As the country tries to settle into some kind of routine again from an April disrupted by public holidays and school holidays, retailers will be looking for ways to attract customers into their stores and maximise their spend. This much is obvious. What is now also blatantly obvious, thanks to Ecentric’s first formal Black Friday Index, is that Black Friday to Cyber Monday in 2025 is going to be a bumper retail bonanza and so those who put plans in place ahead of time stand to benefit handsomely — in-store and online.
This is not hype, this is based on hard data. Ecentric processes 20% of South Africa’s card transactions and serves as a trusted payments partner to 65% of JSE-listed retailers — serving their in-store, online, mobile and omnichannel payments requirements. Our index, which was compiled by independent technology research house World Wide Worx, measures transaction volume and value generated from Black Friday to Cyber Monday, as a proportion of total holiday retail.
What happened in 2024?
As a share of total holiday sales, online transactions for the Black Friday to Cyber Monday period, as a proportion of total transactions, surged by 30.4%, rising from 7.9% to 10.3% of total holiday sales. Online revenue as a proportion climbed by 23.8%, increasing from 10.1% to 12.5% of total holiday revenue. In-store transactions as a proportion of total transactions grew by 15.4%, rising from 9.1% to 10.5% of holiday sales.
Here’s a big one: In-store revenue as a proportion of total revenue saw a 109.4% surge, doubling from 5.3% to 11.1% of total holiday revenue.
In other words, a modern retail experience means more efficient, personalised customer interactions, while optimising operations for retailers.
Good news for retailers
The index makes it clear that the Black Friday weekend stands out from the full holiday shopping period, which runs from the beginning of November to Christmas Eve, in both sales volume and growth. The latest data confirms that retailers who capitalised on this peak moment saw the biggest gains, with online and in-store revenue outperforming the rest of the holiday season.
How to capitalise on Black Friday Weekend
Our teams looked at the data and analysed how retailers capitalised from the surge in consumer spend over the period. Here are some key takeaways for retailers looking to mimic this in 2025 and beyond:
- E-commerce is more important than ever. Retailers seeking to make the most of Black Friday need to prioritise seamless digital experiences and mobile optimisation and exclusive deals.
- In-store retail is enjoying a strong revival. Retailers who benefit the most will be those that invest in immersive experiences such as interactive shopping, festive atmospheres and high-value promotions to attract shoppers.
- Consumers demonstrated they respond well to positive in-store experiences. Technology such as augmented and virtual reality could play a pivotal role here.
- Omnichannel integration is non-negotiable. Online and in-store integration must be seamless, from inventory to promotions. The retailers that do the best are those that blend online and in-store efforts with consistent messaging, and, importantly, seamless experiences.
- Data-driven personalisation holds immense potential for retailers seeking to set themselves apart from their competition. AI-powered recommendations and targeted deals will set leaders apart. It is vital, in 2025 and beyond, that retailers use data for targeted promotions and flexible fulfillment options.
Get all the insights by downloading the full report here.
