The New Formula for Black Friday
Black Friday is being rebuilt from a different set of elements. AI, younger shoppers, changing participation and delivery are becoming the forces that now define the event.
The new element in the bargain hunt
Who are the biggest Black Friday buyers?
AI-assisted shoppers, not traditional deal seekers. Shoppers are using AI to compare prices, find products and make decisions faster.
- 50% of AI-assisted shoppers bought during Black Friday, compared with 42% of deal seekers.
- 41% of AI-assisted shoppers expect to buy more in future, compared with 29% of deal seekers.
- 44% of Black Friday shoppers have used AI for price comparisons, with another 44% planning to.
- 47% of Black Friday shoppers have used AI to browse or buy, and 38% of e-commerce businesses enable browsing or buying through AI.
Make sure your prices, product data and offers are visible wherever AI tools look for them.
In the full report: will shoppers let AI make purchasing decisions for them?
The element changing demand
Which generation shops Black Friday the most, and why?
Younger shoppers are adding fresh energy to Black Friday. They trust the offers, expect to spend more and are more likely to use the event to treat themselves.
- 47% of Gen Z and 47% of Millennials have made a purchase on Black Friday, compared with 39% of Gen X and 30% of Baby Boomers.
- 91% of Gen Z trust the offers and prices from retailers during seasonal shopping moments.
- 41% of Gen Z plan to purchase more during Black Friday and Cyber Monday over the next 5 years, compared with 13% of Baby Boomers.
- Gen Z are the most likely to be treating themselves (36%), while Baby Boomers are the most likely to shop early to spread the costs (36%).
Tailor your Black Friday message by generation.
In the full report: the full generational breakdown, from trust to spending plans
The element that doesn’t add up
Do most online shoppers buy on Black Friday?
No. Businesses are embracing Black Friday at a higher rate than shoppers, but expectations for future growth are beginning to line up.
- Only 41% of online shoppers purchase during Black Friday, while 84% of e-commerce businesses run promotions.
- 95% of Black Friday shoppers expect to buy the same or more, and 64% of e-commerce businesses expect sales to increase.
- Deal seekers are the least likely of 12 shopper profiles to buy during Black Friday (42%), while AI-assisted shoppers are the most likely (50%).
- Eco-friendly and pre-owned/refurbished sellers are among the most likely businesses to take part (87%).
There is still plenty of room to bring more shoppers into the mix.
In the full report: Black Friday participation for 12 shopper profiles and 14 business types
The element that completes the sale
Where do Black Friday shoppers drop out?
At delivery. Price sparks interest, but convenience seals the deal.
- 1 in 3 Black Friday shoppers are most likely to abandon at the shipping-options stage.
- 81% would abandon without their preferred delivery options, and 74% without their preferred return options.
- 77% of Black Friday shoppers would not shop with a brand if they did not trust its delivery or returns provider.
- 45% of Black Friday shoppers want more out-of-home locations for their deliveries and returns.
The deal is only one element of the sale.
In the full report: Black Friday shoppers' preferred delivery and returns locations
Download the 2026 Black Friday Trend Report
All stats and figures are taken from the DHL eCommerce Trends Surveys conducted between December 15th 2025 and February 11th 2026. Within the last three months prior to the survey, shopper respondents were required to have made at least one purchase online and business respondents were required to have regularly sold items online. For shoppers, 50+ questions were asked to 29,000 respondents across 29 countries (1,000 per country), and 50+ questions were asked to 5,800 respondents in 28 countries worldwide, with an equal split across demographics – where possible. Note Morocco did not have a large enough number of business respondents to be included in the business data, as such, results for this country are not included. The countries chosen for this survey represent some of the most active e-commerce markets across the globe. Where percentages do not equal 100%, this is due to certain questions having multiple-choice options. Where there is a deviation of percentages over 100%, this is due to rounding of answer options. Not all data from the survey is displayed on this page or within our report. Country, regional, generational, shopper and business profile data is provided, but this does not reach a level of statistical significance to make definitive statements about specific groups globally. Figures are correct at the time of publishing.
