John Donnelly III says, “It’s almost hard to remember at this point, but it wasn’t long ago that Black Friday took place on a single, in-store day.

Today, driven by online shopping’s steady growth and inherent flexibility, Black Friday can feel like an entire season; brands are launching sale days in advance and wrapping Cyber Monday into the same campaigns.

However, although many brands have pivoted from the Black Friday strategies of the past, the day is still a mainstay and requires consideration for every retail marketer.

How do consumers really feel about Black Friday, and how should marketers respond this holiday season? Below are three takeaways from a report my company (Crimson Hexagon) put together to reveal social media insights (registration required).

1. Some shoppers are losing interest in Black Friday

Since 2012, there’s been a 72 percent decrease in social media conversations about Black Friday, although it remains the busiest shopping day of the year.

While this number should be taken with a grain of salt — 2015 still racked up 782,000 mentions of the event, with 74.2 million participating shoppers and average consumers spending $300 each — the decline in social mentions may indicate waning interest among consumers”.

Lessons learned from Black Friday and Cyber Monday: Retailers must be open to change

Marketing Land

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