What’s Really Happening on Black Friday?
Black Friday isn’t just about the chaotic scenes you see in the media. While those stories often focus on online deals and crowds at big-box stores, the real picture is more balanced — and there are genuine opportunities for local, high-street retailers too.
Recent sales data shows that online shopping still leads the way during Black Friday, especially in Fashion and Health & Beauty. But that doesn’t mean physical stores are left out. In fact, many town and city centre shops see a clear boost in sales across the Black Friday weekend.
Good News for the High Street
Looking at data from 2023 and 2024, three key store categories see strong results:
- Fashion: Sales in shops were up around 28% compared to other Fridays.
- General Retail: Up 25%, showing that shoppers still like browsing in person.
- Health & Beauty: Up 30%, suggesting strong gift buying and self-treating.
And this isn’t just a one-day bump. The higher spend continues through Saturday and Sunday, making the whole weekend a valuable trading period.
Why 2024 Was Bigger
In 2024, retail sales got a bigger bump from Black Friday than in 2023.
The chart below shows daily retail sales for the 8 weeks from the beginning of November and leading up to the pre-Christmas sales peak. The blue line is 2023 and the orange line is 2024. There is a consistent trend of increasing sales peaking each week on Saturday, before growing again through the following week.
In 2024, sales on the weekends before and after Black Friday are much lower than the previous year (red arrows), while 2024 sales on Black Friday weekend are higher than 2023 (green arrow).
The 2024 Black Friday fell on 29 November, right at the end of the month — the same weekend many people got paid. That payday timing made a big difference: spending increased noticeably compared to 2023.
In 2025, Black Friday will be on 28 November, again close to payday. That’s great news for retailers who prepare early to make the most of it.