Observed Signal · Sep 18, 2026 · Analysis / Insight · Source: The Drum · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Retail & E-commerce Market: Black Friday Peak Trading Moves to October
Black Friday remains a key conversion moment, but the peak trading window is shifting earlier. Analysis from Experian and Reward, based on 1.4bn UK transactions, shows the 2024 peak window grew by over 10%, with October and December outperforming November. IMRG reports that 60% of tracked retailers launched Black Friday campaigns earlier in 2025, and half ran longer campaigns. Consumers are also starting earlier: Barclays found 60% of UK Black Friday shoppers began searching in October, while 68% were skeptical about deal value. Major retailers like Amazon and Currys have moved promotions into October. The article argues brands should use October to build audiences, test creative, and capture first-party data, rather than waiting for November's peak auction prices.
Relevant to retail and performance marketing strategies, but not a major industry shift.
Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Experian and Reward analysis of 1.4bn UK transactions found the 2024 peak trading window grew by more than 10%, with October and December outperforming November.
- IMRG found that 60% of tracked retailers launched Black Friday campaigns earlier in 2025 than in 2024, and half ran longer campaigns; by Halloween, 15% were live.
- Barclays found that 60% of UK Black Friday shoppers began searching in October, and 68% were skeptical about deal genuineness.
- PwC expected Black Friday participation to fall from 53% to 46% in 2025, while intended spend among participants rose 13% to £262.
- Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days took place on 7-8 October 2025; Currys launched Black Friday activity by 29 October.
- Space & Time's work with luxury brand Wolf for its 2025 winter sale showed that across the full period, paid-search revenue increased 131% against a 90% spend increase, improving ROAS by 22%.
Connected Companies & Entities
6 Entities mappedPwC
Professional services network selling consulting, managed services, and enterprise software.
“PwC expected participation to fall from 53% to 46% in 2025......”
IMRG
UK e-commerce membership body offering benchmarking, insight and events.
“IMRG found that 60% of tracked retailers launched their Black Friday campaigns earlier in 2025......”
Experian
Credit, identity and marketing data platform for businesses and consumers.
“Analysis from Experian and Reward, based on 1.4bn UK transactions......”
Currys
Omnichannel retailer of consumer electronics, services and mobile plans.
“Currys launched Black Friday activity by 29 October with a lowest-ever-price proposition......”
Amazon
Global commerce, cloud, advertising and subscription platform company.
“Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days took place on 7-8 October 2025......”
Barclays
UK universal bank serving consumers, businesses, and institutions.
“Barclays found that 60% of UK Black Friday shoppers began searching as early as October....”
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