This Black Friday sales period, brands launched promotions earlier, offered higher discounts, and leaned heavily on loyalty programs to capture value-focused shoppers and drive long-term engagement. That’s according to new data from Talon.One, the leading loyalty and incentives platform, which analyzed aggregated, anonymized data from millions of transactions across its platform.
Black Friday season started earlier than ever in 2025
Peak season promotions began earlier in 2025 as retailers used a series of sales moments to sustain momentum throughout November. Talon.One’s data shows influenced revenue, that is, any sale made with a promotion or discount attached, started rising on 16 November — a week earlier than the 21 November spike seen in 2024.
Notably, Singles’ Day (11 November), once primarily a shopping event in the APAC region, continued its rise as a global promotion driver. Year-on-year, Talon.One saw an 11% increase in influenced revenue on Singles’ Day compared to 2024.
Christoph Gerber, CEO at Talon.One, commented: “The Black Friday-Cyber Monday weekend has transformed from a standalone shopping moment into a multi-week promotional season – shaped by shifting consumer behaviour and competition for attention. Retailers now stretch activity across early-November deals, Singles’ Day, and exclusive loyalty member events. This gives them a competitive edge earlier in the season, while smoothing the predictable pre-Black Friday lull in consumer spending.”
Average discount rates rose across all regions
Retailers increased their average discount rates this year, signalling a more strategic approach to incentives, rather than blanket price cuts. The average discount rate across Black Friday period reached 25% in 2025, up from 21% in 2024.
While the average discount rates were highest in the US (35%), this was closely followed by EMEA (24%) then APAC (18%) regions.
Program sign-ups surged as retailers used loyalty to drive value and long-term engagement
Loyalty programs played an even bigger role this year, both as a gateway to exclusive deals for customers and as a way for retailers to build sustained customer relationships. Talon.
Overall, loyalty enrollment doubled year on year compared to last year’s Black Friday – showing that loyalty program membership is increasingly a pre-requisite for accessing promotions and incentives.
Gerber added: “Instead of across-the-board website-wide discounting, more retailers are shifting toward targeted incentives – with loyalty programs playing a leading role. By giving members better perks, like discounts, bundles, and early access, brands not only lay the groundwork for long-term customer relationships, but they are also more likely to see higher-value orders.
“Historically, very few Black Friday-Cyber Monday shoppers returned to make another purchase before the end of the holiday period. This year, however, we expect that those retailers using loyalty programs to deliver ongoing value to members will see a meaningful bounceback – sustaining engagement and spend well into December. “
