Black Friday: How Data and Marketing Shape the Biggest Shopping Day of the Year

-

Black Friday has become one of the most important shopping events in the world. What started as a single day of discounts in the United States is now a global phenomenon that influences businesses, customers and entire markets. For companies, Black Friday is not only about offering big discounts, but it is also a key moment to use analytics, improve marketing strategies and understand customer behavior. In this article, we will explore the history of Black Friday, why it is important for businesses and how data and marketing help companies succeed during this intense shopping season.


A Short History of Black Friday

Black Friday takes place the day after Thanksgiving in the United States. Traditionally, this day marks the unofficial start of the Christmas shopping season. The name “Black Friday” has several explanations. One popular story says that the term was used by police in Philadelphia in the 1960s to describe the heavy traffic and crowded streets during the shopping rush. Another explanation is more business-related: stores operate “in the red” (losing money) for most of the year, and Black Friday was the day they finally moved “into the black” (making profit).

Over time, Black Friday became a huge event with massive discounts, long lines outside stores and a sense of excitement for customers. Nowadays, this day is not just about physical stores. Online shopping has transformed Black Friday into a global digital event, with many countries adopting the tradition even without celebrating Thanksgiving. The rise of e-commerce has also changed the length of the event: now we have pre-Black Friday deals, Cyber Monday and entire Cyber Weeks.

Why Black Friday Matters for Businesses

Black Friday is much more than a sales event, it is a strategic opportunity for companies. For many businesses, especially retailers, Black Friday is responsible for a large percentage of their annual revenue. But beyond profits, it also helps companies:

1. Attract new customers: many customers who don’t usually buy from a brand may visit it during Black Friday because of the discounts. This is a chance for companies to create long-term relationships through good service, quality products and follow-up marketing.

2. Clear old inventory: Black Friday is ideal for selling products from previous seasons. This helps companies free up warehouse space and prepare for new collections.

3. Increase brand visibility: during Black Friday, competition is high, so companies invest a great amount of money in advertising. Even if some customers do not buy immediately, brand exposure can help future sales.

4. Test new marketing strategies: because customer activity increases, Black Friday is an excellent time to test campaigns, promotions, email strategies and website improvements.

5. Gather valuable data: Black Friday generates an enormous amount of data about customer behavior, preferences and purchase patterns. This information is extremely important for future planning.

The Role of Analytics in Black Friday Success

Analytics plays a crucial role during Black Friday. Companies use data before, during and after the event to improve performance, reduce risks and make better decisions.

Before Black Friday

Businesses analyze past data to predict demand. They study which products were popular, which promotions worked best and when customers were most active. This information helps companies prepare stock, set prices and design marketing campaigns.

For example, predictive analytics can estimate how many units of a product will sell. If the system predicts high demand, companies can increase inventory. If it predicts low demand, companies can adjust the discount or focus on other items.

During Black Friday

Real-time analytics allows companies to track what is happening at the moment. They can see:

  • Which products are selling the most

  • How many customers are visiting the website

  • Which marketing channels are bringing more visitors

  • How customers react to different promotions

With this information, companies can make quick decisions. For example, if a product is selling too fast, they may reduce the discount to increase profit. If a campaign is not working, they can change it immediately.

After Black Friday

Post-event analytics is essential to understand what worked and what did not. Companies analyze customer behavior, advertising results, website performance and overall sales. This helps them improve future strategies not only for Black Friday, but also for Christmas season, end-of-year sales or other campaigns throughout the year.

Marketing Strategies That Drive Black Friday Sales

1. Email marketing: Email is one of the most effective tools for Black Friday. Brands send newsletters announcing deals, reminders, exclusive offers and early access opportunities. In relation to the messages, simple and clear ones usually perform best.
2. Social media campaigns: platforms like Instagram or TikTok are essential for reaching younger audiences. Many brands use short videos, influencers and countdown posts to create excitement.
3. Paid advertising: Google Ads and social media ads help companies reach new customers quickly. During Black Friday, competition for ads is high, so brands need smart targeting and optimized budgets.
4. Personalization: many websites personalize recommendations during Black Friday. This means customers see products based on their past behavior. Personalization increases the chances of completing a sale.
5. Creating urgency: techniques like limited-time deals, countdown timers or low-stock alerts make customers feel they must buy quickly before the offer ends.
6. Loyalty programs: some brands offer early access or special discounts for loyal customers. This helps build long-term relationships and increases customer satisfaction.


Challenges of Black Friday for Businesses

Even though Black Friday is an opportunity, it also presents challenges. Companies must prepare well to avoid problems such as:

Website Overload: with thousands of customers visiting at the same time, websites can slow down or crash and this can cause companies to lose sales.
Logistics and Delivery: shipping delays are common during Black Friday, so companies must ensure they have enough staff and transportation capacity.
Customer Service: more sales mean more questions, returns and complaints so businesses need strong customer service during this period.
Margin Pressure: because discounts are so high, some companies risk losing profit if they do not plan correctly.

Conclusion

Black Friday is now a global business phenomenon that brings opportunities for companies to increase sales, attract new customers and improve brand visibility. However, beyond discounts and promotions, the key to success lies in smart use of data and strong marketing strategies. Analytics helps companies understand demand, personalize experiences and make fast decisions. Marketing allows brands to communicate effectively and stand out during the busiest shopping period of the year.

For businesses, Black Friday is not just a normal day, it is a complete strategy that combines planning, technology, data and creativity. In an increasingly competitive environment, companies that learn from customer behavior and adapt quickly will continue to grow during this important shopping season.

Bibliography

Comentarios

Publicar un comentario

Entradas populares de este blog

PATAGONIA INC. AN EXCELLENT CSR EXAMPLE

-
Imagen
                    In this post we are going to find out how Patagonia, a United States sport clothing company, has a large number of consumers due to their well thought-out and traditional Corporate Social Responsibility. Their activism environment defense is their most important competitive advantage in the market.  According to the University of Zaragoza the Corporate Social Responsibility of a company (from now on CSR) is «a way of running the company based on the management of the impacts that its activity generates on its stakeholders». The firms invest a huge amount of money creating programs whose main goal is the protection of the environment, the integrity of people as workers and citizens, education, other relevant social facets and so on. But… Why do they do this? Does it have some economic benefit for the company? Or is it simply philanthropy?  Patagonia was founded in 1973 by Yvon Chouinard. Currently, the head o...
Read more »

THE MARKETING MIX AND THE EXAMPLE OF COCA-COLA

-
Have you ever think about how marketing can help to a company and the influence on increasing the effectiveness of product promotion and their role to reduce problems within the organization? Today we will discuss some aspects of marketing theory, more specifically the marketing mix and we will show the example of the particular case of Coca-Cola.   To start discussing about marketing strategies, first we need to have a clear idea about what marketing is. Marketing is known as "the science and art of exploring, creating and giving value to satisfy the needs of a for-profit target market. Marketing identifies unsatisfied needs and desires. Define, measure and quantify the sized of the identified market and the potential profit", Philip Kotler. The word marketing has been used for a few years, but the activity has been carried out for a long time. Marketing is divided into strategic marketing and operational marketing, the first one being in charge of long-term strategies and t...
Read more »

IKEA'S strategy that EVERYONE wll be talking about before the El CLASICO.

-
Imagen
October 28, 2025. IKEA MARKETING STRATEGY Ikea has once again surprised the marketing world with a clever, creative, and highly symbolic action.  They mark the national iconic  match between Real Madrid and Barcelona deploying a giant banner in fornt of the Santiago Bernabeu with a clear message: "Some issues are better resolver off the field". This action is part of his campaign "What happens at home starts in the kitchen". The campaign will be visible until the 2 of november, giving it enough time to generate converstaion, be shared on socials media, and have impact beyond the day of the match.
Read more »