Retail experts say we're going to spend £3.49 billion over the four days starting with "Black Friday", with online sales alone predicted to be up 16% on last year.

14.7 million shoppers will take part in the sales bonanza, and they are expected to spend £450 million more over the four days than France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium combined.

Does that mean fighting in the aisle of Tesco?

Much of the cash is expected to be spent online rather than in store, but high street stores are expecting higher than usual footfall. However most this year are sticking to more usual shopping hours rather than opening at midnight like they did last year.

So what's open when?

GAME is opening their two Southampton stores at WestQuay and Above Bar for three hours from midnight.

Argos stores at Southampton's West Quay retail park and High Street, Totton, Fareham, Titchfield, and in Homebase at Fareham and Winchester, will all be opening at 6am.

Tesco is holding Black Friday events at its Southampton (Bursledon), Winchester and Portsmouth stores.

Meanwhile, Sainsbury's is having Black Friday offers at it's Southampton stores in Portswood, Shirley, Lordshill and the two in Bitterne, as well as Hedge End, Eastleigh, and Badger Farm in Winchester, al opening at 7am.

John Lewis' flagship Southampton store will be open 8am, an hour earlier than usual as will the Debenhams store in Queensway in the city.

M&S's WestQuay and Hedge End stores are making Black Friday offers, but will open at 9am and 8am as usual.

The Next stores at WestQuay, Eastleigh and Winchester will all be opening at 9am, while the Next at Homes stores at Hedge End and West Quay will open at 8.30am.

The Currys and Currys PC World stores in Southampton (Winchester Road), Hedge End, Fareham, and Winchester will all be opening as normal, but customers are recommended to either get there early or buy online.

The Disney Store in Southampton's Marland's shopping centre is also offering a range of discounts, but opens at the usual time.

A huge number of the stores at Southampton's WestQuay shopping centre are taking part, each with their own special offers, although not all have yet been identified, with the centre asking customers to sign up on their website.

Who's not taking part?

Primark are not taking part. Neither is Asda.

What should I be aware of?

But it may not be all it's cracked up to be Money saving expert Martin Lewis is warning people to be aware that the deals are "nothing special".

He said: "There are, of course, the much-hyped huge discounts of single items like giant TVs. Yet the stock on these is so limited, they're far more akin to competitions than offers. With thousands of people trying to get them, it's a lottery. "The real boon of Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the rest of the Christmas shopping deals and codes is that if you have a specific list of things you plan to buy, if the store that sells them has a cross store discount code, that's the moment to pounce.

"Above all, remember, if you don't want something, don't need it or can't afford it, then don't buy it."