BFCM 2025 proved that retail’s momentum isn’t slowing down

This year’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) cycle was notable not just for record spending, but for the clear ways shopping behavior and the technology powering it kept changing.

Adobe Analytics reported that U.S. online sales hit $11.8 billion on Black Friday, and Cyber Monday set a new record of $14.25 billion, pushing Cyber Weekend online spending to roughly $44.2 billion across the five-day window.

While the U.S. and global markets hit new highs despite some skeptical shoppers and predictions, we’ll explore what factors actually played a huge role in these numbers and what our data team discovered from our own post-purchase insights.

The engines behind growth

So, what pushed shoppers to spend at this scale?

Well, it probably doesn’t come as a shock to most that AI tools have had a huge influence on shopping behavior. This year especially, retailers and platforms leaned into AI-powered shopping assistants and discovery tools, helping consumers find deals, compare prices, and complete purchases faster. At the same time, mobile continued to capture the majority of online traffic and sales. This may seem obvious, but it is a reiteration about the need for frictionless mobile checkout and tracking experiences. Both younger and older generations alike are using mobile for shopping more and more, whereas before they may have taken out their laptop to do some big deal shopping.

Deciphering consumer behavior

Surveys and trend reports suggested shoppers were conscious of budgets, but still willing to spend, often using financing options like Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) and prioritizing high-value purchases (electronics, appliances, and furniture) that may have had better deals. Deloitte’s pre-holiday survey showed average planned spend was slightly down year-over-year, even as participation remained high. That mix of high participation and cautious per-purchase spend created an environment where targeted deals and strategic personalization performed best.

Interestingly, not all of the action happened online. Shoppers were back to standing in line before stores opened this year due to places like Target and Lowe’s offering exclusive goodie bags (or buckets) to a select number of the first customers entering the store. In a time where “surprise” boxes are all the rage, some brands used this as a way to get more foot traffic in stores, and spoiler alert, it worked.

What about post-purchase?

While it’s always interesting to see how many sales roll in, that’s not where the customer journey ends. The post-purchase phase (order confirmations, tracking, delivery, and returns) saw a huge volume spike as well. parcelLab reports a 97.7% increase in emails sent and a 106.9% increase in order trackings during Black Friday week and Cyber Monday.

Additionally, parcelLab’s data shows that email engagement was up 94.75% and visits to order tracking pages were up 83.5%. This goes to show that retailers that invest in personalized post-purchase journeys see even more engagement, not only pre-purchase but also post-purchase.

Practical steps for retailers going into the new year

As retailers plan for 2026, here are three priority areas that will move the needle fastest.

1. Determine where AI was beneficial. AI assistants, ETA prediction models, and automation that triages exceptions can reduce support costs and speed up issue resolution. If you used AI tools this year, evaluate how they worked for you and prioritize use cases that cut WISMO, lift conversions, and reduce costs.
2. Optimize mobile-first flows. With a majority of traffic and a large share of transactions happening on mobile, every experience, whether it is shopping, updates, or returns, must be mobile-friendly and fast.
3. Own the tracking experience. Tracking pages that keep customers on your site and give you an engagement channel for cross-sell/up-sell and education during delivery windows. That traffic matters, not just for immediate conversion, but for long-term loyalty. Also, how you treat this experience will determine whether shoppers come back for additional holiday shopping.

The bottom line

Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2025 were a clear reminder that growth still happens. When brands meet shoppers with the right offers, on the right channels, and with the right technology, they’ll reap even bigger rewards. But winning in peak season isn’t just about the sale; it’s about the delivery of the promise. Retailers that convert their post-purchase experience into a strategic advantage will capture more lifetime value and enter 2026 positioned for sustainable growth.