Black Friday: A Day? A Month? A Season?

September 8, 2025 ·Gabriel Comelli

It’s that time of year again when sale savvy shoppers are surveying the retail landscape looking for the ultimate bargain. Black Friday returns on Friday 28 November 2025, with Cyber Monday on 1 December 2025. I know what you’re thinking – surely, it’s too early to be talking Black Friday?

Well, to get your head around the event, which has turned into a month-long, sometimes longer, sales period rather than just a weekend, I thought I would start the conversation early and recap last year.

Black Friday used to be one of the biggest shopping days of the year, however, its popularity has become mixed – with some loving it and others cynical about what’s on offer and if deals really are as good as they seem. With a thought back to last year – and there are a number of insights from various sources – according to Globaldata, Black Friday shopping in 2024 passed pre-pandemic levels, with 62% making a purchase. It also revealed that 40.7% of shoppers spent more than they did in the previous year.

Data from Adobe revealed that Black Friday was the biggest single online shopping day of 2024 in the UK, with consumers spending £1.12 billion online, up 7.2% against 2023. Season online spending-to-date (1st November – 29th November) reached £11.7 billion, up 5.1% YoY on 2023 levels, while £623.9 million was spent via mobile during Black Friday, representing 9.8% growth from last year. This accounted for 55.9% of total online spend.

Interestingly, UK shoppers spent £117.2 million through Buy Now Pay Later services on Black Friday, which accounted for 10.5% of total online spend for the day and up 15.6% compared with Black Friday 2023. Another note to factor in, is that this is overall data, with popular products leaning heavily towards technology, clothing and jewellery. However, homeware and furniture did not go unnoticed.

Adobe data detailed how furniture discounts became heavier as November passed into December. As an example, on the 1st November furniture prices were 0.1% up, while by 7th November, prices were down by -0.9%. Roll on to the 12th November, discounts of -3.2% were applied, and by 15th November, discounts of -7.3% were in play. Interestingly, there was a spike by 19th November as discounts reduced to -4.1%, but then dropped once again by -7.7% on 22nd November. It didn’t stop there. Discounts continued through to the start of December, whereby discounts fell by -12.8%. The very next day, however, sale prices went the other way with discounts on offer back at -4.4%.

Taking a look at other data, figures from GfK’s point-of-sale data showed the Homewares sector benefited from the pre-Christmas sales period, with sales up 9% in value and 17% in volume.

Back to the wider picture, but turning attention to strategy, IMRG’s Black Friday report highlighted how retailers focused a lot on ‘early access’, encouraging shoppers to sign up to waiting lists for offers to land or for further discount codes. Real-time market analysis also proved popular for businesses, which enabled retailers to track emerging trends and act accordingly.

Furthermore, IMRG’s Black Friday tracker revealed that 63% of retailers extended their Black Friday campaigns this year. Nearly half (48%) started earlier in the calendar, while 39% ran campaigns later, with an average campaign length increase of +6 days. This trend underscores the growing perception of Black Friday as a month-long event— “Black November”—rather than a single day.

According to IMRG’s report, home and garden retailers saw an increase of 4.1% compared to Black Friday last year, while Cyber Monday sales were down 2.5%. In terms of market segment, budget items through the period were up 3.3%, mid-market products rose 4.6%, while premium sales were down 15.2%. Garden furniture saw the biggest rise, up 8.8%, while furniture sales rose 5.1% overall – and also up 5.8% on Black Friday itself. Home improvement sales rose 2.9%, while homeware sales were up 7.6%.

With Black Friday – or Black November – almost upon us once more, shoppers could be in a similar mood for a sale, especially as the cost-of-living crisis and high inflation continue to put pressure on purchasing power. As Black Friday ramps up, next month will focus on retailers already generating the ‘buzz’ with an early strategy approach. In the meantime, are you thinking of a Black Friday promotion? Share your thoughts on the subject and email me on dan@bigfurnituregroup.com.

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