Turn our Black Friday/Cyber Monday insights into your 2025 retail opportunities

As shoppers worldwide rushed to secure BFCM deals, a shift in payment preferences became evident. Across the entire weekend, while credit and debit cards remain popular in the US, local payment methods (LPMs) grew in prevalence by 40% YoY compared to 2023. 

Interestingly, those who paid with LPMs in the US spent 20% more than those who paid with global card networks. This number was 26% higher at a global level. 

There’s a diversification in how people are paying in the US. Retailers can stay ahead by offering a mix of LPMs that cater to the increasing demand for faster and more flexible payment options. With younger consumers increasingly turning to alternatives, retailers can capture this growing segment by integrating these payment methods into their checkout processes, which are made available by forward-thinking payment providers.

On Black Friday, there were distinct regional trends in how and when people chose to shop. 

In the US, peak shopping activity on Black Friday occurred between 12-1pm, likely due to Thanksgiving traditions and post-meal downtime. In Europe, particularly in Germany and France, online shopping dominates the weekend, with peak times later in the day. France saw a surge from 3-4pm, while the Netherlands and Germany peaked around 5pm. 

In contrast, Europe has increasingly shifted towards online deals, positioning BFCM as an ecommerce event.

Understanding these regional peak shopping times is invaluable for retailers. By adopting an omnichannel approach, businesses can ensure their payment systems seamlessly handle both in-store and online transactions. In the US, where in-store shopping dominates, implementing an endless aisle is key during peak moments like Black Friday. This allows customers to order in-store and have products delivered to their address, ensuring sales are not lost when items are out of stock in-store but available in warehouse inventory. (It’s worth noting that donations in-store in the US went up 56% YoY on Black Friday). 

For European markets, where online shopping leads, it’s crucial to optimize ecommerce platforms for traffic surges, offer tailored promotions, and enable frictionless checkouts through digital wallets and LPMs.

We processed nearly 100 million in-person payments over the BFCM weekend, and the results tell a compelling story. In the US, consumer confidence in contactless payments surpassed chip-and-pin transactions for the first time on the platform. Contactless payments accounted for 58% of in-person payments in the US, mirroring the upward global trend, where contactless is now the default at 81%.

This marks a significant milestone in payment preferences as consumers increasingly seek speed and convenience at checkout. The rise of contactless payments and digital wallets signals a shift toward mobile-first, frictionless transactions. This is a clear opportunity for retailers to streamline the checkout process and enhance customer experience by adopting technologies like Tap to Pay.

Merchants who enabled Tap to Pay on iPhone saw a 177% increase in volume on Black Friday YoY, showcasing the powerful impact of seamless, queue-busting payment solutions. As consumers prioritize speed, those who implement contactless payment options next year will be better positioned to capture more sales and prevent long lines during key shopping periods.

Leading up to BFCM weekend, many questioned whether Black Friday would still hold its credentials as the retail phenomenon it once was, given the increasing prevalence of early sales and promotions. In the US, we observed elevated payment activity for at least seven days before Black Friday, particularly on the Saturday before, when some businesses did indeed launch early deals. This early momentum continued throughout the week, culminating in a definitive peak on Black Friday itself.

In contrast, Europe saw more of a "shopping hill" trend, with activity ramping up earlier in the week, but Black Friday itself did not generate the same surge in payments as it did in the US. In fact, our analysis of the top 100 retailers in the US showed that Black Friday saw nearly 6X the volume in-store compared to a typical retail day, demonstrating just how much of a "peak" moment this is for store-bound American shoppers. 

Retailers should consider these insights when planning their 2025 strategies. While in-store shopping on Black Friday remains the pinnacle of retail activity in the US, earlier promotions and online deals are increasingly taking the spotlight in Europe. Retailers who adapt to these shifting dynamics and plan their campaigns accordingly will be better positioned to maximize revenue across different regions.

In some parts of the world, the hustle and bustle of doorbuster deals is a thing of the past, replaced by quiet clicks and quick taps on mobile screens. Yet, in other regions, the excitement of in-store shopping—racing for the best deals and experiencing the thrill of grabbing the perfect item—remains as popular as ever. 

Whether your business focuses on online, in-store, or both, understanding these shifts will be key to staying competitive for BFCM weekend next year. As the shopping landscape continues to evolve, the question remains: How will you adapt to meet the expectations of tomorrow's shoppers?

With the right strategies, the road to 2025 is full of opportunity. There’s no reason not to set your sights on even greater success next year.

Blog methodology

The data in this blog was collected during two key periods: Black Friday Day, which spans Friday, November 29, 2024, from 00:00 New Zealand Daylight Time to 23:59 Pacific Standard Time, and Black Friday Cyber Monday Weekend, which runs from Friday, November 29, 2024, at 00:00 New Zealand Daylight Time to Monday, December 2, 2024, at 23:59 Pacific Standard Time. To calculate a "typical day" in section 4,  the median transaction volume for the top 100 retail merchants in each region was used, based on data from the period spanning November 28, 2023, to November 28, 2024. All data represents transactions processed on the Adyen platform during these periods, aggregated at the platform level to ensure anonymity and protect data privacy.