Shopping: “Blurred Friday”: How Black Friday Loses Its Edge & Second-Hand Wins Big
- InsightTrendsWorld
- Oct 28
- 8 min read
What is the “Blurred Friday & Resale Rise” Trend: The Shift from Peak Events to Continuous Conscious Shopping
Consumers are increasingly moving away from single-day shopping peaks like Black Friday and instead are spreading spending across the season — while simultaneously ramping up interest in second-hand fashion. This dual shift signals that the traditional calendar of retail hype is being replaced by smarter, more selective behaviour and that resale is transitioning from niche to mainstream.
From event to ecosystem. Only 11 % of respondents say their purchases come primarily on Black Friday or Cyber Monday — compared with 47 % who plan to spread their spend across the full promotional window. This shows the one-day spectacle model is fading.
Second-hand becomes mainstream. 62 % of consumers say they have bought or would consider buying second-hand fashion, and 18 % plan to use resale platforms this Christmas — showing resale is no longer peripheral.
Luxury under pressure. While fast-fashion online still grew (+14.7 % in 2024 vs 2022), luxury and designer fashion spending dropped 18.7 % in the Golden Quarter — signalling structural strain in premium segments in favour of value or pre-owned alternatives.
Why It Is Trending: When Habit Outpaces Hype and Sustainability Merges with Shopping
This trend emerges because consumers are rethinking how, when and why they purchase — driven by economic pressure, sustainability concerns, the convenience of digital channels and a desire for value.
Shopping fatigue and calendar saturation. With deals stretching earlier and longer, the sense of urgency tied to Black Friday weakens. Consumers now plan ahead, act smarter and resist impulse driven only by low price tags.
Cultural shift toward circularity. The uptake of second-hand fashion reflects a deeper consumer agenda: reuse, sustainability, and buying smarter rather than faster. It aligns with younger consumers especially who see pre-owned as meaningful.
Value-driven decision-making. In a tighter economic climate, more than half of consumers (53 %) say they will choose “personal or practical” gifts rather than big luxury splurges — indicating that relevance, not just brand or price, now drives buying.
Overview: The End of the Peak Shopping Day?
Retailers and brands have long relied on the Golden Quarter and flagship days like Black Friday to drive huge volume surges. But the Cardlytics data show that behavioural patterns are evolving: spend is spreading, switch to resale is growing, and luxury is losing dominance. The implication is clear: brands must rethink their timing, channel strategy and value proposition. For this season, observation suggests that success will come less from blitz deals and more from sustained engagement, smarter targeting and alignment with consumer values.
Detailed Findings: How Spending Patterns Are Rewiring
Spending diffusion. In 2024, the Saturday after Black Friday saw spend up 27 % and the strongest single day of spend occurred a full week after Cyber Monday — illustrating how consumer timing is loosening.
Resale uptake. Almost one in five (18 %) plan to buy second-hand fashion this Christmas; nearly a third say they will use marketplaces for fashion this season — signalling resale’s rise.
Luxury’s contraction. The luxury/designer fashion category is more than 11 % behind 2022 levels in the Golden Quarter, reflecting that premium segment growth is lagging and possibly giving way to value or circular alternatives.
Shifting gift motivation. Over 50 % of consumers say their gifts this year will be more personal/practical — not just status purchases — indicating a shift in consumer aspiration and brand relevance metrics.
Key Success Factors of the Trend: The 3P Framework — Planning Ahead, Platform Flexibility, Purpose-Driven
For brands to thrive in this new landscape, they must align with how consumers now shop, not how they used to.
Planning ahead. Brands need to engage earlier in the season and avoid putting all effort into one peak weekend. The data show consumer behaviour starts before Black Friday now.
Platform flexibility. Given the rise in resale and marketplace usage, brands must expand their channel mindset — embracing second-hand, marketplace collaborations or circular models rather than just first-sale retail.
Purpose-driven relevance. With value, sustainability and authenticity topping motivations, successful brands will emphasise relevance rather than just promotion — aligning with consumer concerns about practicality, personalisation and impact.
Key Takeaway: Holiday Spending Isn’t Collapsing — It’s Evolving
The shift isn’t about less consumption — it’s about different consumption. The shopping season is becoming more distributed, second-hand more accepted, and luxury more challenged. For brands and retailers, the imperative is to mirror the consumer mindset: early, smart, relevant and sustainable.
The power of Black Friday as a dominant moment is diminishing — the future is multi-day, multi-channel, and multi-format.
Resale is becoming a core part of fashion’s value chain, not just a fringe category.
Consumer motivations now pivot around relevance, personalisation and purpose just as much as price.
Core Consumer Trend: The Conscious Planner
Consumers are increasingly strategic, selective and conscious in their holiday spending. They value time, relevance and longevity just as much as price. They plan early, look beyond one-day deals, embrace resale and reward brands that align with their values.
Description of the Trend: “Seasonal Shopping Re-Timed & Re-Used”
This trend captures how the traditional shopping calendar is being re-written.
Instead of a burst of activity around Black Friday/Cyber Monday, more spend is distributed across pre-Black Friday weeks and post-Cyber Monday days.
Instead of buying new as default, an increasing number of consumers view resale and second-hand as viable, mainstream options.
The idea of gifting shifts from status signalling to personal relevance — meaning brands must speak to identity, utility and affinity rather than hype alone.
Key Characteristics of the Trend: The S.P.R.E.A.D. Framework — Seasonality Redefined, Platforms Diversified, Resale Normalised, Engagement Sustained, Authenticity Prioritised
Seasonality Redefined. The promotional window expands beyond one weekend into a multi-week strategy.
Platforms Diversified. Shopping moves across traditional retail, online channels, resale marketplaces and peer-to-peer.
Resale Normalised. Buying pre-owned is no longer niche—it’s mainstream.
Engagement Sustained. Single-day spikes are replaced with ongoing brand-consumers relationships.
Authenticity Prioritised. Relevance, values and personal connection matter more than discount depth alone.
Market and Cultural Signals Supporting the Trend: When Deals Meet Values
More than 60 % of consumers believe second-hand fashion is something they have bought or would consider — signalling demographic shift.
Spend on the day after Black Friday rose 27 % in 2024, demonstrating that the peak shifted.
Luxury fashion spending crashed 18.7 % in the Golden Quarter vs 2022, reinforcing that premium segments are under pressure.
What Is Consumer Motivation: Smart Over Splurge, Value Over Volume
Consumers are motivated by a mix of practicality, sustainability and emotional resonance—not just the adrenaline of a deal.
They plan earlier and avoid the chaos of the one-day event, preferring considered purchases.
They view resale as value, sustainability and self-expression, not compromise.
They want gifts that feel meaningful or practical, not just discounted status symbols.
What Is Motivation Beyond the Trend: Shifting Perceptions of Ownership and Timing
Beyond immediate spending behaviour, the underlying motivation signals a deeper mindset shift: ownership, time and value are being re-calibrated.
Ownership is evolving: buying new gives way to accessing, reselling or curating pre-owned.
Time, not just money, is scarce—consumers reject the “must-buy on Black Friday” model in favour of freedom.
Value is broader than price—it includes personal relevance, ethics, and future flexibility.
Description of Consumers: The Value-Conscious Curators
These shoppers are informed, intentional and oriented around long-term value rather than short-term deals.
Who they are. Mid to higher income but cautious households that weigh cost, sustainability and relevance.
How they engage. They research ahead, shop early, consider resale options, plan gifting thoughtfully.
Why they connect. They seek meaning, utility and authenticity in purchases—not just status.
Consumer Detailed Summary: Who Are the Value-Conscious Curators?
Who are them? Individuals who see fashion as expression, but treat the purchase decision as part of a broader lifestyle narrative.
What is their age? Broadly 25-55, with younger shoppers driving resale but older segments increasingly accepting it.
What is their gender? Inclusive, but data suggests female shoppers are early adopters of second-hand.
What is their income? Middle to upper middle; they have spend power but are mindful of value and relevance.
What is their lifestyle? Digitally informed, socially conscious, mix new and resale, spread their purchases across time, use fashion as expression but resist over-consumption.
How the Trend Is Changing Consumer Behavior: From Flash to Flow
Traditional retail behaviour anchored on singular peak events is giving way to continuous, thoughtful shopping patterns.
Instead of waiting for one day, consumers start before Black Friday, spread spending afterwards and even finish shopping before the day arrives.
Instead of defaulting to new, first-time purchases, many now consider resale, marketplace buying and pre-owned as first options.
Instead of bargain hunting alone, consumers seek relevance, personal resonance and sustainability in what they buy.
Implications Across the Ecosystem: The Tomorrow of Retail Preparation
For Consumers. Greater freedom, better value and more meaningful purchase decisions without the pressure of one-day events.
For Brands & Retailers. Brands must expand beyond one-weekend campaigns, engage earlier, embrace resale or circular models and connect on relevance and values—not just price.
For Marketing & Strategy. Campaigns should shift from hype to continuity, from discount-only to value story, from new-only to hybrid (new + resale) models.
Strategic Forecast: The Era of Distributed Deals & Circular Fashion
Retail’s future will lean on continuous engagement, resale integration and campaigns calibrated to value rather than urgency.
Distributed deals. Promotional peaks will flatten across longer windows, with brands activating pre- and post-Black Friday.
Circular integration. Second-hand marketplaces, resale partnerships and brand take-backs become mainstream channels, not side hustles.
Value storytelling. Marketing will emphasise personal relevance, sustainability credentials and utility rather than “lowest price.”
Areas of Innovation (Implied by the Trend): The Resale-Ready Retail Model
Resale partnerships. Brands launching their own second-hand divisions or collaborating with marketplaces to tap the growing resale consumer base.
Smart scheduling tech. Using data to optimise promotional windows beyond fixed calendar events, mapping attention rather than tradition.
Hybrid stock models. Mixing new, limited-edition collections with curated pre-owned inventory to appeal to both freshness and value.
Summary of Trends: The Shift from Blitz to Balanced
The fashion retail landscape is evolving away from impulse events and toward considered, continuous, circular consumption.
Calendar vs behaviour. The fasting of Black Friday’s impact shows time-behaviour is winning over tradition.
New vs re-modeled. Resale is moving into the mainstream, not just the fringe.
Hype vs relevance. Consumers reward brands that deliver meaning, not just markdowns.
Scarcity vs selectivity. Value and purpose outweigh urgency and noise.
Core Consumer Trend — The Value-Conscious Curator
Consumers making smarter, slower, more intentional fashion decisions — balancing new, curated or pre-owned.
Core Social Trend — Circular Fashion Culture
Resale is no longer retro—it’s now cultural. Buying pre-owned becomes part of mainstream identity.
Core Strategy — Calendar-Agile Retailing
Brands shift from rigid launch windows to flexible, audience-led schedules.
Core Industry Trend — The Resale-First Shift
Second-hand is moving center stage in fashion’s business model—not just clearance channel.
Core Consumer Motivation — Relevance Over Rush
Consumers want what fits their values and schedule, not just what’s on sale.
Core Insight — The Occasion Has Changed, Not the Urge
People still want to buy—but the moment now belongs to them, not the calendar.
Trend Implications for Consumers and Brands — Shopping Smarter Wins More Than Shopping Faster
For consumers: more freedom, more value, more meaning. For brands: the partner you want needs to show up early, consistently, and in tune with your values—not just once a year for a discount.
Final Thought: From One Day to Every Day — The Retail Reset Is Here
The data from Cardlytics signals a major shift in how we shop: no longer is it about the sprint of Black Friday—it’s now about the race of relevance, the marathon of sustainability and the timing of intention. For fashion brands, the lesson is clear: the window is wider, the options more varied, and the value more nuanced. In this new era, the winner won’t be the one with the biggest sale—it will be the one with the smartest story, the right timing and the real emotional connection. Friday’s blurred. The focus? Everything else.
Comments