Black Friday 2025: The Audience trends shaping up this year’s biggest shopping event

November 28th is quickly approaching. Black Friday (the day after American Thanksgiving) is the most popular shopping day of the year, across the globe. The “Black Friday” we know today started in the 1980’s, and the name meant that retailers were going from being in the red (selling nothing), to back in black (making a profit) because people were shopping again.  

Last Black Friday broke records:  

• Global sales reached 74.4 billion 

• Online spending in the US grew to 10.8 billion (10.2% higher than the previous year) 

• 87.3 million shoppers shopped online and 81.7 million visited retail stores  

• Between 10AM and 2PM last Black Friday, shoppers were spending on average 11.3 million per minute  

• 68% of global spending was done through mobile purchases 

• And BNPL spending hit $686 million  

This year is expected to be bigger than ever because of things like Buy Now Pay Later options, extended sales days, and social commerce platforms (like TikTok Shop). 

What to expect this Black Friday  

• More people will shop online than in store, and more deals will come from mobile vs desktop  

• More customers will use BNPL 

• Longer promotional periods are working, expect to see things like cyber 10 *ten days of deals)  

• Highest discounts will be applied to electronics, computers, apparel and furniture,  

• Retailers who incorporate generative AI into their operations can expect to see a 9% higher conversion rate than those who don’t 

• Expect tariffs to push up prices and lower stock 

• Shoppers and retailers will use AI for personalized deals, pricing, and recommendations 

• Mobile sales is projected to account for 73% of sales  

• More retailers will use SMS to inform audiences of their promotions on top of their social advertising, for additional reach 

Understand which SMS copy works best for your audience with Audiense Action.  

Tariffs and Economic Uncertainty 

Things like economic uncertainty and tariffs are coming into play this year, and although 75% of consumers are saying they will spend the same if not more this year as last year, they are going on be on the hunt got higher value purchases, with deeper discounts, and will rely on BNPL options for the “big buys”.  

Who are the biggest Black Friday spenders?  

Gen X, Millennials and Boomers will boost their spending this year, but Gen Z is expected to spend less; so, brands should refine their ads targeting accordingly.  

Black Friday 2025 Sales Projections 

• US Sales are expected to spend 11.7 Billion (a rise 2.7- 3.7% from last year’s 10.8 Billion) and global sales are expected to rise to 82 billion 

• Again, mobile and social commerice will drive this rise  

• Value-driven shopping styles will dominate  

• Toys, jewelry, appliances, personal care, and electronics are the highest growth categories  

• Hot toys will sell out fast; Nintendo Switch 2, Labubus, LEGO sets, MrBeast Lab Toys, Fisher-Price Little People, Mini Brands 

• iPhone 17, Google Pixel 10, Samsung Galaxy S25, the Oura Ring, and Kindle Colorsoft are expected to be the top sellers in the electronics category 
• The Dyson Airwrap, cosmetics & skincare sets, coffee makers, and pajamas and loungewear are also expected to fly off the shelves this Black Friday

What type of marketing will drive sales?  

Retailers and marketers should focus their efforts on social video, as it is the most compelling drivers of traffic and conversions during Black Friday.  

Think IG reels, TikTok’s and YouTube shorts (remember more and more people are shopping on mobile, which these ad types are optimized for).  

Lean into shoppable videos, work with the right influencers for your audience, and host  livestream shopping events to create that urgency.    

Black Friday Discounts  

Expect to see the biggest discounts on kitchen appliances and washers and dryers (20-30%) jewelry (23%), clothes (22%), computers 17%, phones (14%) and TV’s (11%).  

What does the most common Black Friday shopper look like? 

We used SOPRISM to analyze Black Friday Shoppers in the US. It summarized the most common profile of a Black Friday shopper.  

• 70% are women, and ages 55+ are the most represented, whereas 18-24 years were severely under-index 

• 50% were identified as “Promo Hunters”, and 80% actively shop online.  

• Their top retailers include Walmart, Amazon, Costco and Target  

• Top department stores are Nordstrom, Kohl’s, Marshalls, and TJ Maxx 

• Top home retailers include IKEA, HomeGoods, Crate & Barrel, and West Elm 

• Top fashion brands were H&M and Old Navy 

• Most interested in home/interior design, cosmetics, cooking, and jewelry 

• 70% use Facebook, 60% use IG, 60% watch YouTube 

Download the Black Friday Shopper Targeting Pack. 

Turning SOPRISM data into a story: What AI can tell us about the Black Friday shopper   

With our MCP connectors, you can query any of our Audiense reports and get outputs like the one below (aka a full customer profile), all based on real audience insights. 

“Susan the Promo Hunter” is a 58-year-old woman scrolling through her phone at 5 AM, coffee in hand, already dressed and ready for action. It's the week before Thanksgiving, and she’s been preparing since January, her phone loaded with shopping apps and flash-sale alerts. 

She remembers when Black Friday meant camping outside Best Buy, but now she hunts deals from her couch or power-walks through Target at dawn. With the Honey extension, RetailMeNot, and a dedicated promo inbox, Susan’s a pro at finding the best prices. Her home tells the story; HomeGoods finds, Nordstrom pillows, and a perfect high-low mix of Walmart basics and designer steals. 

Susan isn’t shopping aimlessly; she’s strategic and sentimental, planning gifts for every family member and tracking sales by season. Her Instagram is full of design inspo, and she proudly shares her best deals in Facebook groups like “Costco Finds.” 

She’s merged old-school couponing with digital savvy, stacking cashback codes like a pro. And as November hits, she’s ready; emails flagged, strategy mapped, and family warned not to interrupt her Black Friday weekend. 

For Susan and shoppers like her, Black Friday isn’t just about consumption, it’s about creativity, community, and the thrill of the hunt. They’re the ones keeping retail alive, one perfectly timed deal at a time. 

Download the Black Friday Shoppers Targeting pack to get all the insights you need to target “Susan” this holiday season.  

The biggest one yet 

Black Friday 2025 is shaping up to be the biggest one yet; driven by mobile-first shopping, longer deal periods, and audiences who are savvier, more strategic, and more value-driven than ever.  

Consumers like “Susan” aren’t just looking for discounts; they’re looking for meaning behind every purchase: convenience, quality, and connection. For marketers, that means the key to winning this year lies in personalization, precision, and understanding what truly motivates shoppers.  

From AI-driven recommendations to smart SMS campaigns and shoppable social content, the brands that align with their audience’s mindset will be the ones that come out on top.  

Download the Black Friday Shopper Targeting Pack to understand exactly how to reach  consumers this holiday season.