Shopping: Black Friday Becomes a Fortnight: The Rise of the “Seasonal Shopper” Era

What Is the “Fortnight of Black Friday” Trend?

Recent findings from Experian and Reward show that Black Friday has transformed from a 24-hour retail frenzy into a multi-week shopping season, reflecting the evolution of consumer habits in the UK and beyond.

• The shift from surge to season: Black Friday’s dominance as a single shopping day has declined, while spending across the broader window has grown by 10% year-on-year.

• Extended shopping horizon: October and December 2024 both outperformed November for sales, confirming the move toward a season-long holiday retail rhythm.

• The new mindset: Shoppers are prioritising wellness, experiences, and value-led purchases rather than flash retail splurges.

• Broader engagement: This new shopping culture favours balance and planning over urgency—turning Black Friday from a “mad rush” into a curated month of mindful consumption.

Insight: Black Friday has evolved from a single shopping storm into a season of strategic spending, defined by emotional intelligence and financial awareness.

Why It Is Trending: “From Hype to Habit”

Several macro shifts are reshaping the modern retail calendar. Consumers are trading adrenaline for awareness.

• Inflation and cost of living: Economic pressures are pushing shoppers to spread purchases over time instead of bulk-buying on one day.

• Wellbeing-first mentality: Purchases increasingly support mental, physical, and emotional health, from wellness memberships to self-care products.

• Sustainability awareness: Consumers favour resale, value-driven, and eco-conscious platforms, reducing wasteful impulse buys.

• Digital fatigue: Social shopping and resale marketplaces provide slower, more interactive purchasing experiences compared to chaotic single-day events.

Insight: The Black Friday frenzy has matured—today’s consumer wants balance, not burnout.

Overview: The New Black Friday Economy

Black Friday’s original purpose—driving a one-day spending surge—has been replaced by a longer, smarter spending season spanning mid-November into early December.

• The broader trading window increased over 10% vs 2023, signalling consumer preference for planned, spread-out shopping.

• Value-driven retail (+42% YoY) and resale marketplaces (+21% YoY) are now key beneficiaries of this change.

• Older consumers (65+) now represent 14% of all online spending, showing that digital and discount-savvy behaviour spans generations.

• Retail is entering a “marathon, not sprint” era, where engagement and retention matter more than one-day peaks.

Insight: The new retail rhythm is steady, sustainable, and strategically extended.

Detailed Findings: “How Shopping Patterns Are Expanding and Evolving”

• Experiential over material: Domestic and international travel spend grew by 8.3% in Q4 2024 and continues to climb in 2025 (+3.1% YTD).

• Wellness economy boom: Gym memberships up 9.4% YTD, health and beauty spend up 2.2%, and nutrition sales up 5.6%—proving the shift toward holistic wellbeing.

• Digital-first expansion: Social shopping channels are up 23.6% YoY, while resale marketplaces continue to outperform traditional retail.

• New demographic players: Mature homeowners, suburban families, younger renters, and budget-conscious buyers are leading spending activity across the extended season.

Insight: The new Black Friday is less about speed, more about self-care and sustainability.

Key Success Factors for Retailers: “Winning the Two-Week Window”

• Plan for longevity: Campaigns should stretch across two to three weeks, not just one day.

• Emphasize value over urgency: Focus messaging on quality, relevance, and real savings, not fear of missing out.

• Diversify touchpoints: Include digital, social, and experiential channels—particularly resale and community platforms.

• Reward loyalty: Leverage customer data and loyalty programs to extend engagement before and after the main event.

Insight: Retailers that view Black Friday as a relationship-building marathon will outperform those chasing one-day conversions.

Key Characteristics of the Trend: “Seasonal Shopping State of Mind”

• Multi-stage engagement: Early teasers, mid-season deals, and late-season personalization.

• Hybrid retailing: Shoppers mix in-person experiences (like gym or spa memberships) with online purchases.

• Purpose-driven consumption: Emphasis on brands offering value, ethics, and longevity.

• Experience over excess: Consumers prefer travel, wellness, and creative services to fast fashion or disposable electronics.

Insight: The future of seasonal shopping is measured not by baskets, but by balance.

Market and Cultural Signals Supporting the Trend: “Slow Burn Spending”

• The broader trading period up +10% YoY proves shoppers are spreading spending across weeks.

• Experiential categories—travel, wellness, fitness—outperform retail goods in growth rate.

• Social commerce and resale channels are accelerating across all age groups, especially seniors.

• Value culture dominates consumer language, with “smart buys,” “self-investment,” and “season-long deals” replacing “doorbusters.”

Insight: The market is adapting to a calmer, more intentional version of the holiday shopping cycle.

What Is Consumer Motivation: “Spend Smart, Feel Better”

• Mindful momentum: Shoppers seek joy through meaningful purchases rather than quick dopamine hits.

• Financial mindfulness: Consumers spread spending for better control and emotional ease.

• Sustainability: Shopping less, but with purpose—supporting circular fashion, resale, and local business.

• Wellness as luxury: Self-care, nutrition, and travel have replaced big-ticket impulse buys.

Insight: Consumers aren’t anti-shopping—they’re pro-balance.

Description of Consumers: “The Mindful Multiplier”

• Who they are: A cross-generational mix—from value-driven Gen Z to digital-savvy Boomers.

• Age: 25–70+, with the 65+ group becoming a major online force.

• Gender: Mixed, with female consumers driving wellness and lifestyle purchases, and men fueling experience-based categories.

• Lifestyle: Pragmatic, health-conscious, digitally connected, and financially aware.

Insight: Today’s Black Friday audience isn’t impulsive—it’s informed, intentional, and inclusive.

How the Trend Is Changing Consumer Behavior: “The End of the Flash Frenzy”

• From panic to planning: Fewer impulse purchases, more premeditated budgets.

• Greater brand loyalty: Repeat purchases across categories driven by trust and ethical alignment.

• Experiential diversification: Retail merges with leisure—fitness, wellness, and travel integrated into gifting.

• Cross-generation adoption: Older shoppers embrace digital convenience and discount agility.

Insight: The modern consumer doesn’t chase discounts—they design them into their lives.

Implications Across the Ecosystem: “Retail in the Age of Calm Commerce”

• For Brands & Retailers: Expand campaigns, integrate wellness narratives, and partner with experience-led platforms.

• For Marketers: Replace urgency language with empowerment—highlight savings, self-investment, and flexibility.

• For Platforms: Invest in resale, social shopping, and loyalty ecosystems to extend engagement past Black Friday.

• For Consumers: The holiday experience becomes a journey—not a single transaction.

Insight: The new retail advantage lies in sustained value storytelling across an extended festive season.

Areas of Innovation: “Experience-Led Black Friday”

• Hybrid retail models: Blending ecommerce with in-person events (fitness pop-ups, travel tie-ins).

• Circular retail: Expanding resale, trade-in, and repair services as mainstream value channels.

• Emotional analytics: Tracking consumer sentiment to tailor offers around wellbeing and calmness.

• Age-inclusive design: Optimizing online retail for older, digitally confident shoppers.

Insight: Innovation means merging emotion, value, and duration—not just dropping prices.

Summary of Trends: “The Fortnight of Feel-Good Shopping”

Black Friday has evolved into a slower, more mindful, and value-centric celebration of spending.

• Core Consumer Trend — “Seasonal Balance Buying”Spreading purchases over time for calm and control.

• Core Social Trend — “Wellness Over Whirlwind”Replacing chaotic consumerism with lifestyle-centric value.

• Core Strategy — “Engage Early, Retain Longer”Retailers stretch campaigns to build trust and connection.

• Core Industry Trend — “Sustainable Shopping Season”Value, ethics, and resale platforms drive long-term growth.

• Core Consumer Motivation — “Feel-Good Frugality”Consumers align spending with wellbeing and personal meaning.

• Core Insight — “Black Friday Isn’t One Day Anymore”It’s a state of mind—steady, strategic, and satisfying.

• Trend Implication — “Retail Wins When It Feels Right”Emotional alignment now outperforms urgency and discounts.

Insight: The new Black Friday season is not about how much you buy—it’s about how meaningfully you spend.

Final Thought: From Flash Sale to Feel-Good Season

The modern consumer no longer lives by the clock of one-day discounts. They value comfort, balance, and wellbeing as much as savings. For brands, that means trading urgency for empathy, and hype for harmony.

Insight: The future of Black Friday isn’t about the countdown—it’s about the calm down.

Source: https://retailtechinnovationhub.com/home/2025/10/30/black-friday-now-a-fortnight-not-a-single-day-as-new-research-flags-changing-shopping-habits