Black Friday 2025 lands on 28 November, and with early signs of economic recovery, New Zealand retailers are gearing up for a strong end to the year. Inflation is easing (down to 2.7%) and the official cash rate has dropped to 2.5%. This is boosting business confidence: 69% of retailers say they’re confident their business will survive the next 12 months, up from 57% last year. Here’s how you can make the most of the Black Friday 2025 season.
What We Learned from Black Friday 2024
Last year, Black Friday spending was steady – about the same as 2023 – but the way people shopped changed.
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Transactions were up 2.8%, but the average spend per transaction dropped to $83.50
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More people bought more things, but at lower prices – hunting for discounts and essential items
Online shopping grew 9% in Q4 2024, while in-store spend stayed flat. More than 18.3 million online transactions were made – a new record for NZ. With inflation now under control and interest rates easing, optimism is building. But value remains the top priority for Kiwi consumers.
5 Smart Ways to Maximise Black Friday 2025
1. Treat It Like a Season, Not a Day
Black Friday is no longer a single day - it’s a multi-week promotional season. Think of it as “Black November”.
Shoppers start researching early. In fact, 64% begin looking for deals weeks in advance. Build hype before Labour Weekend, and keep momentum going through Boxing Day.
Key Dates:
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Labour Weekend (late Oct) – Early bird deals begin
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Singles’ Day (11 Nov) – Online one-day offers work well
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Click Frenzy (mid-Nov) – Great for online-first shoppers
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Black Friday (28 Nov) – Launch your biggest offers
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Cyber Monday (1 Dec) – Focus on online deals
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Boxing Day (26 Dec) – End-of-season clearance
Use different weekly themes or product categories to keep interest high across the season.
2. Prioritise Value, Not Just Volume
In 2024, over half of NZ shoppers relied on Black Friday to afford Christmas gifts or household essentials. That will continue in 2025, so make your offers count. Shoppers are comparing prices and skipping token discounts.
Instead, try:
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Tiered deals (e.g. save more when you spend more)
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Bundles (e.g. bestsellers packaged together)
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Free gifts or upgrades
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Messaging around durability or practicality
Helping customers get more for their money not only wins the sale – it builds long-term trust and loyalty.
3. Go Omnichannel – and Mobile First
Retail shopping today is fluid. A customer might see a product on Instagram, check it in-store, and buy it online later.
Create a consistent experience across all touchpoints:
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Match pricing and deals across channels
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Use signage to link in-store shoppers to online offers
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Offer click-and-collect
In Q4 2024, 58% of online purchases were made on mobile. Test your website on a phone. Make sure it’s fast, easy to navigate, and set up for quick checkout (e.g. Apple Pay, Google Pay).
4. Embrace AI and Smart Tools
AI is no longer optional. In a 2025 study, 1 in 3 Gen Z shoppers said they preferred using AI platforms (like Chat GPT) to research products, and over a quarter trusted AI recommendations more than human ones.
What that means for retailers:
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Ensure product info is accurate, complete and consistent across your site and discovery channels
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Use AI-powered chatbots to help answer FAQs during the rush
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Tap into AI analytics for smarter demand forecasting and personalised marketing
Pro tip: Use tools like Verifone Central to view your in-store and online transactions in one place. Spot trends in real time and adjust stock or marketing on the fly.
5. Streamline Your Back-End Ops
A spike in sales is only good if your operations can handle it.
Check your:
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Inventory – Forecast your bestsellers, stock up early
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Shipping & fulfilment – Set realistic delivery cut-offs and communicate clearly. Leverage shipping cut-offs in advertising to create a sense of urgency
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Customer support – Update FAQs, extend hours if needed
Don’t forget to debrief with your team after the season. What worked? What didn’t? Use that insight to improve for next year.
EFTPOS NZ Can Help
We’re here to support your business through Black Friday and beyond.
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Reliable EFTPOS terminals and online payment solutions that make checkout seamless for customers
- Flexible hire need an extra device or two to get through the queues? We offer flexible short-term hire options
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Verifone Central, our powerful reporting tool that lets you track sales in real time with unified data to help you analyse performance, spot opportunities, and make faster decisions
Talk to our team to explore the right payment solution for your business.
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