BFCM 2025: A Marathon, Not a Sprint
December Still Has Huge Opportunity — Here's What We Learned
Black Friday/Cyber Monday 2025 was Amazon's longest promotional event yet — a full 12 days from November 20 to December 1. This marathon format changed everything. Sellers who front-loaded budgets ran dry by Day 4. Those who paced themselves? They captured the real opportunity.
At ScaledOn, we saw sellers achieve up to 98% Year-over-Year growth during BFCM 2025. The common thread? FBA positioning, budget endurance, and strategic patience. And here's the thing — December is far from over.
Seller A (Pet Supplies)
Maintained TACOS under 21% throughout the 12-day event while growing sales significantly. Black Friday was their peak day — but Cyber Monday came close.
Seller B (Automotive)
Dominated by reserving budget for the final days when competitors had exhausted theirs. Day 9-12 were their strongest performers.
Seller C (Home & Kitchen)
Nearly doubled YoY sales by stacking coupons with Lightning Deals and maintaining aggressive FBA in-stock rates across all top SKUs.
💡 The Big Lesson?
The 12-day format punished sprinters and rewarded marathon runners. Sellers who exhausted budgets early left money on the table during Days 9-12 when competition dropped but shopper intent remained high. The extended event window is likely here to stay — plan accordingly.
BFCM 2025 By The Numbers
What Amazon's longest promotional event revealed
Advertisers running Sponsored Products + Sponsored Brands + Display saw the strongest returns. Single-format campaigns left performance on the table.
🎄 December Is Far From Over
With Thanksgiving falling late (Nov 27), December shopping is compressed — but that's an advantage. Shoppers are primed, but many sellers have already pulled back budgets. The window from December 8-20 is prime territory for capturing last-minute gift buyers.
Don't coast. Keep campaigns active, maintain competitive bids, and target cart abandoners from BFCM. The sellers who stay aggressive through December 20 will finish Q4 strong.
December Strategy: Stay in the Game
1️⃣ Now Through Dec 15: Peak Gift-Buying Window
- ✓ Retarget BFCM browsers — they saw your products but didn't buy
- ✓ Increase bids on gift-intent keywords ("gifts for dad", "stocking stuffers")
- ✓ Stack coupons on top sellers — visibility matters more than margin right now
- ✓ Monitor budgets daily — don't let campaigns pause at 2pm
2️⃣ Dec 16-20: Last-Minute Rush
- ✓ Bid aggressively on Prime-eligible ASINs — delivery speed is everything
- ✓ Target competitor product pages with Sponsored Display
- ✓ Push gift cards and digital products if you have them
- ✓ Expect higher CPCs — but conversion rates spike too
3️⃣ Dec 21-31: Post-Holiday Momentum
- ✓ Gift card redemptions drive a second wave of purchases
- ✓ Cross-sell to new-to-brand customers from Q4
- ✓ Start planning Q1 launches — New Year momentum is real
- ✓ Analyze BFCM data to inform 2026 strategy
BFCM 2025 Performance Insights
Event Week Budget Distribution Strategy
(Early)
(Middle)
(Final Push)
Optimal budget allocation for sustained 12-day performance
Daily Performance Index (BFCM Period)
| Date | Performance | vs Baseline |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 20 | Baseline | |
| Nov 21 | +8% | |
| Nov 22 | +12% | |
| Nov 23-26 | +5-15% | |
| Nov 27-28 | Avg | |
| Nov 29 (Black Fri) | +65% | |
| Nov 30 | +45% | |
| Dec 1 (Cyber Mon) | +60% |
The Bigger Picture: Cyber Weekend 2025
Industry data from 9,199 verified shoppers (Source: Numerator)
Where Shoppers Spent: Top Retailers
How They Shopped: Online vs In-Store
54% of shoppers primarily shopped online
Top Categories Purchased
Impact of Rising Prices on Holiday Shopping
64% of shoppers say prices impacted their holiday shopping
🔍 Key Industry Insights
Amazon Dominates
87% of Cyber Weekend shoppers visited Amazon — more than Walmart (65%) and Target (62%) combined. Over half shopped primarily online.
Price Sensitivity Is Real
64% of shoppers say rising prices impacted their holiday shopping. 37% are buying fewer gifts, and 34% are shopping at different retailers for better deals.
Early Deals Changed Behavior
57% participated in early holiday deals before Thanksgiving. For sellers, this means shoppers are trained to expect promotions — and will wait for them.
What This Means for Amazon Sellers
You're in the Right Place
Amazon was the #1 destination for Cyber Weekend shoppers. If you're selling on Amazon, you're where the buyers are.
Deals Drive Decisions
With price sensitivity high, coupons and deals aren't optional — they're expected. December is the time to maintain promotional pricing.
Gift Categories Win
Apparel, beauty, toys, and home goods led category purchases. If you're in these spaces, December gift buyers are still shopping.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long was BFCM 2025?
Amazon's Black Friday/Cyber Monday 2025 event ran for 12 full days, from November 20 to December 1. This was the longest BFCM promotional period in Amazon's history, requiring sellers to adapt their budget and bidding strategies for sustained performance.
What was the best day for sales during BFCM 2025?
Black Friday (November 29) remained the peak day for most sellers, followed closely by Cyber Monday (December 1). However, the extended format meant Days 9-12 performed strongly for sellers who maintained budget through the full event.
Is it too late to capture holiday sales in December?
No — December 8-20 represents a prime window for gift buyers, especially for Prime-eligible products with fast delivery. Many sellers reduce budgets after BFCM, creating opportunity for those who stay aggressive. The compressed shopping season due to late Thanksgiving means December sales can be stronger than usual.
What advertising strategy worked best during BFCM 2025?
Multi-format campaigns (Sponsored Products + Sponsored Brands + Sponsored Display) delivered the strongest ROAS, averaging 4.2x. Budget endurance was critical — sellers who paced spending across all 12 days outperformed those who front-loaded budgets.
Interested in taking your Q4 sales further?
If you’re a seller looking to maximize your holiday momentum — without burning through your budget — we’re here to help.
👉 Let’s talk strategy 🚀
Book a free consultation with our team, and we’ll help you build a tailored plan to capitalize on the December buying wave and set up strong momentum for 2026.
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