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Black Friday: Brace Yourself For £1bn Spend

Bargain-hungry shoppers are expected to spend £1bn online on Black Friday in the UK but retailers are hoping to avoid the fighting that broke out in stores last year.

The £1.07bn expected to be spent on the internet on Black Friday would be a 32% increase on last year's £810m and the first time online sales will have cleared £1bn in one day, says Experian-IMRG.

The Centre for Retail Research has predicted a more modest £966m in online spending but says sales including from those shopping in person will reach £1.39bn, with the weekend's proceeds and Cyber Monday hitting £3.49bn.

Staying home to shop online during Black Monday has even become so big that there has been a 5% reduction in the number of accidents, collisions and thefts on the day, according to the motor insurance branch of the Co-operative.

Retail analyst Greg Bromley from Conlumino, said the online and in-person shoppers were often after a different sales experience, adding: "Online shopping is more considered - you can compare the prices.

"The more impulsive buyer who just wants to look and see, those buying clothing, for example, will likely head to the department stores."

Another reason for the increase in those looking to shop from home could be the well-publicised scenes of people fighting over electrical appliances, such as televisions, in stores during last year's sales.

Deputy Chief Constable Sue Fish, of the National Police Chiefs' Council Business and Retail Crime unit was so concerned by the pictures that she issued a warning to retailers saying that police are not a substitute for instore security .

The shopworkers' union, Usdaw, reported a two-thirds increase in abuse and violence against retail workers during the shopping event last year - urging bargain-hunters to "keep your cool".

This year's Black Friday sales have been spread over a longer period of time by some retailers, including Amazon, Currys and Boots, which have all avoided starting their sales on the Friday, and Argos, which started its sale on Saturday and found demand so strong that its website crashed for a time.

Mr Bromley added that the sales period surrounding Black Friday has extended as shops tried to avoid a "sudden surge on one day", aiming to "stretch out spending and better cope with demand".

The sales hitting the streets on the same day had also caused problems for deliveries, with many being held up in the backlog and some even missing Christmas delivery times.

David Jinks, spokesman for UK delivery company Fastlane, says: "Having all these products moving at the same time caused warehousing, web and final delivery issues last year, as well as creating needless congestion with that amount of home deliveries packed into a few days.

"It might indeed seem strange that Friday lasts a week, but if it helps break the log jam, it makes sense in the end."

But, with 9% of shoppers admitting they are worried they will spend more than they can afford at the sales - 19.4% of those aged between 18 and 34 - experts have warned people to be careful.

Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert.com, says the majority of Black Friday deals "aren't special", adding: "If you don't want something, don't need it or can't afford it, then don't buy it."

Which? urged shoppers to register for alerts from favourite retailers, compare prices before setting out and realise that many deals are available online - although, with websites crawling under the pressure last year, it is best to be well-prepared so you can complete shopping quickly.