Black Friday - the biggest ever weekend of shopping in the UK?
Consumers are expected to spend almost £8 billion on deals this year.
Shoppers are hitting the high streets to spend just under #2.6 billion today alone - an 8% increase overall on last year - and £7.8 billion over the four-day period including Cyber Monday, up 7% on last year, according to predictions by VoucherCodes and the Centre for Retail Research (CRR).
Retailers are relying on a successful weekend and are hoping customers will continue to spend confidently despite the first rise in interest rates in 10 years and a squeeze on disposable income driven by rising inflation and stagnant wage growth.
A number of big-name chains such as John Lewis, Game, Tesco and Argos have extended their high street opening hours and many retailers have already offered days of deals in a bid to maximise hype and spending around the global event.
Last year shoppers spent more than £900 million more on debit cards compared to an average weekend, with the most "intense'' increase in spending seen in the 45 to 65-year-old age group.