This year Black Friday is expected to be bigger than ever in the UK, but in many cases, the run-up to the main event has been marked by retailers with offers and promotions available ahead of time. But whether this is a step taken to build more hype or spread some of the sales out across the preceding week is difficult to judge.

One of the first off the mark was Argos, which jumped the gun and gave customers access to its Black Friday discounts 48 hours earlier than initially intended. They advertised offers on many different types of products, all of which are available in-store or to order via safe shopping online.

Argos has also recommended that on Black Friday itself any customers looking to take advantage of offers should register online ahead of time, to avoid disappointment. It has also pointed out that those who do decide to make their purchase online for in-store collection on November 27th do not then actually have to pick it up on the day; they have up to a week to go and get it.

This will certainly help to reduce the number of people who are rushing to its physical outlets, although the expected crush on the high street and at retail parks may not be abated to a significant degree by the actions of a single retailer.

Plenty of consumers will choose to stay at home and use safe shopping online to seek out the best deals. And companies, including Amazon, have been running daily offers this week as Black Friday approaches.

Authorities have urged consumers to act responsibly on Friday and avoid repeating the chaotic scenes of 2014, but as the event draws closer, there is a palpable sense of excitement, spurred on by media coverage.