Start planning for Black Friday now.

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What is this newsletter? It's about marketing, consumer behaviour, AI and will always include useful marketing chart. We're getting this out about once a week. The 'in summary' section enables you to scan the main points less than 60 seconds.

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In summary:

• Consumer interest for Black Friday is starting earlier each year.
• 59% know what gifts they're buying heading into December.
• 1 in 5 buy presents with credit card points.
• Chart of the week: Black Friday consumer interest 2019 - 2023.

Black Friday is just around the corner

It may still be more than 100 business days until Black Friday, but now is the time to start planning as the latest research from Google shows more than half of customers have already done their research and know what they want come holiday season.

According to Google, 59% of shoppers know what gifts they are buying heading into December, and more than 3 in 4 shoppers keep an eye out for promotions throughout the holiday season.

'Black Friday is no longer so much a 'day' as nearly the whole month of November.'

Our own analysis has also found consumers are searching for Black Friday deals earlier and earlier each year as they become more aware of, and comfortable with, Black Friday. In many respects Black Friday is no longer so much a 'day' as nearly the whole month of November.

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Paying with Points Is Being Normalised

Research released by Google this month has also found that 1 in 5, or 20%, of consumers are burning rewards points to pay for holiday shopping gifts. 

Beyond standard payment options, brands - particularly ecommerce companies wanting to maximise holiday shoppers - could benefit from enabling shopping options that allow customers to redeem their stored up points for gift purchasing.

Some Australian banks and big brand retailers such as Qantas, BP, Coles, Woolworths are already allowing consumers to 'burn', instead of 'earn', points at the checkout - which is helping drive acceptance and normalisation for consumers.

This normalisation doesn't come without risk for laggard brands however - after all, consumers only have so many points stored up. Being an early adopter of giving customers the ability to pay with points could be more rewarding than waiting, lest customers have far fewer points to pay with. 

Consumer interest for Black Friday deals is starting earlier each year

Businesses engaging in Black Friday deals would benefit from starting Black Friday campaigns earlier than ever.

While still small, our analysis found that consumer interest in Black Friday deals in 2023 started as early as the last two weeks of August - that's a full three months before actual Black Friday.

What this tells us, and tells businesses is that consumers can be attracted to, and potentially locked in, to Black Friday deals as early as September, stealing them away from competitors.

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