BFCM 2025 Recap: What the Data Means for Sellers in 2026

Amazon hit $11.8 billion on Black Friday (up 8.3%) and an estimated $13.3 billion on Cyber Monday. Shopify merchants pulled in $14.6 billion across the weekend — a 27% jump from last year.

But the big numbers hide a bigger shift. Amazon's extended 12-day sale changed the buying rhythm. Mobile dominated at 57% of transactions. And BNPL services processed over $1 billion on Cyber Monday alone — 7.2% of all online sales.

Below, we break down the key data points and what they mean for your product sourcing, inventory strategy, and category focus heading into next year.

The Numbers at a Glance

Before we dig into what it all means, here's the raw data worth bookmarking:

Amazon

• $11.8 billion in U.S. online sales on Black Friday (8.3% YoY increase)
• $13.3 billion projected for Cyber Monday — the biggest online shopping day ever
• 57% of transactions happened on mobile devices
• Top categories: Electronics, Toys, Apparel

Shopify

• $14.6 billion in global sales across BFCM weekend (27% YoY increase)
• 81+ million consumers purchased from Shopify-powered stores
• $5.1 million per minute at peak (12:01 PM EST on Black Friday)
• Average cart price: $114.70
• Top categories: Cosmetics, Clothing, Activewear, Fitness & Nutrition

BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later)

• $1.03 billion in BNPL sales on Cyber Monday alone (up 4.2% YoY)
• 7.2% of all Cyber Monday online sales used BNPL
• 51% of BNPL users were Millennials
• Top BNPL categories: Electronics, Apparel, Toys, Furniture

BFCM Isn't a Weekend Anymore

If your inventory and ad strategy was built around a 4-day sprint, you probably felt the difference this year.

Amazon ran a 12-day promotional event from November 20 through December 1. That's not a "Black Friday sale" — that's a two-week campaign. And it changed how consumers behaved.

What sellers reported:

• Strong initial spike on Black Friday morning
• Sharp drop-off after day one — steeper than previous years
• Sales spread thinner across the 12-day window instead of concentrating on the weekend

This isn't necessarily bad news. But it does mean the old playbook needs updating.

What This Means for Your Strategy

Inventory planning: Instead of stocking heavy for a 4-day surge, you now need runway for a 10-14 day event. Running out on day three means missing a week of sales. Overstocking for a "big weekend" leaves you with longer holding costs.

Ad spend timing: Blowing your PPC budget in the first 48 hours may no longer make sense. Consider pacing spend across the full promotional window — front-loaded, but not front-dumped.

Pricing decisions: Consumers are learning they don't have to buy on day one. If you're competing on price, aggressive day-one pricing may not be necessary — steady, competitive pricing across the full 12 days could preserve margin while still capturing sales. Watch your repricer settings: less aggressive early, sustained through mid-window.

The bottom line: The "BFCM weekend" is becoming "BFCM fortnight." Plan accordingly for 2026.

Consumers Are Stretching — And It's Changing What They Buy

Here's a number worth paying attention to: $1.03 billion in Cyber Monday purchases went through buy-now-pay-later services. That's 7.2% of all online sales in a single day.

Black Friday added another $747.5 million in BNPL transactions — with PayPal reporting a 23% increase in BNPL usage compared to last year.

Translation: consumers wanted to shop, but many couldn't (or wouldn't) pay full price upfront.

Who's Using BNPL?

• Millennials: 51% of BNPL purchases
• Gen Z: Second largest group
• Gen X and Boomers: Smaller but growing

This isn't just "young people being irresponsible." It's a mainstream financing behavior now — over 1 in 14 online purchases used it on Cyber Monday.

What's Selling Through BNPL?

The data is consistent across platforms:

• Electronics (higher ticket, obvious fit)
• Apparel (especially premium brands)
• Toys (holiday gifting)
• Furniture (big purchases spread into payments)

Notice the pattern? These are mostly items in the $100-$500 range — expensive enough to feel the pinch, but not so big that traditional financing makes sense.

What This Means for Sellers

Product selection: Items priced between $100-$300 may benefit from the BNPL tailwind. Consumers are more willing to click "buy" when they see a $75 item as "$18.75 x 4 payments."

Category opportunity: Electronics, home goods, and premium apparel are BNPL-friendly. If you're sourcing in these categories, you're aligned with where stretched consumers are still spending.

Pricing psychology: You don't control how BNPL displays at checkout — but you can factor it into sourcing decisions. Products priced around $119 show up as "under $30/month" to BNPL users. That psychological difference can boost conversion on items in that range, which means less Buy Box competition from sellers racing to the bottom on cheaper products.

The bottom line: Consumers aren't spending less. They're just financing more. Products that fit the BNPL sweet spot have a built-in advantage.

Where the Money Went

Not all categories performed equally. Here's what sold — and where the opportunity lies for sourcing decisions.

Amazon's Top Performers

Electronics led the pack, which isn't surprising given the heavy discounting:

• Smart home devices (Echo, Blink cameras)
• Audio equipment (JBL, Bose)
• Laptops and tablets (Acer, Asus)

Toys came in strong — holiday gifting in full swing:

• LEGO sets
• Magna-Tiles
• Melissa & Doug
• Character merchandise (think licensed products)

Apparel rounded out the top three:

• Athletic brands (New Balance)
• Denim (Levi's)
• Premium basics

Home & Kitchen also showed strength:

• Vacuums (Shark, iRobot, Bissell)
• Small appliances (KitchenAid)

Shopify's Top Performers

Shopify's data skews more toward DTC brands, but the trends are useful for spotting consumer demand:

• Cosmetics — the #1 category
• Clothing (tops and pants specifically)
• Activewear
• Fitness & Nutrition

The Shopify winners lean heavily into health, wellness, and personal care — categories that tend to have strong Q1 momentum as New Year's resolutions kick in.

Cross-Border Sales

One data point worth noting: 16% of all Shopify orders were cross-border. Top buying countries outside the U.S. were UK, Australia, Germany, and Canada.

For sellers considering international expansion or already selling globally, this signals continued demand outside the U.S. market.

What This Means for Sellers

For wholesale sellers: Electronics, toys, and home/kitchen remain reliable BFCM categories. If you have supplier relationships in these areas, prioritize securing inventory earlier next year — stock moved fast.

For arbitrage sellers: Cosmetics, activewear, and fitness products showed strong Shopify demand. These categories often have arbitrage opportunities post-holiday when retailers clear inventory.

Category timing matters: Toys peak in Q4, but fitness and nutrition peak in Q1. If you're planning your sourcing calendar, think about which categories carry momentum past December.

The bottom line: The winning categories weren't surprises — but the strength in cosmetics, activewear, and fitness signals where consumer spending is shifting beyond traditional holiday gifts.

Start Planning Now (Seriously)

BFCM 2026 is 12 months away. That sounds like plenty of time — until you realize the sellers who won this year started preparing in Q2.

Here's how to use this data to get ahead.

1. Adjust Your Inventory Timeline

The 12-day sale window isn't going away. If anything, expect Amazon to extend it further next year.

Action items:

• Plan for a 10-14 day sales runway, not a 4-day spike
• Stock deeper, but spread your inventory sends earlier (mid-October at latest)
• Build in buffer stock — running out on day three now means missing 10+ days of sales
• Factor in storage fees: more inventory for a longer window means more days in FBA. Run the numbers on aged inventory costs, especially for oversized items.

2. Rethink Your BFCM Ad Strategy

Dumping your entire PPC budget into Black Friday weekend is outdated.

Action items:

• Pace your ad spend across the full promotional window
• Front-load, but don't front-dump — keep budget available for week two
• Test sponsored display and retargeting for the "late deciders" shopping in the extended window

3. Prioritize Mobile-Ready Listings

57% of transactions happened on mobile. If your listings don't look good on a phone screen, you're losing sales.

Action items:

• Check your main image on a phone — is it clear at thumbnail size?
• Front-load bullet points with key info (mobile cuts off faster)
• Keep titles scannable — the first 80 characters matter most

4. Source With BNPL in Mind

Products in the $100-$300 range have a tailwind. Consumers are financing purchases more than ever.

Action items:

• Evaluate your product mix — do you have items in the BNPL sweet spot?
• Consider moving up-market slightly if your margins allow
• When vetting products, remember that the $100-$300 range often has less aggressive price competition — budget-conscious sellers crowd the lower price points

5. Watch the Winning Categories

The data tells you where consumers spent. Use it.

For Q4 2026 sourcing:

• Electronics (especially smart home, audio)
• Toys (licensed products, building sets)
• Home & Kitchen (vacuums, small appliances)

For Q1 2026 sourcing (post-holiday momentum):

• Fitness & Nutrition
• Activewear
• Cosmetics

The Bottom Line

BFCM 2025 broke records — but the playbook changed. Sales stretched longer, mobile dominated, and consumers leaned harder on financing to afford what they wanted.

The sellers who adapt to this new rhythm will win next year. The ones who plan for a "big weekend" will get left behind.

Start adjusting now. Twelve months goes fast.