As more companies join the Black Friday and Cyber Monday frenzy, the competition to stand out has pushed promotions earlier and encouraged longer sales. Retailers began releasing deals early in November to capture customers’ attention before competitors, resulting in a domino effect where other retailers also launched early promotions to stay in the game. Gradually, Black Friday sales extended into a full month.
Amazon had one of the earliest Black Friday sales, kicking off in early October. Other major retailers such as Target and Walmart followed suit shortly after, launching their promotions at the end of October and early November. Best Buy and Nordstrom have also joined in with sales beginning in early November, showing that stores across multiple industries are engaging with this trend of month long sales.
The rise of online shopping and mobile commerce has also played a major role in this shift. It changed consumer expectations, with people now looking for more flexible, convenient shopping options. Shoppers are less willing to wait in long lines or face the intense crowds of traditional Black Friday. Instead, they prefer to shop on their own time, leading retailers to spread deals out across the month to give customers more time to browse and buy at their own pace.
If brands limited all of their online sales to one day, the amount of traffic on the site and the number of warehouse workers that would be needed would make things extremely difficult logistically. This would most likely result in shipping delays and disappointed customers. While there is still an increase in purchases as a result of the promotions, by having deals all month it’s spread out and easier to manage.
So how does this affect PR and advertising campaigns? One effect is that advertising campaigns now use staggered discounts to create a sense of urgency and incentive across the month. Many businesses start with smaller discounts early in November, moving up to bigger deals around Thanksgiving and Black Friday, and extending special “last chance” offers into Cyber Monday. This phased approach requires careful messaging to maintain excitement while ensuring shoppers are aware of ongoing and upcoming deals. Each phase can bring fresh ads, targeted messaging and new social media pushes to keep engagement levels high.
Target, for example, started its early Black Friday sales on November 1, 2024, with daily “Deal of the Day” offers featuring discounts of up to 50%, available through December 24. These deals are exclusive to Target Circle members, a free-to-join program. On November 3, Target began offering weeklong deals, refreshing them every Sunday. Additionally, the “Early Black Friday Sale” ran as a three-day event from November 7 to November 9, providing discounts on a wide range of products, including clothing, toys, tech, and home goods. Their Holiday Price Match Guarantee also ensures competitive pricing throughout the season.
With the extended shopping period, a multi-channel strategy is essential to reach consumers consistently. Advertising and PR teams are leveraging email marketing, social media, search ads and display ads over several weeks to stay relevant. In addition, social media and influencers help brands keep a dynamic presence, announcing new sales, limited-time offers or highlighting specific products as the month progresses.
Black Friday has shifted from a one-day blitz to a full month of sustained excitement and engagement. It’s less about creating a single hype-driven moment and more about a steady flow of offers and experiences that keep customers interested. By using real-time data and tailoring messages for each phase, November campaigns are moving beyond discounts alone—they’re about connecting with shoppers throughout the season and making the most of every interaction to drive loyalty and enthusiasm for the holidays.