Spending soars as firms & shoppers adapt to festive pressures

Companies are seeing a rise in spending as Black Friday and the Christmas period prompt an uptick in shopping, entertaining, and travel. With the end of the year marking a key period for both consumer retailers and corporate functions, finance and eCommerce teams are under increased pressure to manage expenditure and deliver seamless customer experiences.

Spending trends

"Black Friday and into the Christmas period is when we often see a rise in daily spend by companies. Typically, based on anonymised product usage data from our platform, we can see that spending on shopping and food increases by around 20-30%, and spending on travel and transport rises by around 15-25%. These seasonal peaks are predictable, and we see them year after year. Yet many businesses still struggle to manage the operational and financial pressure that comes with them. Teams are out meeting customers, running campaigns, and delivering year-end projects, all while organising Christmas parties and socials for employees. However, this means that finance teams are left to absorb a surge in receipts, approvals, and last-minute budget decisions. These costs are often essential to growth and business productivity and morale, but without real-time visibility, they can easily spiral or create friction. The organisations that navigate the last few months of the year most effectively are those that manage spend proactively as it happens, supporting teams while keeping budgets on track. As another busy peak unfolds, smarter, more responsive spend management is becoming a quiet advantage for finishing the year strongly," said Sacha Herrmann, Chief Financial Officer, Soldo.

Holiday shopping shifts

On the consumer side, analysts are observing a shift in behaviour around major discount events. Recent data indicates that 66% of consumers now begin holiday shopping before Black Friday, favouring practical and value-based purchases over impromptu spending. These changes are most evident among Gen Z and Millennial shoppers, who are prioritising transparency, authenticity, and convenience over high-pressure, discount-led activity.

"Consumer enthusiasm for Black Friday 'hype' is cooling as earlier shopping trends gain momentum. McKinsey's latest insights show that 66% of consumers begin holiday shopping before Black Friday, focusing on value and essential purchases rather than impulsive, discount-led purchases. Tradebyte sees shoppers, especially Gen Z and Millennials, looking beyond the deepest discounts toward authenticity, transparency, and seamless mobile-first experiences. This is not a decline but a reset: an opportunity to build lasting consumer relationships rather than clocking up quick transactions, through meaningful engagement and localised, authentic offers. The winners in this post-hype era will be brands that combine personalised omnichannel strategies, AI-driven engagement, and authentic pricing to build lasting trust and meet consumers where they shop across digital and physical channels," said Alexander Otto, Head of Corporate Relations, Tradebyte.

Omnichannel strategy

As Black Friday and Cyber Monday evolve, brands are adapting their strategies to cater for changing consumer expectations and the need to personalise engagement. Otto pointed to the growing need for localised offers and robust marketplace platforms that can meet regional demand and support seamless mobile and omnichannel experiences.

"Cyber Monday's growth is increasingly regional and diverse across Europe. Brands must prepare to meet regional demands with marketplace-ready infrastructure, localised offers, and consistent messaging. Just as with Black Friday, the importance of transparent pricing and authentic digital engagement to convert savvy, mobile-first shoppers cannot be underestimated. Early deals, seamless omnichannel experiences, and data-enabled personalisation are all key to winning this year, pointing to a strategic transformation in which Black Friday and Cyber Monday are not simply discount events, but an opportunity to deliver value-led, trust-driven shopping experiences aligned with newer consumer expectations and behaviours," said Otto.

Operational pressures

The heightened demand for entertainment, client engagement, employee events, and seasonal campaigns continues to put pressure on finance professionals. Companies are aware that these costs play a substantial role in maintaining productivity and morale. However, oversight remains critical as spend can mount quickly, creating challenges for teams lacking real-time insights or established approval workflows.

"The organisations that navigate the last few months of the year most effectively are those that manage spend proactively as it happens, supporting teams while keeping budgets on track. As another busy peak unfolds, smarter, more responsive spend management is becoming a quiet advantage for finishing the year strongly," said Herrmann.