Shoppers expected to make beeline to Amazon for Black Friday deals

The etail Goliath, which pioneered the introduction of the promotional extravaganza to the UK, is likely to be a big beneficiary again this year, a consumer poll by ICM Unlimited showed.

After Amazon, 35% of consumers planning to make a Black Friday purchase said they would buy from Argos, the study indicated.

Clothes, shoes and accessories are at the top of consumers’ Black Friday shopping lists. 39% of those planning to spend on the day said they planned to buy such items.

That category was followed by entertainment (35%), smartphones, tablets and computers (30%), small technology items (26%), toys (23%) and toiletries, beauty and perfume (22%).

ICM Unlimited associate director Kate Bewick said: “This shopping list suggests people are interested in a far greater variety of items than the very technology-focused products that Black Friday is sometimes associated with.

“There is a really good opportunity for retailers of all kinds to take advantage of this annual event and offer discounts and incentives for their customers.”

Black Friday sales this year are expected to reach about £1bn, despite the decision by some big-name retailers such as Asda to step back from the promotional fray.

Last year the popularity of Black Friday changed the traditional pattern of Christmas trading.

There are fears that this year the same could happen, pulling sales forward and encouraging customers to snap up bargains rather than buying full-price product.