Black Friday is chaotic, but we like to think that our own Krazy Coupon Lady users are better than the average shopper at cutting through the noise and sniffing out deals amid the hype. So we surveyed 877 of them (see methodology*) to ask: What do you want from Black Friday deals this year?
We found, in general, that our audience of super-savers has grown skeptical about the value of Black Friday deals (with almost half saying they’ve gotten “worse” in the past decade). So what do they want? Simple, transparent, gimmick-free discounts. Free shipping. And amazing deals at one-stop shops like Amazon and Walmart.
Black Friday can get complicated. To make things easier on yourself, use our new Deal Planner™ feature in the free Krazy Coupon Lady app to set alerts for all the Black Friday sales! We'll remind you when they start so you don't miss out. Download the KCL app now.
How do shoppers feel about Black Friday deals overall?
Heading into the 2024 shopping season, we asked our KCL users to think back on Black Friday deals of yore and compare them with recent years’ deals. Their responses show some skepticism:
47% say Black Friday deals have gotten worse.
35% say Black Friday deals are about the same as they used to be.
18% say Black Friday deals have gotten better.
We’re working on follow-up research to see why shoppers feel this way, so stay tuned. Is it the multiple, month-long waves of Black Friday sales that have become the norm in recent years? The lack of in-store hype now that Black Friday has moved more online? We’re looking into it!
In the meantime, let’s look at what shoppers want from Black Friday sales in 2024.
Shoppers’ holiday wish to retailers: ‘Keep it simple’
Retailers throw all kinds of deals at shoppers during Black Friday, from price discounts to free gifts with purchase, to store rewards with purchase, to “buy more, save more” offers (where retailers give you a discount only if you spend a certain amount).
KCL shoppers say, “Just give us a percent off.”
When asked what their favorite type of Black Friday deal is, shoppers said:
Percent-off coupons or promo codes: 45%
Buy one, get one: 17%
Gift card/store credit/store rewards with purchase: 14%
Dollar-off coupon or promo code (13%)
Free gift with purchase (7%)
Buy more, save more offers (eg, spend a certain amount, get a discount): 3%
The message is clear: Shoppers overwhelmingly prefer no-strings-attached offers. A percent-off discount makes the math easy: You buy what you want, your total goes down at checkout, and you get an instant win. If you need to spend a lot, well, your discount grows right along with it.
Less popular are offers that require you to redeem store rewards or credits later. And those buy more, save more offers? While they may seem enticing, our shoppers know you have to unlock them by spending a certain amount first.
Tip: Black Friday shoppers should seek out stores that let you stack multiple different kinds of offers, so you can get more than one discount. These are the best stores for coupon stacking.
Shipping fees are not a good look on Black Friday
Our deal-savvy KCL users say that, aside from price, free shipping is the biggest influence on their Black Friday shopping decisions. Good reviews are the second-biggest influence. Viral products and social media influencers? Not as much of an influence, according to our survey.
In other words, our users want to know they’re getting a good value. They want to know the product is solid (based on reviews), and they don’t want their deal math thrown off by a surprise shipping charge at checkout.
One-stop shops are where deal-hunters want to be on Black Friday
If our KCL users had magic wands, they’d ensure the best deals are at Amazon, Walmart, and Target.
We asked them “If you could guarantee amazing deals at just one store, what would it be?” and they responded:
Amazon: 47%
Walmart: 22%
Target: 21%
Kohl’s: 4%
Macy’s: 3%
Best Buy: 3%
KCL users see value in big-box stores, aka one-stop shops. In fact, the Big 3 take up 90% of the pie, when it comes to shoppers’ deal hopes this year. From a deal-hunter perspective, there’s clearly enthusiasm in being able to get all your gifts, holiday-prep items, and discounted essentials all in one place.
Tech is Queen for KCL shoppers this Black Friday
KCL deal hunters have tech at the top of their wish lists this Black Friday. And that’s a smart move: Black Friday tends to bring pricey brands (like Apple) and pricey items (like high-quality headphones and big-screen 4K TVs) into the realm of “budget friendly.” Our shoppers are clearly saving up that pent-up tech demand for the biggest shopping weekend of the year. Home goods and appliances take second place.
If you could guarantee amazing Black Friday/Cyber Weekend deals on one single category, what would it be?
Tech (TVs, headphones, laptops, tablets): 30%
Home goods (furniture, decor, vacuums, appliances): 19%
Daily essentials I need to restock: 18%
Toys: 12%
Clothing and shoes: 9%
Travel and experiences: 9%
Beauty products: 4%
…And if you didn’t already know, Black Friday is mostly online now, rather than in stores (although 26% will mix it up this year)
Black Friday has been moving online for years, the pandemic accelerated the trend, and our survey shows just how much of an online thing Black Friday has now become:
When it comes to Black Friday, what best describes your plan?
I will shop entirely online: 26%
I will shop mostly online, some in store: 43%
I will shop 50/50 online and in stores: 26%
I will shop mostly in stores, some online: 7%
I will shop entirely in stores: 1%
Just 8% of deal-hunting KCL users say they’ll be mostly or entirely in stores for Black Friday. While in-store shopping may be a tradition for some, it no longer gives deal hunters much of an edge. With the exception of a few notable deals last year (like Lowe’s and Home Depot’s poinsettias, JCPenney’s in-store giveaways, and Kohl’s store-only coupons), nearly all Black Friday deals were available online. And online is where you’ll find most of our KCL shoppers.
How KCL can help shoppers get exactly what they want from Black Friday deals
Our free KCL app has some new features this season to help shoppers get to the things they told us they want in our survey:
New for 2024: Our new Deal Planner feature lets you sign up for push notifications when sales go live. Opt in to alerts for Black Friday sales at your favorite stores, and we’ll let you know the moment you can start shopping the sale.
Set up deal alerts for stores and product types: You can set up alerts for types of products and even specific stores. They’ll all go into your app inbox, so you can find them on Black Friday.
My List: We improved our My List feature so it acts like a running shopping list. If you see a deal you like in the KCL app but aren’t quite ready to buy, you can save it with a single tap and find it on My List later.
*Survey methodology: Survey of 877 Black Friday shoppers conducted via our KCL Facebook/Instagram followers. Survey run dates: Sept. 24 - Oct. 6, 2024.
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