The Frictionless Experience Why Peak Shopping Still Happens on Black Friday, Even With Month-Long Deals with Chuck Moxley and Nick Paladino
Dec 22, 2025
27:42
When every day in November is "Black Friday," does the actual day lose its power? This debate reveals something fascinating, even when retailers stretch deals across a month, buying confidence still peaks on the two core days, creating a logistics advantage without diluting the psychology.
Join hosts Chuck Moxley and Nick Paladino as they debate whether Black Friday still matters when it's been stretched from a single day into an entire month-long event.
Sparked by Chuck's LinkedIn post about walking through Kohl's in mid-November seeing "Black Friday Exclusive" signs everywhere, the conversation explores why consumers remain skeptical of early deals even as they snap them up, how spreading sales across November solves crushing logistics problems for retailers trying to maintain two-day shipping promises, and why the core days still drive peak conversion despite weeks of promotions.
Nick shares his terrifying experience working Best Buy's Black Friday floor in 2009 Alabama when customers literally ran through the doors. He also brings actual sales data showing conversion rates and revenue rise the moment November 1st sales launch, debunking Chuck's assumption that extended promotions dilute results. The data proves retailers get incremental lift throughout November while consumer skepticism still funnels peak confidence to core days. Chuck counters by dissecting why brands like Walmart now need novelty stunts (mac and cheese TVs that sold out instantly) and Target's mystery bag gimmicks to recreate urgency that scarcity naturally provided. They trace Black Friday's evolution from a 2005-onwards phenomenon to today's reality where many retailers operate at a loss on the day itself, turning it into a brand-building loyalty play rather than the profitability milestone its name suggests.
Key Actionable Takeaways:
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http://bluetriangle.com/playbook
Nick Paladino's LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/npaladino
Chuck Moxley's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckmoxley/
Chapters:
(00:00) Introduction
(01:00) Chuck's Kohl's experience
(02:30) The LinkedIn post
(03:15) Buying confidence still peaks on core days
(04:15) Does stretching sales dilute the moment?
(05:30) Consumer skepticism vs. actual buying behavior
(06:00) The logistics advantage of month-long promotions
(08:15) Nick's 100% Black Friday shopping strategy
(11:30) Cyber Monday origins and evolution
(14:15) Why Cyber Monday became the bigger online day
(16:00) Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday deals
(20:45) The shift from in-store chaos
(22:15) Nick's Best Buy Black Friday war stories
(23:35) Modern scarcity tactics
(26:00) Black Friday origins
(27:00) Conclusion
Join hosts Chuck Moxley and Nick Paladino as they debate whether Black Friday still matters when it's been stretched from a single day into an entire month-long event.
Sparked by Chuck's LinkedIn post about walking through Kohl's in mid-November seeing "Black Friday Exclusive" signs everywhere, the conversation explores why consumers remain skeptical of early deals even as they snap them up, how spreading sales across November solves crushing logistics problems for retailers trying to maintain two-day shipping promises, and why the core days still drive peak conversion despite weeks of promotions.
Nick shares his terrifying experience working Best Buy's Black Friday floor in 2009 Alabama when customers literally ran through the doors. He also brings actual sales data showing conversion rates and revenue rise the moment November 1st sales launch, debunking Chuck's assumption that extended promotions dilute results. The data proves retailers get incremental lift throughout November while consumer skepticism still funnels peak confidence to core days. Chuck counters by dissecting why brands like Walmart now need novelty stunts (mac and cheese TVs that sold out instantly) and Target's mystery bag gimmicks to recreate urgency that scarcity naturally provided. They trace Black Friday's evolution from a 2005-onwards phenomenon to today's reality where many retailers operate at a loss on the day itself, turning it into a brand-building loyalty play rather than the profitability milestone its name suggests.
Key Actionable Takeaways:
- Spread promotional periods to manage logistics without losing psychological impact - Extended Black Friday sales let retailers handle order volume smoothly while consumer skepticism keeps the core days meaningful, with buying confidence still peaking on actual Black Friday/Cyber Monday regardless of when deals start
- Layer exclusive scarcity mechanics over broad sales to maintain urgency - When discounts lose their power through month-long availability, add limited-quantity novelty items that create genuine FOMO and drive store traffic on peak days
- Accept that promotional days may now be brand investments, not profit drivers - Many retailers operate at a loss on Black Friday itself; treat these tent-pole events as customer acquisition and loyalty-building opportunities rather than expecting immediate profitability from the day's transactions
Want more tips and strategies about creating frictionless digital experiences? Subscribe to our newsletter! https://www.thefrictionlessexperience.com/frictionless/
Download the Five Step Site Speed Target Playbook:
http://bluetriangle.com/playbook
Nick Paladino's LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/npaladino
Chuck Moxley's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckmoxley/
Chapters:
(00:00) Introduction
(01:00) Chuck's Kohl's experience
(02:30) The LinkedIn post
(03:15) Buying confidence still peaks on core days
(04:15) Does stretching sales dilute the moment?
(05:30) Consumer skepticism vs. actual buying behavior
(06:00) The logistics advantage of month-long promotions
(08:15) Nick's 100% Black Friday shopping strategy
(11:30) Cyber Monday origins and evolution
(14:15) Why Cyber Monday became the bigger online day
(16:00) Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday deals
(20:45) The shift from in-store chaos
(22:15) Nick's Best Buy Black Friday war stories
(23:35) Modern scarcity tactics
(26:00) Black Friday origins
(27:00) Conclusion