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E-commerce trends
The Pros and Cons of Black Friday and Cyber Monday
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Cathy Carpetta
October 18, 2024
What are the pros and cons of Black Friday for e-commerce brands?
Black Friday, a retail phenomenon that originated to clear remaining stock, has spread globally as the most aggressive promotion period online and in-store.
Black Friday 2025 saw UK shoppers spend over £10.2 billion across the sales period, with an average of £430 per person (Barclays, 2025). The question for brands remains: do the opportunities outweigh the challenges? Here are the pros and cons of participating, plus emerging trends in sustainable alternatives.
Black Friday is the annual retail discount event held the day after Thanksgiving, now a global phenomenon for both online and in-store shopping. For e-commerce brands, the main advantages include increased sales volume, new customer acquisition, and clearing old inventory. The drawbacks include margin pressure from deep discounting, logistical strain from order spikes, and the risk of training customers to buy only during sales periods.
1. Pros of Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Increased sales
Black Friday can result in a significant boost in sales as consumers are motivated to make purchases because of attractive discounts and promotions.
UK shoppers spent over £10.2 billion across the Black Friday sales period in 2025 (Barclays), with £3.8 billion of that spent online over the four-day weekend (Adobe Analytics, 2025).
Inventory management
The event helps brands move older stock, ensuring that they have space for new products or collections.
Customer acquisition
With consumers constantly hunting for the best Black Friday offers, brands stand a chance to attract and retain new customers, expanding their market presence.
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Brand visibility
Participating in Black Friday promotions can increase a brand's awareness, both in physical stores and online. Offering discounts and exclusive deals to existing customers can enhance brand loyalty and encourage repeat business.
Check out our BFCM playbook for a day-by-day plan to maximize your Black Friday and Cyber Monday results.
2. Cons of Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Discount pressure
Brands may feel pressured to offer deep discounts, which can reduce profit margins and affect overall profitability.
In 2025, Adobe Analytics reported that the average UK discount was 16.7% across all retail categories, with the deepest cuts on computers, televisions, and apparel. In the US, average discount rates held flat at 28% (Salesforce, 2025).
Logistical challenges
Managing increased demand, inventory, and shipping logistics during Black Friday can be challenging and may lead to operational issues.
If a brand faces logistical issues, stock shortages, or customer dissatisfaction during Black Friday, it can result in negative publicity and damage to its reputation.
The cost of shipping remains one of the biggest factors in purchase decisions. A 2025 Drive Research survey of 1,200+ shoppers found that 78% cited free shipping as the most important factor when choosing where to shop during Black Friday. Fast shipping times also mattered, with 50% of respondents flagging it as a deciding factor.
We understand the challenges and stress of the peak shopping period, so we've put together five logistics survival tips just for you. Discover them here!
Brand image
Overly aggressive sales tactics or discounting too deeply can potentially devalue a brand and erode its premium image. Black Friday's emphasis on consumption and fast fashion can be at odds with sustainability goals, which may not align with a brand's values.
Customer expectations
Once a brand participates in Black Friday, customers may come to expect discounts every year, potentially affecting regular pricing strategies.
Return rates
Increased sales during Black Friday may also result in higher return rates, which can be costly and time-consuming for brands to process.
True Fit's recent survey of 1,000 UK consumers showed that while shoppers will return nearly a sixth of Black Friday fashion buys, Gen Z will lead in return rates.
3. What is Buy Nothing Day?
An alternative viewpoint has gained traction in recent years.
Some individuals and organisations actively oppose Black Friday and instead promote "Buy Nothing Day" as a form of protest against consumerism.
Buy Nothing Day encourages people to abstain from shopping on Black Friday and reflect on the environmental and ethical implications of mass consumption. It highlights the broader societal debate surrounding Black Friday.
Brands like the outdoor clothing designer Patagonia have sought to redefine Black Friday's significance. Their 2016 pledge to direct all Black Friday profits towards environmental causes exemplified this shift.
Over $10 million was donated that year to grassroots organisations dedicated to preserving essential natural resources such as water, air, and soil.
The company also contributes to the "1% for the planet" initiative, dedicating 1% of its yearly sales to environmental non-profits. Patagonia now donates an estimated $14.7 million annually (Patagonia Impact Report, 2025), directly benefiting community-based organisations.
Since 2015, the outdoor recreation brand REI has boycotted Black Friday. They instead encourage all people to delay their holiday shopping and instead spend time outdoors, preferably with loved ones, through their #OptOuside campaign.
The Co-op closes its brick-and-mortar shop and doesn't process online orders, but still pays all its employees for their time.
4. Green Friday: A Sustainable Alternative
Green Friday is a sustainability-focused alternative to Black Friday, where brands promote responsible consumption, eco-friendly products, and ethical production instead of aggressive discounting. Brands like Patagonia, REI, and Teemill have led this movement since the mid-2010s, donating profits to environmental causes or encouraging customers to repair rather than replace.
Some brands are embracing this concept by focusing on responsible consumption and environmentally-friendly practices.
Green Friday encourages brands to promote sustainable products and ethical production methods. It aligns with the values of eco-conscious consumers and provides brands with an opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability.
Teemill, a sustainable print-on-demand company, collaborates with its network of 10,000 stores for a unique initiative.
They encourage customers to return their worn Teemill-made clothing.
Under their #TakeBackFriday campaign, these returned clothes are repurposed into new items using their Remill technology. For every garment returned, customers receive a £5 credit for future shopping.
For Green Friday, the beauty brand Rituals is shifting its focus from general product discounts to special deals specifically on its sustainable product range.
Rituals emphasises, "We think it is important that you feel good and that we take care of the planet at the same time. This way, you not only save on packaging, but also keep money in your wallet".
Key takeaways for brands
Black Friday offers clear revenue potential, as the record £10.2 billion spent by UK shoppers in 2025 showed. But it also carries real risks: margin erosion from deep discounting, logistical strain, and potential brand image damage.
If you decide to participate, plan your discount strategy carefully, invest in reliable fulfilment infrastructure, and consider whether sustainable alternatives like Green Friday align better with your brand values.
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