What Did We Learn from the Start of Peak?

After months of planning, preparation and slight panic, Peak 2025 has arrived. The 11th of November saw retailers begin their festive sales with Singles’ Day, a major shopping event for many commercial businesses. The following weeks have seen brands begin to ramp up their Black Friday sales, all leading to the big day on the 28th of November. 

But what have we learned so far? And how can you incorporate these findings into your campaigns for Black Friday? Join us as we discuss the early trends of Peak this year.  

Singles’ Day Data Roundup

Singles’ Day 2025 saw a rise in promotional activities across most sectors and markets, with the beauty and fragrance categories seeing the biggest rises, perhaps reflecting the self-care ethos of the event. 

Price is Key for Peak

Fast-fashion and overseas e-commerce platforms led Singles’ Day sales in the UK. This is a sign to retailers that customers are shopping around and becoming savvier about the price of what they buy.  

Black Friday is not the time to be modest about your sales. In 2025, consumers have made it their mission to get the best deal which means that it’s vital that your deals are front-and-centre across all channels as you compete to attract attention to your offers.  

The Importance of Socials for Singles’ Day & Beyond

The first major sales milestone of Q4 also coincided with a notable 20% increase in paid social traffic for online retailers, driven by TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. TikTok’s prominence in online retail especially has continued to rise with a 140% growth year-on-year. Customers are now discovering products across multiple channels and have more choices than ever when it comes to where they purchase. 1 in 3 TikTok users have made a purchase on the platform, making visibility on the short-form content site more crucial than ever.  

With 48% of Gen-Z consumers now starting their purchase journeys on social media, visibility across all platforms is key to ensure your brand is joining potential customers along every step of their path-to-purchase.  

Early Black Friday Deals

Black Friday deals seem to be starting earlier and earlier each year, with two thirds of brands offering promotional deals as of 18th November, a whole ten days before Black Friday begins.  

Many of these early deals are more of a scouting mission for brands than the main event. Retailers are becoming increasingly interested in restricting their deals to members-only and offering in-app exclusives with the hope of converting bargain hunters into repeat customers. Data from Nationwide suggests that 34% of shoppers will be making purchases on Black Friday through retailer-specific apps. By getting customers to agree to push notifications or email marketing prior to Black Friday, retailers are able to give themselves easier access to already-interested buyers.  

If you’re still looking for some top tips to get Black Friday ready, check out our guide full of expert advice for last-minute preparations.  

Fake Friday

Fake Friday was the next major milestone for retailers on the road to Black Friday. Exactly one week before Black Friday is often when retailers will truly kick off their Peak campaigns. With 80% of the main event’s traffic, and significantly lower CPCs, Fake Friday is a great way to capitalise on increased customer engagement without burning through your budget. 

Last year, Fake Friday was the start of the 2nd biggest weekend of demand across Q4. This year the event lined up with payday for many people across the country, increasing the desire to spend. This desire to grab a bargain peaked last Sunday, a day which has historically seen a 95% of the volume of Black Friday with 25% lower CPCs – a key date to remember for 2026.  

This year, Fake Friday saw huge spikes for brands across the beauty, electronics, and luxury sectors. This moment is likely to continue all the way to Black Friday now, although sites may see a decrease in spending as buyers anticipate bigger deals just around the corner.  

What Have We Learned from Peak So Far?

Overall retail web traffic may be up as we get closer to the festive season however; purchases are lower than the average we saw for Q3. Likely due to the anticipation of bigger deals to come, customers are still holding back and waiting for the big day.  

Alternative Metrics to Match the Customer Journey

While customers are already on the hunt for deals, with festive presents for loved ones firmly on their minds, the days before Black Friday can still often be about starting the purchase journey rather than sealing the deal. Customers might be tempted to hold out until the big day to make their purchases.  

Sales may appear to stagnate in the run-up to retail’s busiest weekend, however other metrics, such as click through rate and sessions, may increase. Even add-to-basket rates should be closely monitored as customers contemplate their decisions more than usual. Data from Nationwide suggests that 18% of shoppers plan on leaving items in their basket and waiting for the price to drop. 

Power your Peak with Productcaster

CPCs are always high on Black Friday, and as bidding from rival retailers increases, meaning it’s vital that you can still stay competitive. The easiest way of reducing your ad spend, without compromising your visibility, is by working with a Comparative Shopping Service (CSS) such as Productcaster. This allows you to take full advantage of your Google Shopping campaigns, increasing your ROI and reducing CPC costs by up to 20%. 

But that’s not all, with Productcaster CSS you get access to specialised support and strategy insights. And, with the full range of Productcaster tools, you can boost your performance across the online landscape – whether you maximise your product feeds with FeedManager or optimise performance and visibility with ProductTester and ProductMaximiser.  

Ready to find out more? Book a demo with one of our experts today or get in touch with us at info@productcaster.com and start your Productcaster Journey.