Trade Intelligence partnered with consumer research platform Chirp to survey South African shoppers before and after Black Friday 2025. We tracked their expectations, spending intentions and their actual experiences of the promo bonanza.

South Africans headed into Black Friday 2025 with optimism – but the day delivered a far more muted experience than many had hoped for. According to our two shopper surveys, one conducted before and the other after Black Friday, the biggest shopping event of the year inspired intense anticipation, yet in some ways fell short of the expectations it created.

Expectations vs Reality: Mind the Gap

In the build-up to the day, enthusiasm for Black Friday was unmistakable: 62% of shoppers rated their excitement at the maximum 5 out of 5, while another 20% gave it a 4. This meant more than four in five shoppers entered Black Friday with high expectations of big savings and unbeatable deals.

However, reality diverged from those expectations. Only 36% of shoppers said the deals truly impressed them, giving the event a maximum satisfaction score, 5 out of 5, while another 25% gave it a 4. Meanwhile, nearly a third described it as nothing more than average and a further 11% rated the day poorly, with scores of 1 or 2.

What emerges is a clear storyline: 60% enthusiasm going in, but only a third (36%) delight coming out.

Planned Purchasing Rises and Essentials Dominate

In the days leading up to the event, South Africans prepared meticulously, however.

Before the sales began, 58% said their purchases would be planned (had made a list) and only 2% claimed to have done no planning at all. And despite their excitement, shoppers ended up being even more disciplined than expected. Post-event data shows 54% of shoppers made planned purchases, and pure spontaneous buying came in at just 8%.

This financial discipline becomes even clearer when looking at what South Africans actually bought. Although Black Friday is often associated with electronics and luxury goods, the strongest demand this year remained rooted in essentials. Before the event, 50% of shoppers said they intended to buy groceries, an intention that became reality when 75% reported purchasing groceries on special. Fashion, personal care items and appliances followed, but interest in high-ticket tech items (which only 35% had planned to buy) dwindled, with just 11% making tech purchases on the day.

This shift underscores a broader national dynamic: South Africans are using Black Friday less as a day of indulgence and more as an opportunity to manage the rising cost of living.

Retailer Expectations vs Performance

Retailer performance also delivered surprising twists. In the days before Black Friday, shoppers were confident about where the best deals would come from. Takealot led expectations at 61%, followed by Makro at 44%. Game, Clicks and Checkers rounded out the anticipated leaders.

Those predictions did not hold, though. Our post-Black Friday survey revealed that Shoprite rose to the top, with 43% of shoppers saying it offered the best deals, despite not being a pre-event favourite. Checkers followed at 36% and Takealot slipped to third place with 34% – a noticeable shift from its commanding pre-event lead. This reshuffling reveals a striking 

difference between retailer reputation and actual shopper experience on the day.

Shopper Sentiment: Stress, Pressure and Mixed Value Perceptions

Emotionally, Black Friday played out exactly as some feared. Before the event, many shoppers admitted they felt that the crowds and rush were stressful and that they felt pressure not to miss out on good deals.

Afterwards, those sentiments were echoed again. Shoppers described the process as stressful, citing website crashes, queues and high traffic, and admitting feeling financially stretched once the excitement had faded.

Yet, a vast majority agreed the quality of what they bought was fair for the reduced price. Despite the pressure, the story ends on a familiar note: South Africans will be back. The data shows that many shoppers still plan to shop Black Friday again next year, proving that while expectations may outpace reality, Black Friday remains a deeply entrenched – and still highly valued – event on the South African retail calendar.