Why Are Brands Still Flirting at BFCM When Customers Are Ready to Commit?

Every November retailers spend billions trying to seduce shoppers with bigger discounts and longer sales that start earlier and earlier. Then, unless you've planned how you're going to keep those shoppers engaged post-peak, the relationship is over a week later. The interesting thing, though, is that this experience isn't actually what modern shoppers want from the Black Friday/Cyber Monday (BFCM) experience. Increasingly, they're using Black Friday to decide which brands deserve a place in their lives beyond the sales. They're joining loyalty programs, redeeming rewards, and returning to brands they already know and trust. Brands are treating Black Friday like speed dating. Consumers are treating it like a second or third date with a brand they've already engaged with.

At the same time, consumers are becoming more skeptical of blanket discounts and headline-grabbing sale events. Research from Which? found that 83 percent of products analyzed during Black Friday were either the same price or cheaper at another point in the year, while separate YouGov research found that 63 percent of Americans have become less interested in Black Friday and Cyber Monday, citing misleading discounts as the main reason. Consumers are increasingly questioning whether discounts represent genuine value or simply clever pricing tactics. Brands are responding by shifting their focus from transactional rewards to experiences and access that cannot be replicated elsewhere.

Black Friday 2025 generated a record $11.8 billion in U.S. online spending, according to Adobe Analytics. The temptation is to focus purely on maximizing those few days of revenue. However, the brands that ultimately win are the ones that convert peak season demand into long-term customer lifetime value rather than one-off purchases.

Our latest research shows that 60 percent of consumers are more likely to buy from brands they already know during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. More than half are more likely to join a loyalty program during the sales period, while 62 percent are more likely to redeem loyalty rewards than at any other time of year.

These findings suggest that shoppers aren't looking for another promotional email. They're looking for reassurance that the brands they already buy from value them. Black Friday has become one of the biggest opportunities of the year to deepen existing relationships, yet too many retailers still treat it purely as a customer acquisition exercise. And we all know that customer lifetime value always beats customer acquisition when it comes to sustainable growth.

That means preparation starts months before November. The brands that invest in growing their loyalty programs, enrolling members, and encouraging members to earn points, engage with rewards and build habits before peak season arrives will enter Black Friday with a genuine advantage. They won't need to rely solely on discounts because they already have an audience that wants to shop with them.

We saw this play out during Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2025. LoyaltyLion brands welcomed more than 743,000 new loyalty members, a 61 percent increase from the previous year, demonstrating that shoppers are increasingly willing to formalize relationships with brands during major shopping events.

The experience itself matters just as much as the rewards on offer. Consumers increasingly expect loyalty to be effortless. If points are difficult to understand, rewards are hidden, or redemption adds friction at checkout, participation quickly falls away. Nearly two-thirds of shoppers say they would be less likely to continue participating in a loyalty program if rewards couldn't be easily redeemed during checkout.

Brands also need to think beyond blanket percentage discounts. While price remains important, shoppers increasingly respond to rewards that feel personal and relevant. Early access, exclusive collections, tailored offers, password-protected sites, and member-only experiences help build emotional connection in a way that generic money-off promotions rarely can.

Some sectors are particularly well placed to benefit from this shift. Beauty has long understood the power of community and loyalty, with 55 percent of consumers saying they would join a beauty loyalty program. Fashion brands continue to see strong engagement from loyalty members, and food and drink represents one of the biggest untapped opportunities. More than 80 percent of consumers say they would be likely to join a food and drink loyalty program, highlighting just how willing shoppers are to build ongoing relationships with the brands they buy from most often.

Black Friday will always be a major sales event. However, the brands that stand out won't necessarily be those offering the biggest discounts. They'll be the ones that arrive in November with relationships already in place and use the heightened shopping intent to strengthen them even further with VIP experiences.

Peak season isn't just about winning a weekend anymore. It's about earning the right to be the brand customers come back to for the other 51 weeks of the year. Date your customers for life — it’s worth it.

Charlie Casey is CEO and co-founder of LoyaltyLion, the world’s top-rated loyalty platform.