I was trying to figure out if Black Friday starts earlier this year compared to previous years. I've noticed that some stores have already started with pre-offers back in September, but I'd like to know when the actual discounts arrive at the main Italian retailers.
Are you already checking their websites or waiting for the notification emails? Anyway, yeah, usually Mediaworld and Unieuro kick off their actual Black Friday stuff at the end of November, but what a lot of people don't realize is that sometimes they do a "pre-Black Friday" in early November with lighter discounts, just to catch people who don't want to wait. If you want to grab the best deals, it's worth following their newsletters directly, because their plans really do change last-minute and certain exclusive online deals drop without any heads-up.
Don't trust the dates you read online right now too much because retailers change their plans at the last second. Mediaworld and Unieuro usually kick off with the actual Black Friday at the end of November (that week before Black Friday, you know), but it's true that a lot of stores have already started doing pre-discounts since mid-September, so it's possible they'll stretch the period out even more this year. Your best bet is to check their websites directly a week before November to see the official announcements, because that's where you'll get the most reliable information.
I personally subscribe to both stores' newsletters back in October, so I get the official announcements before they hit social media and don't have to guess! Mediaworld and Unieuro usually kick off the real Black Friday between late November and early December, but what's useful to know is that they often have surprise flash sales during the month before on the big categories (phones, TVs, laptops). A trick that works is checking their sites directly at the end of October to see if they've uploaded the Black Friday dedicated page - once that goes live, you'll find all the exact dates there, because they announce them in advance themselves to drive traffic!
The official Black Friday at Mediaworld and Unieuro usually kicks off in the fourth week of November, so this year it should be around November 24-25. But here's the thing: both stores start doing "pre-discounts" and "previews" already from late October or early November, so technically the real discounts start before the official Black Friday date. It's kind of like they're stretching out the period without saying it explicitly.
What's saved me over the years is simply going to their website every week from mid-October and checking the promotions section - you'll always find something starting before the official announcement. A lot of people don't know this, but often on the Friday before the actual Black Friday, they already launch major flash sales on specific categories. If you want to get the exact notification, the most reliable way is to follow them on Instagram or sign up for their newsletter, even though the emails arrive a bit late compared to when the real discounts actually go live on the site!
Have you already checked the websites directly, or do you prefer waiting for an official email? Anyway, the answer is what the others said - end of November, probably around the 24th - 25th - but the real trick is that they start with "pre-Black Friday" stuff as early as October/November and gradually ramp up the discounts, so it's not like everything kicks off together on the 24th. It's a strategy so they don't lose customers who are already starting to look around.
What experience has taught me, though, is that if you wait for the actual peak (last days of November into early December) you often find more stuff with decent discounts, especially items that don't sell out fast. Last year I waited until almost the end of November to grab a couple of things at Mediaworld and I saw the price drop even days after Black Friday had "officially" started.
Sign up for notifications on their websites, so they'll tell you directly when the real deal starts. Mediaworld and Unieuro send emails even a week before, so you don't have to keep checking the web constantly.
You won't find the official dates until they announce them directly, so stop searching online hoping to find something reliable. Mediaworld and Unieuro usually start somewhere between late November and early December with the actual Black Friday, but what changes year to year is whether they do "previews" in the weeks before. This year the quickest way is to sign up directly for their push notifications or newsletters, so you don't miss the announcement.
What few people do is check their respective loyalty programs (Mediaworld Club and Unieuro Plus): they often give members early access a few days before. If you're not signed up, it's worth registering now. In the meantime keep checking their sites at the end of October, when they start testing their platforms for traffic load - it's an indicator they're getting everything ready. But expect the big deals in late November, not before.
Log into answer.
