Yesterday’s Black Friday 2025 felt more like a game of discount chicken than the usual shopping frenzy 🐔🛍️. Retailers held back deep price cuts, waiting for shoppers to bite, while consumers stayed on the sidelines, hoping for steeper markdowns.
It wasn’t just about the deals. Consumer confidence slid to its lowest point since April, with worries over job security and the economy 📉. Instead of lining up last Friday, 59% of shoppers kicked off holiday buys earlier this year, and 22% plan to wait until the final countdown.
Distrust is high. A recent review found that over a third of so-called discounts delivered no real savings, and AI-powered pricing tools now tailor prices to each shopper, making it tough to spot a genuine deal 🤖💸.
Regulators in Canada even warned against inflating regular prices to fake bigger discounts, and enough consumers are playing detective online that Reddit deal threads now spot scams faster than any store can mark down a TV.
AI is rewriting the holiday playbook. According to Deloitte, a third of shoppers will tap generative AI to hunt deals this season—jumping to 43% among Gen Z. In turn, retailers use AI to personalize prices, creating a true AI vs. AI standoff in every checkout cart.
On top of tech battles, tariffs on imports have jumped from 2.4% to nearly 18% since January 2025, pushing retailers to pull back discounts or quietly raise prices 📈. “The tree won’t be overflowing,” quipped industry experts, though presents will find their way under most homes.
With average planned spending down 4% to $622 during the Black Friday–Cyber Monday period, this year’s holiday shopping season looks leaner—but smarter. Shoppers and retailers alike are changing the rules, and everyone’s playing for keeps 🎁.
Reference(s):
U.S. retailers, customers face off in Black Friday stalemate
cgtn.com
