Eighty-five percent of American consumers are planning to spend the same amount or less during the 2025 holiday season compared to 2024.
Last year, 81.7 million Americans shopped in person on Black Friday, while 87.3 million made purchases online.
While people are looking for bargains during the holidays, especially at Black Friday sales, a study found 36 percent of items offer no savings compared with their pre-Black Friday prices.
The items that were on sale had an average of 24 percent off, with the highest markdown at 87 percent, according to WalletHub, a personal finance website, in its study “Best Things to Buy on Black Friday in 2025.”
“Make a list and start your research early, particularly pricing research,” Michael Carr, Ph.D., assistant professor of marketing at Thomas More University, said in the report. “This prevents impulse buys and helps your spot fake discounts, as some retailers inflate prices just to create the illusion of a sale.”
Carr also suggests subscribing to email newsletters, adding that many retailers give their best and earliest deals to subscribers and loyal members.
P.K. Kannan, professor, at the University of Maryland, also recommends careful comparison shopping.
“Televisions, laptops, toys, and game consoles and other electronics usually go on deep discount for Black Friday sales,” Kannan said in the report.
Tariffs and inflation pressures have made these usual recommendations somewhat uncertain, Kannan said.
Toys often come from China and hopefully new agreements between the United States and China on tariffs may lower the prices of them, if at all, he said, adding, check out the prices and shop around for good deals given this uncertainty.
WalletHub also offers these tips on what categories offer the best and worst deals for the Black Friday sales.
| Top 3 Product Categories | Worst 3 Product Categories |
| 1. Consumer Packaged Goods – 29 percent | 7. Appliances – 21 percent |
| 2. Apparel & Accessories – 29 percent | 8. Computers and Phones – 16 percent |
| 3. Jewelry – 29 percent | 9. Furniture – 14 percent |
For the top deals, WalletHub offers this list:
Top 10 deals
- ABS Eurus Ruby Gaming PC – $1,900 discount
- La-Z-Boy Jax Rocker Recliner – $639 discount
- HP – OmniBook X Flip 3K OLED Touch-Screen Laptop – $499 discount
- Cartier x Sacai Trinity Cuff Earrings 18K Tricolor By Rebag – $489 discount)
- Sealy Dreamlife 12″ Hybrid Mattress – Queen – $299 discount
- Disney Princess Style Collection Fresh Prep Gourmet Kitchen – $194 discount
- Calphalon – Premier 11-Piece Set – Stainless Steel – $150 discount
- Landing Leathers Men WWII Suede Leather Bomber Jacket – $135 discount
- Gamma+ Boosted Professional Hair Trimmer – $90 discount
- Elizabeth Arden PREVAGE Anti-Aging Daily Serum – $75 discount
I hope with these tips, you’re Black Friday sales will be more successful.
