A recent survey by Shopfully, Europe's largest network for digital retail marketing, shows: The bargain hunt is popular but is increasingly viewed critically. 

Nearly 40 percent of respondents say they use Black Friday specifically to buy expensive items at a discount. For around 27 percent, purchasing Christmas gifts is the priority, while 18 percent want to treat themselves with an interesting find. Nevertheless, over a third (34 percent) plan not to make any Black Friday purchases this year – a clear sign of growing consumer restraint.

Critical Consumption: Distrust and Excess Curb the Desire to Buy

The reasons for abstaining from Black Friday purchases are varied: 40 percent say they currently don't need anything. A quarter prefer to consume more consciously, and almost as many distrust the offered discounts. Advertising overload (16 percent) and inflation (15 percent) also contribute to skipping Black Friday. Interestingly, 27 percent cite another reason – an indication of individual consumption strategies that do not want to conform to predetermined shopping days.

Budget on Black Friday: The Majority Stays Under 200 Euros

Those who shop on Black Friday tend to be price-conscious: 44 percent of Austrians intend to spend a maximum of 200 euros, around 18 percent even less than 100 euros. Only 8 percent plan to spend over 300 euros, while 36 percent have not yet defined a fixed budget.

Online or in-store? In Austria, the answer is: Both. For 38 percent, a combination of online shopping and the in-store shopping experience is the best solution. About one-third each prefer either in-store shopping (33 percent) or online shopping (29 percent).

Interest in Light of Inflation and Consumer Criticism

Despite inflation and consumer criticism, interest in Black Friday is still present: Around 38 percent say their interest has increased in recent years—either because offers have become more attractive (20 percent) or because rising prices motivate bargain hunting (19 percent). At the same time, 36 percent report that their enthusiasm has decreased—due to factors like dwindling purchasing power or less convincing promotions.

On Shopfully's own platform, wogibtswas.at, the importance of Black Friday and Black Week among end consumers is also noticeably evident. This week has always been one of the weeks with the highest traffic and the most unique users in recent years.

Study Brief: For the study, 498 people aged 18 and over in Austria were surveyed in September 2025.

(Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.