Black Friday 2025: Key learning and strategy for 2026

Black Friday has been shifting away from a single intense shopping day and toward a full month of commercial activity for several years. But even though we’ve gradually seen the move toward Black Week and Black Month, 2025 was the year when the trend truly broke through. It became evident in both consumer behaviour and performance data: Black Friday as an isolated day matters less – and the entire month of November matters significantly more. And that has implications for advertising, budgeting, and campaign timing.

Buying behaviour has shifted – from one day to an entire month

Over the past few seasons, we’ve seen a clear movement toward earlier purchases and longer campaign periods. Black Friday has become a season, not a day. Singles Day, pre-Black-Friday campaigns, and the entire “Black Month” approach have gradually reshaped consumer expectations.

But in 2025 the shift was no longer subtle – it was pronounced and consistent across industries:

Revenue on Black Friday itself was lower for many businesses compared to previous years, because purchases were spread out across the month.

Revenue for the entire month of November, however, reached its highest level ever.

This means it no longer makes sense to view Black Friday as a standalone day, but as the conclusion of a month in which customers have already made many of their purchase decisions. Consumers no longer wait – they shop early. Peak now begins at the start of November, with momentum building three weeks before the actual BFCM week, driven by campaigns running throughout the month.

Starting your advertising early pays off

One of this year’s most important learnings is that businesses that start advertising early win – both on cost and on performance.

Across our clients, we saw:

Stable, low advertising costs before the beginning of November

A significant rise in costs from late October and onward

Better ROAS and lower CPA for those who entered the market early

On Meta, for example, we saw a clear upward curve in cost per lead as we hit the end of October. The increase was substantial – and a consistent pattern across accounts.

The message is clear:

If you wait until Black Week to enter the market, you pay far more for the same results.

Early advertising delivers greater returns during the peak period

Perhaps the most interesting insight this year is that early advertising not only reduces costs – it also significantly improves performance during Black Month / Black Week / Black Friday.

Surveys and consumer data show that many shoppers fill their carts and make buying plans weeks before the actual day, meaning many purchases are already mentally (and often practically) locked in long before Black Friday.

When consumers have already added products to their cart, signed up for newsletters, or engaged with content early in October – placing them in remarketing audiences – Black Friday becomes the moment to close the sale, rather than create the first touchpoint in the customer journey.

Businesses that began advertising early therefore won the battle for attention and achieved:

Larger pools of warm audiences before peak

Higher conversion rates during Black Week

A strong advantage, because customers had already decided where they wanted to buy

What does this mean for Black Friday 2026?

If you take one thing with you, let it be this:

Black Friday is not a day – it’s a month. Plan your campaigns accordingly.

For 2026, businesses should:

Start advertising early in October

Test messages and creatives before November

Build warm audiences early

Think of remarketing as an ongoing process leading into Black Week

Allocate budgets so the majority is invested before peak – not only on the day

In short: You must own the customer’s attention and intent before your competitors do.

Conclusion

The trend toward Black Month has been evolving for several years, but in 2025 it became unmistakably clear that the shift is now fully realized:

Sales have moved from one day to an entire month.

Consumers shop earlier and spread their purchases.

Early advertising is a decisive competitive advantage and delivers both lower costs and better results.

Those who start early win – both before and during Black Friday.

Black Friday 2026 will be no different – in fact, the trend will only accelerate. Businesses that plan and activate early will be the ones who get the most out of the entire Black Month. Black Friday now starts in October – and your advertising should, too.