Retail’s biggest weekend of the year is behind us. Now it’s time to dive into the data.

For retail marketers, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are more than a moment. They are a signal. These performance patterns reveal how consumers are adapting to economic pressure, how channels are evolving, and what strategies will matter most through the rest of the holiday season and into 2026.

Below are the key takeaways from Listrak’s exclusive BFCM data.

What Listrak’s BFCM Data is Saying

BFCM at a Glance

Our exclusive data revealed some critical insights that reflect the state of the economy and how these trends might continue. Despite economic headwinds, marketers leaned in and customers responded.

• Volume and Engagement on the Rise: Listrak clients made the most of BFCM with a 4.2% increase in sends, building on last year’s record volume. Consumers responded favorably, with email and SMS clickthrough rates (CTRs) up 8.4% from 2024.
• Optimal Send Timing Emerged:
  
  • Email: 7:00 AM was the most common send time on both Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
  • SMS: Respecting quiet hours, peak send times landed at 12:00 PM on Black Friday and 10:00 AM on Cyber Monday.
    

Economic Impacts on BFCM Results

Consumers continued to shop, but with greater intention.

• AOV Up, Conversions Down: Average order value climbed 18% YOY, while orders declined 16%. Higher prices, driven in part by tariffs, likely pushed shoppers to buy less frequently while spending more per order.
• Revenue Steady for Listrak Clients: Despite lower conversion volume, increased engagement and higher AOV helped stabilize revenue for Listrak clients.
• Savings Compressed: A further impact of inflation is that sitewide discounts averaged 30%, the same as last year – meaning consumers saved less YOY. We also saw fewer brands offering free shipping with no minimum, declining from 27% of retailers in 2024 to 22% in 2025, with most free shipping thresholds set at $80 or more.
  

Cyber Week Insights by Date

The shift of BFCM from discrete days to a “deals week” period encompassing Thanksgiving and the weekend continued, with both marketers and customers placed increased importance on the days surrounding Black Friday.

• Earlier Sends and Earlier Engagement:
  
  • Sends increased 3% YOY on Thanksgiving and 15% on Black Friday, as brands moved earlier.
  • CTRs rose 18% YOY over the weekend, while Cyber Monday engagement softened, signaling reduced willingness to wait.
• Weekend-Long Discounts:
  
  • 63% of retailers held the same offer from Black Friday through Cyber Monday.
  • Only 29% increased discounts on Cyber Monday.
• Revenue Distribution Followed Engagement:
  
  • Thanksgiving Day generated 16% of total revenue, up 3% YOY.
  • The weekend captured 33% of revenue, up 2.5% YOY.
    

BFCM Channel Performance: Mobile Takes Center Stage

As we have noted for several years in a row, mobile continues to grow in importance and effectiveness as a BFCM marketing channel.

• SMS Volume Surged: SMS sends were up 20% YOY.
• Increased Revenue Share: SMS revenue rose 10% YOY, driving revenue share up 9% YOY to 16% of total BFCM revenue.
• Conversion Rate Match: For the first time, conversion rates were virtually equal across email and SMS (6.93% for Email and 6.95% for SMS), further confirming increased consumer adoption of the SMS channel.
  • AOV was still lower in SMS than email, as shoppers potentially save larger purchases for other devices: $184 for email vs. $151 for SMS.
• Cyber Monday Favored SMS: SMS stole the show on Cyber Monday. While sends were flat YOY, conversion rate increased 16%, and revenue increased 22% accordingly.
  

BFCM Vertical Performance Highlights

Individual retail verticals saw some differing results that reflect the unique conditions of their markets.

• Value-Driven Categories Outperformed: Food and Beverage, Children and Babies, and Health saw higher conversion rates, reflecting increased focus on essentials and more affordable gift options.
  

BFCM Campaigns That Drove Growth

Smarter automation delivered measurable impact.

• Triggered Campaigns Get Results: Brands worked smarter, not harder with triggered campaigns that drove +15.2% in revenue YOY.
  • Price Drop campaigns delivered 24% revenue growth with conversion rates up 9%.
  • Back in Stock and Low Inventory alerts outperformed year over year.
  • Cart Abandonment revenue increased 14% YOY.
  • Browse Abandonment revenue increased 8% YOY.

These results reinforce the value of timely, behavior-driven messaging in a value conscious market.

What’s Next for Holiday 2025

After crunching the data, Listrak experts predict that retailers will see a shift in the holiday shopping timeline this year: Conversion pressure may continue later into the season as shoppers delay purchase decisions.

Strategies to Finish 2025 Strong:

• Build a robust late-season promotional plan.
• Re engage high-intent, non-purchasing holiday browsers with personalized offers and recommendations while educating them on shipping cutoffs.
• Promote Buy Now, Pay Later options prominently. 12% of Cyber Monday shoppers reportedly used BNPL.
• Highlight quizzes, gift guides, and curated collections to help those who have not shopped yet but have in previous years.
  

For more predictions, tailored strategies, and what 2025’s BFCM data means for your business, contact your Listrak Account Manager.