NATIONAL NEWS (SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.) — — Consumers may start preparing to compare Black Friday prices as early as October, weeks before the event. HotDeals’ analysis of U.S. search trends and consumer research points to an extended research window rather than a single day when shoppers begin checking prices.
In a 2025 survey of more than 1,000 U.S. online shoppers, 22% said they planned to begin researching holiday purchases in October. Overall, 75% expected to start before mid-November. A separate survey summary from Northwestern University’s Spiegel Research Center found that 35.4% of respondents were comparing prices online more often than in previous years. Together, these findings suggest that October is an important time for shoppers to start researching products and checking prices, though neither survey identifies the exact date shoppers first compare Black Friday prices.
Google Trends data shows how interest in Black Friday deals builds as the event approaches. Across the five Black Friday seasons from 2021 to 2025, U.S. search interest for “Black Friday deals” was low about four weeks before the event, rose gradually during the following weeks, and climbed more sharply in the final two weeks. On the Google Trends relative-interest index, the average was about 1 four weeks before Black Friday, 3-4 two weeks before, 5-8 in the preceding week, and 22-25 during Black Friday week.
The trend indicates when searches for Black Friday deals gain momentum; it does not count price comparisons or identify individual shoppers’ behavior. Still, considered alongside survey findings on early holiday research and more frequent online price comparisons, it points to October as a useful starting point for shoppers who want time to research products and establish a price reference before the Black Friday rush.
METHODOLOGY
The Google Trends analysis covers U.S. Web Search, all categories, from October 1, 2021, through December 31, 2025, using weekly data. Google Trends reports normalized relative search interest on a 0-100 scale, not search counts or consumer percentages. The consumer survey findings cited above measure holiday research plans and general price-comparison habits; they do not directly measure when shoppers begin comparing Black Friday prices.
ABOUT HOTDEALS
HotDeals ( https://www.hotdeals.com ) is a verified coupon platform where real users test promo codes before they are published. The HotDeals Research Team analyzes consumer savings trends across major shopping events and publishes periodic insights through the HotDeals Consumer Savings Index.
Learn more: https://www.hotdeals.com/
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