Cheap, cheaper, Black Friday! But in the age of online shopping platforms like Temu and Shein with their 24/7 discounts, does the bargain day still have any meaning at all? Yes, says Matthias Schu, HSLU expert in e-commerce. But local retailers now have to offer even higher discounts.
Matthias Schu, do you also hunt for bargains on Black Friday?
Professionally, I watch closely, but more as an observer. I use the day to make one or two major purchases, such as electronics or household appliances. I rarely make impulse purchases. Research also shows this: The best deals are clearly orchestrated and not chance finds in a discount frenzy.
Since the low-cost online retailers Temu and Shein have also become increasingly popular in Switzerland, many people seem to be on the hunt for bargains all year round. What does this do to Black Friday?
These platforms have changed the rules of the game: What used to be reserved for Black Friday - extreme discounts and gamification - is now available every day. Black Friday is no longer the unique price shock of the year. Anyone who constantly sees "90 percent off" on Temu is hardly impressed by 20 to 30 percent off at traditional retailers. As a result, retailers have to impress with service, trust and sustainability. In the long run, they have no chance against Temu in pure price competition.
Has Black Friday lost its appeal?
It has lost its monopoly appeal, but not its effect. Consumers have grown tired of discounts. In addition to Black Friday, there is also Singles Day and Cyber Week. More and more people are asking themselves: is this really a deal or marketing? Nevertheless, Black Friday works as a major event. Retailers concentrate their marketing power on just a few days. This generates attention, reach and a large search volume. The wow effect may be gone, but it still works as a sales driver. Incidentally, the average saving on Black Friday purchases was just 7% in 2024.
Why do we fall for discounts in the first place?
Discounts trigger several psychological mechanisms at the same time. Loss aversion, for example, makes us prefer to buy now rather than pay more later. The so-called FOMO effect, i.e. the "Fear Of Missing Out" and artificial scarcity - "Today only!" - create pressure to act. The crossed-out original price acts as an anchor, even if it was never real. And finally, there is the feeling of reward: we believe we have outsmarted the system. Black Friday combines all of these effects, which is why it has such a strong emotional impact, even though many offers are not that spectacular from a rational point of view.
But is the discount spectacle even worthwhile for retailers?
Success depends on how professionally they go about it. Those who blindly reduce bestsellers destroy their margins. Professionals use Black Friday differently: they clear out slow sellers, reactivate inactive customers and win new customers who later buy at the normal price. It is a marketing and customer acquisition channel, not a margin business.
How do retailers remain profitable despite the discount battles?
With clever strategies: they grant targeted discounts, i.e. only on certain products with high margins. Suppliers often also contribute to the costs. Instead of flat-rate discounts, there are bundles or free shipping from a certain minimum order value. This increases the average shopping basket total. Own brands with higher margins are reduced more. And: regular customers or newsletter subscribers see different offers than "impulse buyers".
Author: Andreas Bättig
Image: Adobe Stock, daily_creativity
Published on November 24, 2025
