More Than Deal Seekers: Understanding Black Friday Weekend Shoppers
Black Friday Weekend shoppers are planners, researchers, and influential holiday gift-givers.
As the holiday season approaches, Black Friday Weekend remains one of the most important shopping moments of the year. For many consumers, it marks the official start of the holiday shopping season and serves as an opportunity to secure gifts, seasonal purchases, and year-end deals. In 2026, 29% of U.S. adults plan to do the majority of their holiday shopping during Black Friday, the weekend after Thanksgiving, or Cyber Monday. These shoppers also embrace an omnichannel approach to holiday shopping, with 36% reporting they shopped in stores and online equally for holidays over the past year, compared to 20% who shopped only in stores and 2% who shopped only online. Their influence extends beyond where they shop and into how much they spend. Black Friday Weekend shoppers spent an average of $510 on winter holiday purchases in 2025, highlighting their significant contribution to seasonal retail spending.
Interestingly, despite their participation, 71% agree that shopping on Black Friday is overrated and that the deals are rarely worth it, up from 65% in 2025 and 66% in 2024. These contrasting behaviors reveal an audience that continues to show up for holiday shopping despite growing skepticism around the event itself.
Black Friday Weekend shoppers spend more AND they start planning sooner.
Planning Holiday Shopping Before the Deals Begin
Holiday shopping often extends far beyond personal purchases, and Black Friday Weekend shoppers are no exception. These consumers are purchasing gifts for a wide range of people, highlighting their role as key gift-givers during the holiday season.
- Among Black Friday Weekend shoppers, 65% typically buy gifts for family members aged 18 and older, while 50% buy gifts for family members under 18.
- Another 49% typically purchase gifts for friends, demonstrating that holiday shopping frequently reaches beyond the immediate household.
- Black Friday Weekend shoppers also purchase gifts for co-workers or clients (17%, index 134), neighbors (15%, index 114), and teachers (10%, index 135), reinforcing their broad influence on seasonal spending.
These behaviors position Black Friday Weekend shoppers as consumers who are making purchasing decisions on behalf of multiple people throughout the holiday season.
Their approach to holiday shopping also reflects a strong planning mindset.
- Black Friday Weekend shoppers are 25% more likely to shop earlier than usual because of concerns about out-of-stock products and 25% more likely to shop earlier because of potential price increases.
- They are also 17% more likely to begin shopping earlier because of possible shipping delays and 16% more likely to spend more time comparing prices.
- At the same time, they are 41% more likely to plan on spending more money this holiday season and 50% more likely to report that they intend to shop less and donate more to charity.
Together, these behaviors reveal a shopper who is both strategic and proactive, carefully planning purchases while balancing holiday spending priorities. For marketers, this planning behavior creates multiple opportunities to influence purchase decisions throughout the season, not just during Black Friday Weekend itself.
The Gifts Filling Black Friday Weekend Shopping Carts
The holiday shopping lists of Black Friday Weekend shoppers are both diverse and intentional. From practical purchases to more meaningful gifts, these consumers are investing across multiple categories as they prepare for the season. Their purchasing decisions provide a valuable look at the products and experiences shaping holiday spending this year.
Tech
Among the categories competing for shoppers' attention, technology continues to be one of the most important gifting categories for Black Friday Weekend shoppers. These consumers are 36% more likely to purchase technology products as gifts than the average adult. Their spending highlights the importance of big-ticket electronics during the holiday season, with average annual expenditures reaching $654 on cellular phones and smartphones, $317 on video game hardware, and $308 on cameras and camcorders. Additional spending includes $185 on audio equipment and accessories, $145 on video games, and $73 on headphones. These purchases demonstrate how important technology is to Black Friday Weekend shoppers and how tech is likely a centerpiece of holiday wish lists and seasonal spending.
Subscriptions & Experiences
Not all holiday gifts come wrapped in a box. Black Friday Weekend shoppers are 51% more likely to purchase subscriptions as gifts, highlighting the growing appeal of recurring experiences and services. Among Black Friday Weekend shoppers, some of the most common retail subscription boxes include clothing and apparel (20%, index 160), food (19%, index 150), beauty products (17%, index 158), fitness and health products (15%, index 159), and beverages (14%, index 148). These subscriptions create an experience that extends beyond the holiday season, making them an increasingly attractive gifting option.
Gift-giving among Black Friday Weekend shoppers also extends beyond physical products and subscriptions. 14% of these shoppers like to give an experience as a gift, such as travel, event tickets, or lessons, reflecting a growing interest in memorable and personalized presents.
Beauty and Apparel
Beauty and apparel remain important categories for holiday spending. Black Friday Weekend shoppers are 25% more likely to purchase beauty products as gifts, with average expenditures reaching $100 for women's perfume and cologne, $98 for men's cologne, and $291 annually on women's health and beauty aids. Fashion purchases are also prevalent, as these shoppers are 5% more likely to purchase clothing and shoes as gifts. On average, consumers spend $857 annually on clothing and footwear, including $305 on women's clothing, $245 on men's clothing, and $231 on children's clothing. Together, these categories highlight the enduring popularity of personal and wearable gifts during the holiday season.
Jewelry and Accessories
For shoppers looking to purchase more premium gifts, jewelry and accessories continue to play a significant role. Black Friday Weekend shoppers are 15% more likely to purchase jewelry and accessories as gifts than the average adult. Average annual expenditures include $549 on fine jewelry, $254 on watches, $90 on costume jewelry, and $61 on non-prescription sunglasses. These purchases demonstrate that, alongside practical gifts, many holiday shoppers continue to invest in items, either for others or themselves, that carry a greater sense of sentiment and occasion.
Together, these spending patterns reveal shoppers who are willing to invest across a wide range of gift categories. For marketers, understanding what Black Friday Weekend shoppers buy is only part of the equation; understanding how they make purchasing decisions is what ultimately helps brands influence holiday spending.
Strategic Shoppers, Not Just Deal Seekers
Black Friday Weekend shoppers are often viewed as deal seekers, but their shopping behaviors suggest they are far more strategic. While finding value remains important, these consumers are also highly engaged in the shopping process, spending time researching products, comparing options, and looking for purchases that best fit their needs.
- 85% of Black Friday Weekend shoppers agree that they shop at different stores when purchasing relatively expensive items to ensure they get the best price.
- 73% agree that their number one goal when shopping is to save as much money as possible.
- 72% report spending more time researching brands than they did previously.
- 56% agree that they will gladly switch brands to use a coupon.
These behaviors suggest that Black Friday Weekend shoppers are not making impulsive purchasing decisions. Instead, they are actively evaluating products, pricing, and promotions before deciding where to spend their holiday dollars. For marketers, this means that clear value propositions and compelling product information can play a critical role in influencing purchase decisions.
Black Friday Weekend shoppers are brand explorers.
Nearly 8 in 10 enjoy trying new brands.
Yes, Value Matters. But Product Discovery Matters Too.
However, value is only part of the story. Black Friday Weekend shoppers are also highly receptive to discovering new products and brands. Even while researching and comparing purchases, they remain open to exploring unfamiliar options that offer something different.
- 78% agree that they like trying new brands.
- 63% agree that they go out of their way to find brands that are new and unique.
- 62% enjoy wandering stores looking for new and interesting products.
This combination of value-seeking and curiosity makes Black Friday Weekend shoppers particularly attractive to marketers. They are actively shopping, willing to engage with brands, and open to considering new products during one of the most important purchasing periods of the year.
The Takeaway
Black Friday Weekend shoppers represent one of the most influential audiences of the holiday shopping season. They are shopping for multiple people, spending across a wide range of gift categories, and making decisions that often shape household holiday spending. Their behaviors demonstrate a thoughtful balance between finding value, exploring new products, researching purchases, and planning ahead for seasonal shopping demands. While many may believe Black Friday is overrated, they continue to participate because it provides an opportunity to accomplish much more than finding a deal. For marketers, understanding these shoppers provides valuable insight into one of the holiday season's most influential consumer segments. Brands that engage Black Friday Weekend shoppers early and align with their planning mindset will be better positioned to drive meaningful connections and influence purchasing decisions during the busiest shopping period of the year.
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Source: 2026 August Retail Trends Study (SP26 USA)
Audience: Plan to do the majority of their holiday shopping during Black Friday, the weekend after Thanksgiving, or Cyber Monday.
