Black Friday shifts to season-long shopping with value focus

New research from Experian and Reward indicates that Black Friday has shifted from a single-day event to an extended shopping season, marked by a move towards experiential, wellbeing, and value-oriented spending.

The research is based on the analysis of over 1.4 billion anonymised transactions across more than 4,000 retail brands, examining year-to-date trends alongside data from the key retail period in late 2024. The report reveals a decline in the singular significance of Black Friday, with the broader trading window during the week before and after Black Friday increasing by more than 10% compared to 2023.

Data also suggest that in 2024, both October and December outperformed November in terms of sales, indicating that festive spending is now spread more evenly across the quarter, rather than peaking on Black Friday alone. This emerging trend is expected to continue into 2025, with shoppers favouring a more measured and season-long shopping strategy over concentrating purchases on one day.

Shifting spending patterns

The analysis points to a notable shift in consumer priorities. Instead of focusing on conventional retail goods, shoppers are increasingly directing their budgets towards experiences and wellbeing-related purchases. Travel, both domestic and international, saw an 8.3% growth in the fourth quarter of 2024, and a further 3.1% increase year-to-date in 2025, highlighting a resurgence in experience-led consumption.

Health and fitness have also shown upward trends. Gym and fitness sign-ups were up 9.4% year-to-date, while the health and beauty sector saw a 2.2% increase. Nutrition sales increased by 5.6% year-to-date, reflecting consumers' ongoing investment in self-care and wellness.

Growth in digital, value, and resale marketplaces

Consumers are increasingly seeking value and sustainability as drivers of purchasing decisions. Value-driven retailers experienced a 42% year-on-year surge, while resale marketplace platforms and social shopping channels grew by 21% and 23.6% respectively. These channels have become particularly popular among older consumers; the 65+ age group now accounts for 14% of total online spend. Notably, this demographic reported a 53% rise in value retail spend, a 34% increase on resale platforms, and a 50% jump in social shopping channel usage.

Experian's Mosaic consumer classification identifies diverse groups as central to seasonal spending, including mature homeowners, suburban families, younger renters, and budget-conscious buyers, all of whom contribute actively during Black Friday and the broader shopping window.

Adjusting to new retail realities

For brands navigating the peak shopping season, the research stresses the importance of shifting away from short-term discounting and instead using data to predict consumer needs, respond to real-time behaviours, and provide consistent experiences across different channels. This approach involves creating reward strategies designed to convert one-time or seasonal buyers into repeat customers.

Colin Grieves, Managing Director of Experian Marketing Services, emphasised the uncertainty and dynamic nature of current consumer behaviour and the necessity for businesses to adapt by utilising data-driven insights and personalised marketing strategies.

"Consumer habits are clearly evolving and in today's economic climate those changes are difficult to predict. Having access to accurate, comprehensive spending pattern insight, combined with smarter audience targeting, gives brands a much stronger chance of success. It ensures the right messages reach the right audiences across all channels, delivering value to both the brand and the consumer."

Methodology and participant demographics

The research covered spending behaviour from January 2023 through June 2025, with a particular focus on the fourth quarter of 2024 and year-to-date information as of 2025. The transaction data was derived from Reward's Customer Engagement programmes, which utilise anonymised data from more than 10% of UK households. Experian's Mosaic classification was used to identify household groups most engaged with festive spending and promotional campaigns.

The report demonstrates structural changes in consumer behaviour during the so-called 'Golden Quarter,' highlighting a shift towards sustained seasonal engagement, an increase in experiential purchases, a preference for value, and growing digital retail adoption, including among older demographics.