Will Black Friday be a boom or a bust? In an annual survey released by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights & Analytics on Nov. 17, an estimated 166.3 million people said they are planning to shop from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday in 2022.

                By                    Heather Taylor

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Yes, the holiday shopping season will be different than it was last year since an additional 8 million will be in attendance.

What else can we anticipate about Black Friday shopping trends this year?

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Black Friday Is Now Black November

Perhaps the most telling aspect of how Black Friday is different in 2022 has been watching the shopping holiday, formerly singular, evolve into a month full of deals and promotions. 

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Many holiday shoppers remember what a traditional Black Friday looked like. This one-day shopping event meant getting into long lines for the lowest sales on must-have gifts, facing limited supply in stores and attempting to avoid the stampede as shoppers ran into the store once the doors opened.

The identity of Black Friday started to change in 2020. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, retailers practiced social distancing protocols and began closing on Thanksgiving Day. Those who could not shop in stores started spending online. 

Retailers started reinventing their Black Friday offerings in 2020 as well. They pivoted to reach the online shopping customer base and began turning what was once a one-day sale into shopping events lasting for several months. Some consumers even start as early as October.

This year, Target has been advertising Weeklong Black Friday deals and brought back its highly popular Deal of the Day event. Meanwhile, Walmart is running its first Black Friday Deals for Days event.

Each retailer’s respective events have been running throughout the month of November. The re-imagining of Black Friday into Black November gives shoppers more opportunities to shop and enjoy savings over a period of months instead of waiting for a single day.

Similarly, retailers receive an uptick in foot and website traffic. In a year that likely will always be known for its high inflation, the evolution of Black Friday into Black November is a win-win for retailers and consumers alike.

Fighting Inflation With Gift Cards

One of the hottest gift items among shoppers, according to research from NRF, is gift cards. The total amount of spending for gift cards in 2022 is expected to reach $28.6 billion, compared to 2021’s $28.1 billion.

Apps, Loyalty Programs Increasing In Popularity

Consumers preparing to shop during the holiday season, especially during high inflation, want more than a good sale. They are maximizing every tool possible for the biggest savings.

In addition to increasing overall coupon usage, including the practice of coupon stacking, consumers are downloading store apps and turning on notifications to be among the first notified about sales and deals from their preferred retailers. Shoppers also are signing up for loyalty programs and downloading holiday-specific shopping apps to earn cash back and receive even greater all-around savings.

More Consumers Will Share Data for Extra Savings

Now more than ever, consumers are sharing their location and purchase data during the holiday shopping season. 

Rob Weisberg, GM of incentives at Inmar Intelligence, said survey data from Inmar showed 78% of respondents approve sharing their location data while 77% approve brands and retailers using their purchase data.

Why are these approval percentages so high? Using your data, Weisberg said, allows consumers to receive more convenient, personalized incentives. Some of the added benefits include ease in online shopping, pickup and delivery for those sharing location data. Shoppers who share purchase data may be able to receive personalized offers and discounts from brands and retailers.

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