As BFCM 2025 approaches, it’s worth reflecting on what made 2024 Shopify’s biggest Black Friday Cyber Monday yet and what those lessons mean for the year ahead.
The story of 2024 was not only about record-breaking sales but also about how merchants navigated changing customer behaviour, rising expectations, and increasing operational complexity. For Shopify merchants, the patterns that emerged show where brands excelled and where opportunities remain to improve.
A Record-Setting Weekend
BFCM 2024 was the biggest yet for Shopify merchants. More than 76 million consumers purchased from Shopify-powered brands, driving sales volumes nearly a quarter higher than the year before. For thousands of merchants, it was their best day in business, while many made their first-ever sale.These results confirm that BFCM continues to be both a scale event for established brands and a launchpad for new ones.
Key Figures & Big Wins
- Global GMV: $11.5 billion USD over the BFCM weekend (+24% YoY)
- Consumers: 76 million+ purchases from Shopify brands
- New merchants: 16,500 made their first sale through Shopify
- Record days: 67,000 merchants hit their highest-selling day ever
- Average cart size: $108.56 USD ($109.70 on a constant currency basis)
- Cross-border orders: ~16% of all global orders
- Shop Pay usage: +58% YoY increase in sales via Shop Pay
What Customers Bought
The categories that stood out were selling:
- Clothing tops
- Cosmetics
- Fitness & nutrition
- Pants
- Activewear
In a year when household budgets were under pressure, consumers still invested in products that felt personal and impactful. Clothing and beauty offered a sense of renewal and self-expression, while fitness and nutrition reflected an ongoing focus on health and wellbeing.
For 2025, the lesson is clear: shoppers continue to favour brands that combine practicality with aspiration.
Across Process clients, lifestyle and wellness products performed particularly well, especially for merchants who had invested in strong loyalty programs, post-purchase flows, and personalised recommendations.
Where Sales Came From
Geographically, the United States accounted for the largest share of total sales, followed by the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and Germany. However, one of the most significant growth stories came from cross-border commerce, which represented nearly one in six purchases.
For Australian merchants, the opportunity is clear. With local consumer spending up 16% and cross-border sales representing 13% of total orders, brands that invested in international shipping, localisation, and currency transparency saw meaningful growth from both domestic and global audiences.
And while global performance broke every record, Australian merchants had a cracking year of their own, outperforming expectations and proving that local commerce is thriving on a global stage.
Australia’s BFCM Performance: Local Growth on a Global Stage
While Shopify’s global results were record-breaking, Australian merchants also delivered standout performance during BFCM 2024. According to Shopify’s Director of Partnerships for APAC, Rhys Furner, the number of consumers in Australia purchasing from Shopify merchants grew by 16% year on year during the BFCM weekend.
Other key highlights included:
- Consumer growth: +16% YoY in Australian Shopify purchases
- Peak sales time: 10 AM AEST, Friday 24 November
- Top cities: Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane
- Average cart size: $162 AUD
- Top categories: Apparel & Accessories, Health & Beauty, Home & Garden, Food & Beverage, Electronics
- Mobile sales: 72% of transactions on mobile devices
- Cross-border orders: 13% of total sales
- In-store sales: +25% YoY growth
These results demonstrate that Australian brands are successfully blending online and offline strategies, with strong mobile performance and increasing adoption of international sales capabilities. For Shopify Plus merchants, this indicates the importance of seamless omnichannel experiences and localised optimisation to capture the growing domestic and regional demand.
Why 2024’s Success Was Different
BFCM 2024 was not just about higher volumes. It was defined by merchants who adapted quickly to the realities of a cautious consumer market.
- In a period marked by inflation and supply chain challenges, customers became more selective. Brands that offered genuine value, trust, and transparency outperformed those relying solely on discounting.
- Growth in accelerated payments proved that ease and reliability at checkout are now just as important as the promotion itself.
- Multi-channel strategies provided stability, but online remained the anchor for holiday retail performance.
The result was a more disciplined, more data-driven version of BFCM, where the best-prepared merchants turned planning and trust into profit.
What Made These Successes Possible
The sheer scale of growth in 2024 was no accident. Several enabling factors shaped outcomes:
- Momentum before the weekend: Brands that built awareness and engagement well before Friday saw stronger conversions once their offers went live.
- Scalability and technical reliability: Shopify’s infrastructure handled trillions of requests without issue, allowing merchants to maintain fast and consistent experiences during peak demand.
- Cross-border readiness: Roughly 16% of orders came from international customers, rewarding merchants who had already opened up global fulfilment and marketing.
- Smooth checkout experiences: The 58% rise in Shop Pay usage proved how important speed and security have become in driving conversions.
- Timing precision: The fastest minute of global sales occurred at 12:01 PM EST on Black Friday, generating more than $4 million in that single minute. Brands that timed campaigns and communication around high-traffic windows achieved the strongest returns.
Stand-Out Surprises & Takeaways
- Despite economic pressure, consumers continued to spend, particularly in categories that link to confidence and wellbeing such as activewear, beauty, and nutrition.
- First-time sellers made a notable impact. With more than 16,000 merchants achieving their first sale, growth was not limited to established brands.
- Cross-border sales remain underutilised. Merchants who invested in localisation and international logistics outperformed their peers, proving that global expansion is now an attainable growth channel for many.
What Worked
From the data and outcomes across 2024, several themes stand out as consistent success factors:
- Start early: Brands that warmed audiences and tested offers before BFCM saw higher conversion rates.
- Simplify checkout: Fast, trustworthy payment experiences turned interest into action.
- Build for resilience: Merchants who invested in performance and scalability maintained site speed under heavy load.
- Expand reach: Internationalisation brought new customers and improved margins.
- Operate with precision: Tight inventory planning and fulfilment execution ensured positive post-sale experiences.
BCFM Checklist for 2025
For merchants preparing for the months ahead, the takeaways from 2024 are more than just tactical; they’re strategic imperatives.
✔ Start promotions early – build momentum before BFCM
✔ Optimise checkout & payment (Consider Shop Pay boost and Social Sign In)
✔ Ensure site scalability & speed
✔ Plan for cross-border sales (16% of orders)
✔ Tighten inventory & fulfilment readiness
Ecommerce Success
BFCM has evolved into a test of preparation and execution. It is no longer enough to rely on heavy discounting alone. The brands that win are those that arrive ready, with engaged audiences, smooth purchase paths, and operational excellence behind the scenes.
Australia’s performance shows how much room there is for local brands to grow. Merchants that leaned into mobile, omnichannel, and international expansion are now setting the pace for 2025.
If 2024 proved anything, it is that consistent planning, customer trust, and executional precision will continue to deliver results. As merchants look toward 2025, those who take these lessons to heart will not only chase new records but set the next benchmark for ecommerce success.
Looking Ahead to BFCM 2025
As BFCM 2025 approaches, now is the time to refine your strategy. Whether it’s optimising checkout, improving mobile experience, or preparing for international growth, the merchants who plan early will win big.
Talk to Process about turning this year’s insights into next year’s growth.
