Yahoo Finance Which shops aren't taking part in Black Friday 2017 and why?
In recent years Black Friday has become a week-long event for main retailers, with emails packed with bargains whizzing into inboxes and sales rails taking over shop floors across the country.
Yet there are a small band of indomitable retailers which still hold out against the pervasive discounts event, refusing to be cajoled into offering deals.
If you are considering using Black Friday to nab a discount on a big-budget addition to your home - or for holiday-season gifts - then it's good to know which shops regularly don't take part. Here's The Telegraph's handy guide to the retailers who don't embrace the cut-price chaos.
Apple
Apple surprised retailers last year by taking part in Black Friday, albeit only for a brief 24-hour window. While in previous years the tech giant rejected the sales event, in 2016 they buckled to the pressure.
However their presence was somewhat underwhelming: they offered a gift card worth up to £120 with the purchase of certain Apple products (not including their recently-released iPhone 7). Needless to say, the internet was unimpressed.
So for Apple's Black Friday sale they're offering gift cards up to $200 on selected products. That's not a sale ��
— Thomas (@DarkHorse_TM) November 24, 2016
All Apple are offering for Black Friday are gift cards when you buy Mac, iPhone, iPad, Watch or Apple TV.
Not worth the refreshes.— Daniel Hart (@KingDingDan) November 25, 2016
While Apple hasn't announced yet whether or not they will taking part in the sales weekend this year, we aren't holding our breath for discounted iPhone 8s.
Selfridges
Last year Selfridges officially stayed clear of Black Friday, instead creating their own holiday: Christmas Come Early.
As well as offering consumers the discount code 'SELFCCE', this faux-Black Friday sale also included 20 per cent off gifts and 10 per cent off beauty, fragrances, watches and wine.
Keep your eyes peeled for similarly sneaky behaviour this year; just because a shop claims to be rejecting the sales event it doesn't mean they are.
Ikea
Looking for a new bed on the cheap? Prepare to be disappointed. Famous for selling furniture and homeware at low prices throughout the year, Ikea don't feel the need to take part in Black Friday events.
Insisting their focus is on making affordable furniture available to as many people as possible, they say: "Low price is the cornerstone of the IKEA vision.
"Our ambition is to offer everyday low prices all year round, which is why we don't take part in temporary discounting events.”
Homebase
Like Ikea, the DIY superstore has also turned its back on Black Friday, saying it is committed to low price 365 days a year.
However they did take part in 2015, offering 25 per cent off all Christmas decorations, meaning their participation in 2017's bargain bonanza can't be ruled out entirely.
Asda
Asda, the cousin of US shopping giant Wal-Mart, was one of Black Friday’s pioneers in this country. But a series of unseemly stampedes for flat-screen TVs made it clear that Black Friday and supermarkets don’t mix well.
Last year they snubbed the sales weekend for the second year in a row, initially dropping their 2015 event with the following euphemistic explanation:
"Instead of the hustle and bustle and pressure of one or two day sales where customers typically push the boat out on high-value items, this year Asda customers say they’d prefer deals on value-for-money, high-quality products that all the family can enjoy."
Primark
Given that Primark doesn't have an online store it has little need to compete against rivals battling for the best online discounts.
Primark has not taken part in any major Black Friday sale thus far because, as a spokesperson for the cut-price retailer told The Telegraph: “Primark offers great value on the high street every day of the year.”
George Weston, the chief executive of Primark, was a little less polite, asserting: "Black Friday in the UK is pointless".
Next
Like Primark, value clothes retailer Next maintains low profit margins throughout the year, and thus has less to gain than rivals from discounting further. So far it doesn't appear anything will be changing this year.
