winter clothing and random lines that did not sell as expected, so the discounts can become much more aggressive than the Black Friday headline deals

The trick is that it is not necessarily the best time for everything. If you need a specific popular product, waiting until January can mean discovering that the cheap price is attached to the only colour nobody wanted

For clothes, though, it can be excellent. Coats, boots and knitwear can drop substantially once the weather has already turned cold. The funny bit is buying a winter coat in January because it is £40 instead of £100, then proudly wearing it for the next three years

Furniture clearance is another one worth watching around this period. Shops want warehouse space for spring ranges, and discontinued colours or previous-season designs can become surprisingly cheap

So I would nominate January clearance as the underrated event, with the enormous caveat that it rewards flexibility rather than people hunting for one exact item. If you can say "anything warm and useful will do," the bargains get much better.

[FirewallBadger]

For beauty products, post-Christmas gift-set clearance is ridiculously underrated. Gift sets often have packaging and combinations designed specifically for the holiday season, so once January arrives they can be discounted heavily even when the individual products remain popular

If you already know you like the brand, the bundles can be excellent value. Sometimes you get full-size products plus smaller extras for less than buying the main product individually

The trap is buying skincare or cosmetics purely because the discount looks huge. If the products do not suit you, 70% off is still money spent on something that will sit in a bathroom drawer

Another good moment is when a brand reformulates or changes packaging. The old packaging can be discounted even though the underlying product is still perfectly usable

That is one of the few areas where keeping an eye on packaging changes can genuinely pay off. Just do not confuse a new bottle with a new product and assume the old one is suddenly rubbish

[LAKnight]

I would nominate the quiet period between Christmas and New Year. Everyone is exhausted, which probably explains why retailers can sneak some interesting discounts under the radar while most of us are eating leftover potatoes

Electronics and homeware can be particularly interesting because some people have just received gift cards or Christmas money and retailers want to capture that spending

There is also less urgency than Black Friday. You are not necessarily being told that the price disappears in six hours while a countdown timer screams at you. That makes it easier to compare prices and decide whether the deal is actually useful

The problem is stock. If something was popular as a Christmas present, the remaining units can vanish quickly

So it is a good event for flexible shoppers, but not necessarily for anyone with a very specific shopping list. Sometimes the best bargain is simply the thing that is still there after everyone else has finished panic-buying

[CacheLayerWrench]

One event I like is the retailer's birthday or loyalty anniversary sale. They are usually much smaller than Black Friday but can produce genuinely odd combinations of discounts, especially if you are already signed up to the loyalty programme

The best part is that these offers sometimes stack with existing member pricing or points. That can turn a mediocre headline discount into a decent effective price

The downside is obvious: you need to know whether the loyalty price is actually special. Some retailers have trained customers to see a crossed-out number and assume a bargain without checking historical pricing

Still, there is value in monitoring a retailer you already buy from. If you know the normal price of a product, a sudden anniversary discount is much easier to recognise as genuine

The real underrated shopping skill may therefore be knowing your baseline prices. Once you have that, almost every shopping event becomes easier to judge

[ScarletDaemon]

Manufacturer direct sales deserve more attention, although there is a catch that sometimes gets missed. Direct does not automatically mean cheapest because manufacturers have to protect retailer relationships and their own pricing structures

Where it can become interesting is bundles, refurbished stock and discontinued models. A manufacturer may offer an official refurbished product with a warranty for substantially less than the current retail model

That can be particularly attractive for expensive equipment where you care more about function than having the newest box. Cameras, tools, laptops and appliances can all fall into this category

I would also check whether the direct offer includes extras that you would otherwise buy separately. A retailer offering £50 off might still lose to a manufacturer offering £20 off plus a useful accessory and free delivery

So yes, manufacturer sales are underrated, but I would treat them as another price point to compare rather than assuming the factory gate is automatically the cheapest door

[Octopus]

Back-to-school season deserves more credit than it gets. Everyone thinks it is just stationery and school uniforms, but the discounts spill into laptops, tablets, backpacks, printers, headphones and sometimes home-office equipment

The timing is useful because retailers know people are looking for technology in August and September, so there can be bundle offers that are more practical than a generic percentage discount. A laptop with a useful accessory included can be better value than £30 off the laptop alone

There is a catch with technology, though. The temptation is to buy something merely because the retailer says it is a student deal. A discount on an outdated model is still an outdated model

For families, the event can also be an excuse to replace several things at once. That is where the savings become noticeable. If you need a monitor, printer and headphones anyway, shopping during the same promotional window can add up

It is not glamorous, but there is something satisfying about buying a year's worth of boring practical equipment at once and then not thinking about it again

[Coastal Amy]

A weirdly good category is replacement parts. Everyone searches for discounts on shiny new products, but manufacturers and retailers sometimes quietly reduce old-stock accessories, filters, cables, cases and compatible parts

That matters because replacement parts are usually bought with a specific purpose. If you already own the main product, a £15 saving on something you definitely need is more meaningful than £15 off a random gadget you did not know existed yesterday

The danger is compatibility. A cheap filter that does not fit your appliance is just an unusually expensive piece of rubbish

I have had good results checking official manufacturer clearance sections for exactly this reason. They may be clearing an older compatible part because the packaging changed, even though it still works perfectly

It is not glamorous enough to get a Black Friday television advert, but a drawer full of useful spare parts bought cheaply can save a surprising amount over the year

[Leopard79]

I think we should give birthdays and moving-house periods a little credit too, because the best shopping event is sometimes the moment when your actual need appears. Waiting for Black Friday to buy something you need in July is not automatically clever

If a washing machine breaks, the discount calendar becomes rather theoretical. You need a replacement, and spending three weeks hunting for a perfect deal may be worth less than simply finding a reliable machine at a fair price

On the other hand, planned purchases are where shopping events really shine. If you know you will need a new laptop in six months, start tracking prices now. Then you can recognise a genuine dip rather than reacting to a giant percentage sign

That approach also stops the classic bargain mistake of buying things simply because they are cheap. A £20 gadget you never use is not £80 of free money

The underrated event might therefore be the personal one: the month before you genuinely need something, when you have enough time to research properly

[UltraWarren94]

The event nobody talks about enough is probably the random retailer-specific clearance that has nothing to do with a national shopping calendar. A chain decides it needs warehouse space, changes a range or closes a branch, and suddenly useful things are heavily reduced

These sales are impossible to predict nationally, which is exactly why they are interesting. A local furniture shop might be clearing a discontinued line while the same product is full price everywhere else

The downside is that this requires a little more effort. You need to notice local promotions, sign up for newsletters or simply visit shops you already use

It also helps to be flexible about colour and specification. Clearance works best when you are shopping for a category rather than a precise item

There is something much more satisfying about finding a £400 item reduced to £120 because the shop wants the shelf back than buying the same product during a giant marketing event that has been advertised for three months