Black Friday 2025 once again proved that holiday shopping continues to evolve — with digital dominance, record online sales, and smarter consumer behaviour shaping the retail landscape. What used to be a frantic morning of doorbusters and lines has transformed into a multi-day, highly digital shopping event where deals, technology, and strategy intersect.
In this year’s Black Friday shopping season, consumers chased bargains amid economic uncertainty, and AI tools helped shoppers cut through noise to find the best offers. Simultaneously, brick-and-mortar stores are adjusting with extended sales and curated deals, while retailers report uneven foot traffic. Overall, this year’s Black Friday underlines that omnichannel retail — combining online and in-store experiences — is now standard.
Black Friday Shopping 2025 by the Numbers
Record Online Sales
Black Friday 2025 set new spending records, especially online:
- U.S. online shoppers spent a record $11.8 billion on Black Friday — a substantial increase from the previous year, reaffirming digital shopping’s dominance.
- Data show significant increases in ecommerce growth compared to 2020, with sales rising over 30 %, highlighting the long-term shift from physical to digital retail.
- Thursday holiday shopping momentum — including Thanksgiving Day sales of $6.4 billion — fed into the overall surge.
These numbers reflect a continued move toward convenience and flexibility, especially among younger, tech-savvy consumers.
AI and Mobile Shopping Steal the Spotlight
AI shopping tools and mobile experiences played a central role in this year’s Black Friday:
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AI Tools & Deal Discovery
Advanced AI assistants — such as Walmart’s Sparky and Amazon’s Rufus — saw usage skyrocket, helping shoppers quickly compare prices, discover deals, and make smarter buying decisions. Traffic from AI recommendations surged dramatically, illustrating how machine learning is reshaping online shopping behavior.
Mobile Shopping Trends
Mobile devices dominated Black Friday clicks and conversions. Even outside the U.S., mobile traffic accounted for a large share of total online orders — showing that smartphones are now the default shopping tool for many consumers.
Retail Store Visits and Changing In-Store Behavior
While online spending broke records, traditional in-store traffic showed a more complex picture:
- Analysts reported a dip in foot traffic across the overall Black Friday weekend — down around 5.8 % — indicating shoppers may prefer online browsing or have shifted their timing.
- Those who did visit stores tended to spend more per trip, with higher average transaction values and units per purchase.
This suggests shoppers are becoming more intentional — planning purchases rather than wandering aisles.
Black Friday Shopping Abroad — Strategic Deal Hunting
Black Friday is not just a U.S. phenomenon. In South Africa, the event has shifted from chaotic early-morning crowds to more strategic shopping, with consumers spending weeks researching deals and planning their purchases around specific needs and discounts.
Top Deals & Retailer Strategies
Retailers continued to innovate with deals that go beyond the traditional one-day markdowns:
- Extended sales windows: Major platforms like Amazon and Walmart launched early Black Friday deals weeks before Thanksgiving, sometimes with “pre-Black Friday” events that rolled into Cyber Monday promotions.
- Targeted discounts: WalletHub and other deal trackers noted that average discounts varied by retailer, with some stores offering steep markdowns on appliances, jewelry, and staple items.
This extended shopping period has blurred the lines between Black Friday and Cyber Week, giving consumers more time to compare offers.
Consumer Behavior & Economic Context
Even as sales climbed, consumer sentiment was mixed:
- Many shoppers felt cautious due to inflation and economic concerns, yet holiday shopping remained robust.
- Anecdotally, some shoppers reported that deals felt smaller or less impactful than in previous years, with price adjustments before discounts making some “sales” less impressive.
This tension highlights how higher baseline prices can influence perceptions of savings even when total spending increases.
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Scams and Safety Tips for Black Friday Shopping
With high traffic and heavy deal interest, scammers have also ramped up efforts to exploit consumers during Black Friday:
Common Scams to Watch Out For
- Fake retailers and phishing sites that mimic brand websites with unrealistically deep discounts.
- Phishing emails offering “exclusive deals” that lead to credential theft.
- AI-generated fake videos or social ads promoting deals that redirect to fraudulent checkout pages.
Safety Tips
✔ Always verify site URLs before entering payment info.
✔ Shop directly through official apps or retailer websites.
✔ Avoid clicking links in unsolicited emails or social posts.
✔ Use secure payment methods (credit cards, trusted wallets).
✔ Keep security software updated on all devices.
Being vigilant helps protect personal information and prevents financial loss during high-traffic shopping periods.
Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday — The Full Holiday Picture
Black Friday is now just one piece of a larger “Cyber Five” shopping stretch that includes Cyber Monday and the weekend in between. Forecasts predicted that nearly 130 million shoppers would participate in Black Friday shopping, with total online holiday sales expected to grow even more across the five-day Cyber Five period.
Adobe Analytics also reported Cyber Monday would likely break additional records — extending the holiday spending momentum well beyond Black Friday itself.
Conclusion
Black Friday shopping in 2025 reinforced that retail has firmly transitioned into the digital era. With record online spending, AI-driven shopping tools, and tactical consumer strategies, this holiday shopping season reflects a blend of technology, economics, and evolving buyer expectations. Yet, even as the sales figures climb, savvy shopping — backed by caution and planning — remains the best way to make the most of this annual event.
From early doorbuster deals to Cyber Monday’s crescendo, Black Friday continues to shape how we think about holiday shopping and consumer behavior.
