Holiday shopping used to be a lot more predictable. You’d wait for the big Black Friday ads to drop, make a list of everything you wanted, and then show up at 6 AM at the malls to skip the lineup. But that era is basically over now. Instead of one intense shopping weekend, we now get a slow, steady rollout of promotions starting in early November, long before Black Friday even hits. It feels like stores are announcing sales before you’ve even put away your Halloween decor!
TikTok has completely sped up the shopping cycle. These days, trends become viral overnight rather than developing over time. One “outfit of the day” can send thousands of people hunting for the same jacket, boots or lip gloss within hours.
Retailers can’t afford to wait until late November to offer deals and discounts anymore, since these trend waves come and go so quickly. They run the danger of missing the precise period when demand is at its peak if they continue with the previous timeline. By the time Black Friday rolls around, the trends might already be outdated.
The Brands Leading the Early Sale Shift:
Aritzia and Sephora have become two of the most recognizable brands driving this move toward early November shopping, especially among younger audiences who follow trends in real time on TikTok. Aritzia’s clientele hits right as the cozy season aesthetic peaks online as soon as the weather changes after Halloween. Everyone starts craving wool sweaters, oversized scarves and tailored, effortless basics. Aritzia times its sale to meet that exact cultural moment.
Sephora takes a similar approach with its annual sale. Rather than waiting for the traditional holiday rush, Sephora drops its sale earlier, giving shoppers the chance to stock up on trending skincare and makeup while those products are still at the top of the social feed. Many shoppers use this time to restock their “self-care essentials,” especially as the weather gets colder and drier.
Both companies recognize a significant change: today’s consumers are motivated by social media trends rather than the calendar
People’s purchasing habits have changed, and customers now make purchases in short, emotionally charged times rather than anticipating one large Black Friday haul. Retailers understand that if they don’t appear within that window of opportunity, another brand will, or the trend will end before they can profit from it. Nowadays, shopping is about more than just deals; it’s about timing, emotion and relevancy.
The bottom line:
As TikTok accelerates trends and shortens product relevance, retailers have adapted. The shopping season now follows social media rhythms and not the old Black Friday timeline.