Holiday season is fast-approaching—and so is the biggest shopping season of the year. Black Friday is just 23 days away, a day synonymous with deal-chasing and a widespread shop-til-you-drop attitude among consumers.
“Black Friday is still a make-or-break moment for retailers, but shopper behavior is shifting,” Dax Dasilva, founder and CEO of Lightspeed Commerce, said in a statement. “Shoppers are still under the pressure of a higher cost of living, so fairness, transparency, and empathy matter more than ever.”
Lightspeed surveyed 3,000 adults in the U.S. and Canada for the study, and found nearly half of respondents said they plan to split spending between necessities and premium purchases.
“This is like when you see a flood coming, the tsunami is coming in, and the water’s gone up two inches,” he said.
But what should be even more concerning for retailers is the finding that consumers don’t really trust most Black Friday discounts are authentic.
“Consumers are buying fast and deciding later, so it’s up to retailers to guide that journey. The best way to do that is with clarity—showing what discounts really mean, being upfront about fit and product details, and keeping customers informed on delivery and stock,” Lightspeed’s Dasilva said. “When shoppers feel confident, they buy smarter and return less. In a tight economy, transparency is the strongest sales strategy retailers have.”
