South African Black Friday interest rises 30% amid extended shopping trends

Search interest for Black Friday in South Africa has increased by 30% year-on-year, according to Google Trends data. This rise indicates that consumers are beginning their shopping journeys earlier to research products, compare prices, and seek better value ahead of the promotional period.

Black Friday, which falls on 27 November 2026, has evolved from a single day of impulse purchases into a longer shopping season often referred to as ‘Black November’. Retailers like Massmart, which operates Makro, Game, and Builders, note that customers are increasingly using the weeks leading up to the event to weigh budgets and options.

The origins of the term ‘Black Friday’ trace back to the 1960s in Philadelphia, where police used the label to describe the traffic and crowd chaos following Thanksgiving. While retailers later rebranded the term to suggest moving from financial ‘red’ to ‘black’ profit, the event has since become a global retail phenomenon. In South Africa, the trend gained significant traction following its introduction by online retailer Takealot in 2012.