Black Friday and Search Trend Evolution Over Time

Black Friday History and Origins

The Friday after Thanksgiving became the unofficial start of the Christmas shopping season in th US. This was largely cemented by the first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1924, which always concludes with the arrival of Santa Claus to kick off the holidays.

1950s and 1960s

The name Black Friday was used in the 1950s and 1960s with retailers using Black Friday to outline the high levels of “sickness” leave taken the day after Thanksgiving (1950s) and then by Police services to highlight the chaos and traffic jams caused by shoppers in the 1960s. 

1980s

It wasn’t until the 1980s that retailers successfully promoted “Black Friday” as a term to indicate their businesses moving into the black ie making a profit, changing the narrative and creating the now popular term “Black Friday”.

2005

The term "Cyber Monday" was coined by the National Retail Federation in November 2005 to specifically encourage people to shop online on the Monday after Thanksgiving using their faster internet connections at work.

2010

By early 2010, with ecommerce growing rapidly, the distinction between Black Friday and “Cyber Monday” had begun to blur. Retailers realised they couldn’t wait until Cyber Monday to offer online deals and began to offer deals on Black Friday itself. At this time, Amazon brought the Black Friday phenomenon to the UK in earnest.

2020

During 2020 the Covid 19 pandemic effectively forced all retainers to make online shopping the dominant method for Black Friday Deals. 

Present Day

A modern day Black Friday now consists of a carefully planned strategy including teaser campaigns, starting as early as August and running far beyond the traditional Black Friday and Cyber Monday. 
What this means is that modern retailers need to plan earlier and take account of modern consumer habits online and instore.

When is Black Friday?

Black Friday is the unofficial start of the Christmas shopping season, known for retailers offering massive sales and deep discounts. Although it originated in the US, Black Friday has become a major shopping event in many countries around the world. It traditionally takes place the day after Thanksgiving in the United States i.e. the fourth Friday in November. Therefore, for 2025, Black Friday in the UK will also be on Friday, November 28, 2025.

Black Friday in the Modern Online Era

Our analysis of search data pre and post pandemic indicates that we are now seeing significant shifts in consumer behaviour. These shifts show that while there is still often a peak of activity on Black Friday, up to 70% of the search volume actually happens from October to Early November, with interest in Black Friday Deals beginning as early as August.

Black Friday Consumer Behaviour Changes

A recent article from Think with Google highlights that modern consumer search queries consistently reflect a strategic desire for value maximisation and financial leverage, demonstrating a sophisticated approach to managing holiday budgets.

Within this article they go further, stating “This shift has given rise to what we’re calling the shopper’s new value equation. To feel confident in their spending, consumers now validate their choices based on three key pillars: the right price, deep product confidence, and seamless purchase convenience. For marketers, understanding and optimising for each component of this equation is paramount to converting cautious consideration into confident buys.”

Their findings echo findings from our Behavioural Science team and  means for online retailers is that, price sensitivity remains a major driver of search activity. Affordability and convenience in delivery have also become a mandatory part of a consumer's search journey; 68% of consumers view affordable or free shipping as the biggest driver of a positive shopping experience, classifying free and reliable shipping as their most preferred deal type. Consumers are also actively using financial tools to manage spending on higher ticket items with the use of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) Services, correlating with a significant increase in online sales.

In addition to financial tools, advancements in technology play a critical role in the consumer shopping experience, with consumers turning to AI for product research and price comparisons. This means your SEO and GEO strategies need to be aligned to ensure you’re visible in these search engines ahead of time.

Strategic Implications For Black Friday Campaigns

THE EARLY TRANSACTION ECONOMY

Analysis confirms that consumer desire and transactional readiness precedes the traditional Black Friday date by 6 - 8 weeks, with search interest beginning as early as August. This early readiness from consumers means retailers need to shift their focus to this earlier window, specifically being prepared to showcase Black Friday deals in the 10 day period leading up to Black Friday. 

Taking advantage of this early interest requires launching sophisticated teaser campaigns, countdowns and sneak peaks in August and September to capture early planners as well as staggering promotions, sales and tiered discounts to sustain search engagement and reward those who convert early.

Optimise for Intent As Well As Discount

Search behaviour of modern shoppers prioritises transparency, financial leverage and mobile convenience. To succeed, retailers must integrate BNPL (Buy Now Pay Later) options prominently on product pages and at checkout to meet the demand for financial flexibility.

Compete with Exclusivity

Black Friday itself faces fragmentation from large scale competitors like Amazon's Prime day and global events like Singles’ Day, meaning there is significant competition for consumer spend. Reliance on generic terms like “Black Friday Deals” is now highly competitive and expensive meaning retailers need to utilise localised search data to identify product gaps and build differentiation through exclusive offerings which cannot be easily price matched.

Is Black Friday Truly What it Used to Be

Black Friday as a singular chaotic day of uniform discounts tied to the day after Thanksgiving is obsolete. Search data and associated trends provide conclusive evidence of its transformation into a complex, multi-stage and highly anticipated retail platform. With the period of interest highlighted by these search volumes pulling consumer readiness to purchase forward, the traditional Cyber Five or Cyber Week is now the culmination of a month-long process, not the start. 

Consumers are now utilising strategic financial tools (BNPL) and AI research and verification, moving from impulse buys toward strategic purchases from desired categories. Search Queries also indicate the search journey now continues into Q1 with a concentrated focus on self-gifting and loyalty program enrollment in January and early February. Retailers can capitalise on this new trend and increase customer loyalty and spend 

Retail success is no longer defined merely by the sales spike on the calendar date of Black Friday, but by the strategic management of search intent across a seamless, protracted customer journey extending from August through January. The search data confirms that Black Friday is not dead; it has simply evolved into a more sophisticated, longer, and more demanding retail season.

For UK retailers, adapting to this extended cycle requires robust digital, SEO, and Geo-targeting capabilities. Strategic SEO ensures visibility during the 6–8 week anticipatory phase, intercepting early planner search intent before competitors secure the sale. With nearly half of shoppers finalising purchases in-store after online research, optimising your local search presence and providing accurate, integrated GEO services (such as location-specific inventory or store-front details) is crucial to capitalise on the sustained interest in Technology and Durables. By prioritising digital excellence alongside optimised physical presence, retailers can transform the transactional nature of the Black Friday weekend into a foundation for year-round customer loyalty and margin improvement

For expert advice on Black Friday campaigns and associated search strategies contact Reflect Digital now, We would love to hear from you.