Black Friday 2025: Half of Shoppers Doubt Deals, Savings Still Top Motive
Global survey highlights shopper skepticism during Black Friday, Cyber Monday 2025. Discounts drive interest, trust gaps remain across generations.
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With the coming of Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2025, online retailers worldwide are expecting good sales, but at the same time, there is still a disparity in consumer trust regarding the promotional offers. This is the main conclusion drawn from the latest survey conducted by DHL eCommerce.
According to the survey, only 50% of the shoppers all over the world belong to the category of "completely or mostly trusting" the seasonal deals, while the other 34% are somewhere in-between. On the other hand, 16% of the participants are totally untrustworthy, acknowledging that they hardly or never rely on the discounts that are being advertised. The main reason for shopping during the events continues to be price reduction, as 71% of the respondents mentioned lower prices as the key factor.
The generational analysis portrays that the youth are more inclined to trust the seller's pricing. The 56% of Generation Z customers who are confident about the offers, is significantly larger than 38% of the Baby Boomers who have the same view. Regions, too, are a basis of differences when it comes to buying behavior. About one-third of the European consumers say that they are more inclined to purchase during Black Friday sales, which is an indication of different levels of engagement worldwide.
The survey indicates a dilemma for the retailers, as only half of the customers are fully trusting and this necessitates clear pricing and promotion details. Some of the strategies that have been suggested include the use of customer reviews and social media feedback which are becoming more crucial and influential in decision making for all the markets.
B2B sellers are keeping an eye on the matter too. DHL’s study reveals that 85% of sellers concentrating on business are getting ready with their Black Friday promotions for 2025 and this is a sign that the retail events are going to be significant for the business side as well. For a lot of retailers, the trust factor, reliable shipping and smooth online shopping may be more powerful in getting the sales than the low prices alone.
It looks like the question of whether or not retailers are going to be able to successfully play the game of "who can fool the customer" during the peak holiday shopping season will still be a part of the consumer's decision-making process.
