Black Friday has radically changed the UK shopping calendar. What was once a one-day, American post-Thanksgiving event has grown into a month-long sales season, shifting attention away from traditional Boxing Day sales. But how far will some people go to bag a bargain?
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00:00As Black Friday approaches new research from Rakuten UK reveals that bargain
00:04hunting could cost the UK over 80 million work hours. Now comedian Ellie
00:08Taylor has been speaking to us about her guide to perfecting the sickie.
00:13You've got to commit you can't do like I've got a bit of a runny nose you have
00:16to be like I'm vomiting horrifically or anything to do with funny tummy you can
00:22even just say funny tummy a well-placed puke emoji. Nearly 10% of people
00:27surveyed in Liverpool admit they're planning to call in sick with reasons
00:31ranging from flu to fictitious doctors appointments. Others plan to shop during
00:35work hours with 27% saying they'll juggle sales and their jobs. I have
00:40called in sick and slacked off throughout my throughout my career in
00:44all its different forms. I think we all have for various reasons haven't we and
00:48I think Black Friday is just it's such an event now that people sort of plan it
00:52it's in the diary you know when it is so it means that people are really targeted
00:56with what they want to buy and how to go about it so they know Black Friday's
00:59the day this is how I'm going to do it so if it does means of earmarking some
01:03time out in your diary maybe popping in an imaginary meeting that is actually
01:07with the internet to get something that you want. Over half of Black Friday
01:12shoppers in Liverpool say they'll be up before 5.30 a.m. to grab the best deals
01:16showing just how much the retail events has taken hold of the UK. Since arriving
01:22here in 2010 Black Friday's reshaped the shopping calendar with November now
01:26rivaling December as the key month for retail sales. It used to be all about the
01:30January sales which was spending money in January which we didn't have because
01:34you spent all your money on Christmas so it kind of makes sense to bring it
01:37earlier and I think a lot of people will be buying their Christmas shoppings
01:42which I think is a really sensible as long as you approach Black Friday with
01:45idea in mind of the things that you want to buy. From early morning browsing to
01:49calling in sick Brits are gearing up for one of the most anticipated shopping days
01:53of the year with a lot of dedication and creativity in their approach.