Black Friday 2025 pushed retailers harder than any year in recent memory. Between surging in-store traffic, heightened customer expectations, and the pressure to keep shelves stocked in real time, this season revealed a clear pattern: retailers who communicated well, stayed organized, and relied on accurate inventory data outperformed everyone else.
Across every retailer we support, a handful of trends stood out — each tied to better communication, smarter promotions, and accurate, real-time inventory. Those patterns point directly to what will matter most as we move into 2026.
We sat down with Michelle Russell, FieldStack Account Manager, to dig into what actually drove Black Friday success this year — and what it means for retailers moving forward.
Some trends appeared as soon as stores opened; others began days ahead of time. The biggest differentiator had nothing to do with deals or foot traffic — it was communication.
“It all comes down to communication. Informing customers ahead of time about what to expect makes all the difference,” said Michelle.
Retailers who shared details early — store hours, product limits, loyalty perks, restock expectations — saw fewer customer frustrations and far smoother lines. And customers appreciated knowing what they were walking into.
This year confirmed something we’ve seen repeatedly: the more predictable the experience feels for shoppers, the more successful the weekend becomes for everyone involved.
If there’s one issue that derails Black Friday faster than anything, it’s inventory. Stock-outs that weren’t expected. Online counts that don’t match what’s on the shelf. Associates searching for products that the system says should exist but don’t.
“Common Black Friday issues are rooted in inventory problems. Real-time inventory truly saves the day, especially on such a high-energy kind of day,” said Michelle.
When inventory stayed accurate across every channel, something interesting happened — all the usual friction just wasn’t an issue. Associates spent less time hunting for items and more time helping customers. Busy stores felt calmer. And customers didn’t have to settle for apologies.
Real-time visibility didn’t just keep operations clean; it kept teams confident.
Above: Real-time inventory helps your stores run smoother through the busy holiday season.
Some of the biggest wins of the weekend happened before it even started.
Retailers who used performance data to forecast demand stocked up early and intelligently. The confidence this created was obvious — no scrambling for emergency replenishments, no guessing which categories would spike, no hesitation at the register.
Michelle described it this way:
“Our clients felt ready and prepared to meet the needs of their customers and in many instances exceeded their expectations.”
Forecasting isn’t glamorous, but the payoff shows up everywhere.
We saw whenteams trusted their top performers and planned inventory accordingly, they weren’t reacting on Black Friday — they were executing.
In a year when many retailers leaned away from steep discounts, loyalty took center stage. And it paid off.
Across the clients we support, double loyalty points consistently drove more engagement than broad price cuts. It encouraged early shopping, lifted average order values, and brought loyal customers in-store without compromising margins.
Michelle saw this trend across account after account:
“Double loyalty points continue to be a wonderful way to encourage early shopping behaviors. Offering a specific window of time is most certainly a best practice.”
Customers gravitated toward perks that felt straightforward and valuable — something that rewarded their relationship with the retailer rather than relying on one-time, race-to-the-bottom discounts.
One of the biggest surprises this year wasn’t digital at all — it was the volume of in-store shoppers. Retailers we support reported some of their strongest in-person days in years, with Black Friday and the weekend that followed producing sustained, high-intent traffic.
“Our client’s customers are some of the most loyal I’ve ever seen,” said Michelle, reflecting on just how consistently strong store visits were across her accounts.
“Our clients experienced tremendous surges of in-store purchases on Black Friday and the weekend that followed.”
This wasn’t casual browsing.
These were loyal shoppers purposely showing up, choosing the experience, and trusting the brands they already knew. When inventory, loyalty perks, and communication aligned, it created an environment people wanted to visit.
Above: Despite the rise of online Black Friday shopping, our clients saw a huge increase of in-store foot traffic.
The data matters. The systems matter. But the people running them remain the heart of retail — especially on Black Friday.
From the early-morning open to the late-night close, teams spent hours juggling lines, answering questions, resetting displays, and keeping the energy steady. When operations ran smoothly, it wasn’t just because of technology — it was because employees made the experience feel controlled and consistent.
Michelle said it best:
“Retail is full of the most passionate business owners and employees you’ll ever meet. I’m truly proud of our clients for all of their hard work through the holiday season.”
Black Friday asks a lot from retail staff. This year, they delivered.
The major takeaway from this year? Shoppers reward clarity, reliability, and authentic value. Retailers who leaned on real-time data, transparent communication, and loyalty-driven perks didn’t just avoid chaos — they excelled.
As we look ahead to 2026:
The retailers who build around these truths now will walk into next year’s holiday season stronger, calmer, and ready for whatever the weekend brings.
Learn more about how to prepare for 2026.
If you’re ready to make a change and finally remove the stress points holding your stores back, let’s talk.