Black Friday guide: Where to find the best deals

Black Friday is a permanent fixture in New Zealand's retail calendar. Photo / Getty Images

It's the time of the year where you would be hard pressed not to find a discount in the shops. But the age-old tactic of increasing regular prices ahead of a major sale to make discounts look more impressive can often catch shoppers out.

With Black Friday kicking off tomorrow and the Christmas spending season beginning to heat up, retailers - most of whom have been spending the best part of the year preparing for the all-important Christmas trading period - are well versed in the hype and marketing needed to win over the consumer dollar.

The Herald has trawled through the Black Friday deals to see what's worth hitting the shops, or internet, for.

New Zealand's largest retail company, The Warehouse Group, is participating in Black Friday - its seventh year of doing so, even though its chief executive is not the biggest fan of the flash-sale event.

Nick Grayston was working for American department-store chain Sears, in Chicago, when he experienced firsthand what he calls the "weaponisation of Black Friday", the "arms race" of retailers trying to out-discount each other.

He says he is sad to see Black Friday become so important for New Zealand retailers. It is a zero-sum game, he says, but the NZX-listed retail company would not allow Grayston to be the Grinch who stole Christmas. Black Friday is considered the start of the Christmas spending season, an important quarter for retailers' annual profit.

While the sales event is not necessarily good for retailers' margins or bottom line, it is good for consumers working through their Christmas gift list.

The group's most important retailer, The Warehouse, has been participating in Black Friday since 2012. It previously coined its participation as "Red Friday".

This year, The Warehouse is offering discounts online and in its more than 230 stores of between 20 and 70 per cent. Its Black Friday promotions kicked off midnight last night online and in store from today through to Sunday.

Deals it has on offer include a PS4 gaming console for $299, Oppo AX5 mobile phones for $199, a Toshiba 43-inch 4K HD smart TV for $499 and Daewoo whiteware appliances reduced by up to 60 per cent.

Kathmandu is participating in Black Friday, with deals such as two adults tshirts and shirts for $40 and $80 and festival chairs for $80.

Warehouse Stationery has advertised 40 per cent off desks, chairs and bookcases, 20 per cent of non-Apple mobile phones and 25 per cent off notebook and desktop computers during Black Friday. Electronics retailer Noel Leeming has 10.2-inch 32GB Apple iPads for $539, 30 per cent off whiteware and cookware and 40 per cent discounts on appliances.

Outdoor equipment retailer Torpedo7 is offering deals of up to 50 per cent for Black Friday and over the weekend into Cyber Monday, mostly on its branded goods such as kayaks and camping equipment, and 30 per cent off Icebreaker and The North Face clothing.

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Five Westfield shopping malls operated by ASX-listed Scentre Group in this country will be open until midnight on Friday to mark the occasion. These include St Lukes, Manukau, Newmarket and Albany in Auckland and Riccarton in Christchurch.

New Zealand's largest shopping mall, Sylvia Park, is open until 10pm on Friday.

More than 100 retailers in Auckland's city centre are participating in Black Friday, offering discounts of 15 per cent through to 60 per cent.

Many stores are keeping details of their discounts under wraps, though Superdry and H&M will have 20 per cent off their stock and Sephora will offer discounts of 15 per cent.

Swedish accessories brand Daniel Wellington has advertised 50 per cent off selected watches for Black Friday and long-standing department store Smith & Caughey's will have 25 per cent discounts. A number of Auckland CBD stores will stay open late on the day.

Footwear chain Hannah's is advertising no footwear over $99.95 on Black Friday through to Sunday, and 30 per cent off of shoes on Cyber Monday. Timberland has 20 per cent off of everything and clothing retailer Service Denim has discounts of 25 per cent.

Smith & Caughey's merchandise director Edward Caughey says Black Friday is the department store's biggest trading day of the year.

Despite the lower margins, he said the retailer turned a healthy profit on the day, exceeding sales generated on Boxing Day by a mile.

"Black Friday has grown hugely in recent years as an event after being reasonably obscure and not celebrated in New Zealand 10 years ago. Part of [its rise] has been the growth of online shopping and the awareness around the event," Caughey told the Herald.

Edward Caughey, merchandise director at Smith & Caughey's. Photo / Supplied

"Each year it has grown and gathered momentum, for us it's consistently been our biggest single trading day over the last few years, and that trend shows no sign of stopping."

Caughey said Black Friday had, as a result, taken the shine off of Boxing Day sales.

"What Black Friday does is it gives people the opportunity to get ahead with their Christmas shopping, and it's the first real opportunity to get the new season fashion at a discount. People are more organised, and it's the initial opportunity to get things done, and so by the time boxing day rolls around Christmas is finished and there's a bit of a hangover of spending too much before Christmas, making Boxing Day less appealing."

Smith & Caughey's did not get involved in discounting wars, Caughey said, and consistently offered 25 per cent off on Black Friday and stayed open until late, he said.

"[Black Friday] has taken on a life of its own. It's not just a New Zealand event, it's a worldwide event, so now with online shopping and people having the ability to shop from anywhere in the world in New Zealand, to some extent we need to be part of these big global events."

Westfield malls operated by Scentre Group will stay open until midnight on Friday. Photo / Supplied

Global price comparison website Finder, which earlier this year launched in New Zealand, says its survey of more than 2000 New Zealanders found that 74 per cent of Kiwis were planning on hitting the shops or online stores on Black Friday.

More than 60 per cent of New Zealanders said they were looking for deals on food and alcohol in its survey, 45 per cent clothes and shoes and 35 per cent on toys.

About 22 per cent of those surveyed said they were looking for discounts and deals on travel and 29 per cent on electronics and gadgets. About 27 per cent of people said they were looking for deals on beauty products and makeup.