Black Friday doesn't start on Black Friday

A Black Friday marketing strategy now starts in October. 71% of shoppers begin their holiday shopping before Black Friday and 84% expect deals before it, so most shortlists are set before the discounts go live. Brands that fund awareness on paid media and Amazon in October are the ones shoppers compare in November.

• 71% of shoppers start holiday shopping before Black Friday.
• Spontaneous holiday purchases in the US fell from 30% to 26% in 2024.
• Brands that plan Black Friday budgets in phases convert more at peak.

Shoppers choose their brands before Black Friday starts

Shoppers are deciding earlier, and more carefully:

• 71% will start their holiday shopping before Black Friday, and 83% will start planning before it (Attentive, 2026).
• 84% expect brands to launch deals before Black Friday (Attentive, 2026).
• Impulse buying is dropping. Spontaneous holiday purchases in the US fell from 30% to 26% in 2024, and 61% of US shoppers say they’re more selective about what they spend (Google/Ipsos).
• Research is constant. 88% of US holiday shoppers research as much as usual or more, and US shoppers search online before 92% of store visits (Google/Ipsos).

Why a Black Friday marketing strategy has to start in October

Brands have always treated Black Friday as the start of holiday marketing. This year it’s the payoff for months of work. Shoppers have already decided whether your brand is in the running before BFCM begins. If they haven’t found you by then, a discount won’t fix it.

So the budget question shifts from “how much do we spend on Black Friday?” to “how much do we spend getting considered before it?”

Paid media in a Black Friday marketing strategy: fund consideration first

Brands that plan their paid media in phases do better than last-minute spenders. Dutch DTC mattress brand Matt Sleeps split its Black Friday 2024 plan into three phases:

• Weeks before peak: awareness on YouTube.
• Approaching peak: video, shopping ads and user-generated content, with deal messaging stepping up.
• Final weeks: Search and Performance Max, with ROAS targets deciding where the budget moved.

Result: 3x more Google Ads purchases in November 2024 than in November 2023, and 128% more website traffic.

What to do now:

• Build trust before the rush. Run creator and YouTube content while people are researching.
• Grow your remarketing pools now. Someone who saw your brand in October is cheaper to convert in November.
• Get your feeds right. Accurate product data and promotion labels decide whether you show up in AI-powered search when shoppers compare prices.

Amazon in a Black Friday marketing strategy: build demand before the deals

Amazon shoppers also build their shortlist before the deals. Video ads and DSP put the brand in front of shoppers while they compare, and Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands and Sponsored Display together cover each step to purchase at peak.

What to do now:

• Retarget shoppers who viewed your products during Prime Big Deal Days (6-7 October).
• Strengthen listings (images, A+ content, reviews) before traffic spikes.
• Judge campaigns on new-to-brand customers as well as ROAS.

The bottom line

Black Friday rewards the brands people already trust. Build that trust now, then convert it in November.