Seasonal & Holiday Email Marketing
45 BFCM Email Marketing Statistics (2025-2026)
Latest Black Friday Cyber Monday email marketing data covering revenue, engagement, volume, strategy, and deliverability insights for 2025-2026.
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45 statistics42 sources Updated July 19, 2026
Key Takeaways
- 20.4 billion emails delivered during Black Friday week, with November 2025 hitting $137.4 billion in total revenue (7.2% YoY increase)
- 6.4% email-driven BFCM conversion rate, double the 3.2% annual average
- 55% of ecommerce emails are opened on mobile devices, with mobile-optimized emails generating 15% higher conversion rates
- 29% higher conversion rate for segmented email campaigns during BFCM
- 23.92% SMS click-through rate achieved in December during BFCM period, up from 3.47% in January
BFCM Revenue, Volume, and Market Impact
Black Friday and Cyber Monday represent the year's largest email marketing opportunity, generating record-breaking revenue and email volumes. These statistics show how critical BFCM has become for retailers and the sheer scale of email activity during this peak season.
1
20.4 billion emails delivered during Black Friday week, with November 2025 hitting $137.4 billion in total revenue (7.2% YoY increase)
Email proved to be the core vehicle for BFCM promotions, with the sheer volume of sending reaching unprecedented levels. This massive email volume directly correlates to the record holiday retail revenue Adobe Analytics tracked.
2
Email drove $4 billion in BFCM 2024 sales through triggered messages and behavioral automation alone
Triggered emails (abandoned cart, browse abandonment, order follow-ups) consistently converted better than broad campaigns, proving that intent-driven messaging outperforms volume-based approaches during peak BFCM periods.
3
Shopify merchants generated $11.5 billion in BFCM 2025 sales, with peak transaction velocity hitting $4.6 million per minute
The explosive growth on a single platform demonstrates the staggering scale and speed of BFCM revenue concentration. This represents a 24% year-over-year increase and shows how critical the event has become for ecommerce businesses.
4
59.9 billion messages sent across all channels during BFCM 2025, a 19% increase over 2024, with email accounting for 32% increase year-over-year
Email remained central to omnichannel BFCM strategy. The 32% YoY growth in email messaging volume shows how heavily brands rely on email despite increasing SMS and social adoption.
5
68.9% of consumers in US, UK, and EU nations say email is their preferred channel for Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotional messages
Consumer preference data validates email's dominance during BFCM. This strong alignment between consumer expectations and brand strategy creates a powerful incentive structure for continued investment in email marketing.
6
Cyber Monday 2024 generated $13.3 billion in sales, exceeding Black Friday's $10.8 billion by 23.1%, with email representing 20% of online sales
Email accounted for one-fifth of all BFCM online revenue, making it one of the top three revenue-driving channels alongside paid search (29.7%) and affiliates (17.6%).
7
365 million emails sent on Black Friday alone via Dotdigital platform, representing an 8% increase from 2023, with 14% more emails during the entire 4-day weekend
Email volume growth continues despite market saturation, indicating increasing reliance on email despite competitive inbox conditions. The 4-day weekend saw more aggressive email frequency across brands.
8
Email open rates held steady at 16% during Black Friday 2025 despite massive inbox volume increases, showing customer engagement remained relevant despite competition
Unlike typical projections of declining engagement with volume increases, BFCM open rates actually maintained consistency. This demonstrates that relevance and segmentation overcome inbox fatigue when executed properly.
9
56.5% of consumers prefer email for BFCM promotions while 73.9% depend on email for critical transactional updates like order confirmations and shipping alerts
This data reveals a clear bifurcation in email's role during BFCM. Beyond promotions, email serves as infrastructure for customer trust and fulfillment transparency, making deliverability failures costly.
Email Engagement and Performance Metrics
During BFCM, email engagement patterns shift dramatically from baseline benchmarks. This section covers open rates, click-through rates, and conversion patterns that brands should expect and optimize for during the holiday shopping period.
10
6.4% email-driven BFCM conversion rate, double the 3.2% annual average
Email drives significantly higher conversions during BFCM than regular promotional periods. This underscores why email is the highest-converting traffic source during the holiday shopping event, making pre-event list building and strategic segmentation critical for revenue maximization.
11
18.3% BFCM email open rate, down from 21.5% annual average due to inbox saturation
BFCM inbox competition reduces open rates below baseline benchmarks. Despite lower opens, engagement remains strong among those who do open, proving that well-targeted, relevant messaging cuts through the noise when volume peaks.
12
3.8% BFCM email click-through rate, 46% higher than the 2.6% annual average
Despite lower open rates, BFCM emails see significantly higher CTRs than normal periods. Recipients who open BFCM emails are more action-focused, increasing the value of each click and emphasizing the importance of compelling copy and clear CTAs.
13
4.2x BFCM email revenue multiplier compared to normal sending periods
Email revenue during BFCM is amplified 4.2 times versus baseline sending periods. This multiplier effect reflects both higher conversion rates and increased average order values, making email the primary revenue driver for most retailers during the holiday season.
14
68.9% of consumers prefer email for BFCM promotional messages across US, UK, and EU
Email dominates as the preferred channel for Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotions. This consumer preference validates email's critical role in BFCM strategy and signals that email saturation does not deter engaged shoppers seeking holiday deals.
15
32% year-over-year surge in email volume during November 2025 BFCM season
Email volume scaled dramatically throughout November with peak growth during Cyber Week as brands launched early-bird deals. This sustained, month-long campaign approach replaced the traditional single-weekend sprint, with multi-channel orchestration driving 27 billion customer interactions.
16
13% average BFCM email open rate (excluding bots), proving strong engagement despite saturation
Even at peak competitive pressure, BFCM email open rates held steady at industry levels, demonstrating that well-targeted campaigns still cut through noise. This metric proves consumers actively hunt for deals during BFCM rather than experiencing email fatigue.
17
45.9% of consumers want BFCM promotions at least one month before Black Friday
Nearly half of shoppers expect brands to start promoting BFCM deals a full month early. This trend validates the shift from last-minute blasts to extended, strategic campaigns and underscores the importance of early list-building and segmentation in November and beyond.
Mobile, Device, and Send Timing Optimization
Mobile dominance continues to grow during BFCM, with over half of all opens and purchases happening on smartphones. Timing also plays a critical role in whether emails reach engaged subscribers before they delete or ignore them.
18
55% of ecommerce emails are opened on mobile devices, with mobile-optimized emails generating 15% higher conversion rates
Mobile dominance in BFCM is undeniable. During peak shopping periods, 47% of online sales are transacted via smartphones, with emails driving a significant portion of these purchases. For brands optimizing their campaigns for mobile, the conversion lift can be substantial compared to non-optimized versions.
19
During BFCM weekend 2024, repeat purchases made up 56% of all purchases, a 180% increase from the previous year
This shift reveals that BFCM success increasingly depends on retargeting engaged subscribers rather than cold acquisition. Mobile optimization becomes critical for reaching existing customers who check emails on smartphones throughout the shopping window.
20
In BFCM 2024, email carried 43% of total GMV on Black Friday while SMS surged to 6x its usual revenue contribution
Email remained the dominant revenue driver during BFCM, particularly when brands combined email with SMS at strategic send times. This underscores the importance of sending mobile-optimized emails when subscribers are most likely to convert.
21
During Black Friday 2024, Cyber Monday open rates reached 15%, with Black Friday averaging 13%, proving strong engagement despite high email volume
Engagement remained strong during BFCM's peak sending days, demonstrating that consumers actively hunted for deals via email. Mobile users made up a significant portion of these opens, validating mobile optimization as a critical success factor.
22
In 2025, 58% of consumers check email first thing in the morning on mobile before any other activity
Morning mobile email checking behavior creates a prime engagement window for BFCM campaigns. Early sends (7-9 AM) align with this natural behavior, with research showing peak opens between 8-9 AM during BFCM weekends.
23
Send time optimization improved open rates by 35% and conversion rates by 11% at one major BFCM retailer
AI-powered send time optimization personalized delivery for each subscriber based on their behavior, demonstrating measurable ROI during high-stakes BFCM periods. Predictive send times boost mobile open rates by 15-20% compared to batch sends.
24
Emails sent during Cyber Week 2024 peaked between 8-9 PM for click-through rates, with 8 PM sends reaching a 59% open rate compared to 45% for 2 PM sends
Evening sends significantly outperformed traditional morning sends during peak BFCM, as consumers checked emails while winding down. This trend reflects how mobile users consume promotional emails differently during holiday shopping periods versus regular business hours.
Segmentation, Personalization, and Automation Strategy
The most successful BFCM campaigns rely on advanced segmentation and behavior-triggered automation rather than one-size-fits-all blasts. These statistics demonstrate how personalization and automation compound email performance during peak volume periods.
25
29% higher conversion rate for segmented email campaigns during BFCM
Brands that use email segmentation see approximately 29% higher conversion rates on average compared to unsegmented campaigns. This effect is particularly pronounced during BFCM when customers expect personalized offers based on their purchase history and engagement level.
26
37% of email-generated sales from automated workflows that represent only 2% of total sends
Automated, behavior-triggered emails like abandoned cart and welcome flows drive 37% of all email revenue despite accounting for just 2% of total email volume. During BFCM, this disparity is even more pronounced, as automation responds to real-time shopper behavior.
27
56% of BFCM repeat purchases came from existing customers, up 180% year-over-year
In 2024 BFCM Weekend, repeat purchases made up 56% of all purchases, a 180% increase from the previous year. This underscores why segmenting loyal customers for VIP early access and exclusive offers is critical to BFCM strategy.
28
760% revenue increase from advanced segmentation strategies
Marketers using advanced segmentation see a 760% increase in revenue generation compared to single-segment campaigns. In 2023, only 20% of ecommerce merchants used segmentation, but they earned 80% of all revenue generated.
29
40% boost in revenue from automated flows during BFCM
Luxury brand Shinola's data-driven BFCM approach delivered a 40% revenue boost specifically from automated flows through strategic segmentation, optimized email and SMS flows, and targeted messaging to engaged customers.
30
41% higher revenue from AI-driven personalization versus generic batch-and-blast emails
Brands using AI-driven personalization report up to 41% higher revenue compared to one-size-fits-all broadcast campaigns. This compounds when combined with behavioral segmentation and automation during high-volume periods like BFCM.
31
30% of email orders from triggered automations representing just 3% of total sends
In November 2024, triggered email campaigns like cart abandonment and browse abandonment reminders made up just 3% of total email sends but drove 30% of all email orders. Behavior-triggered emails consistently outperform scheduled campaigns, especially during peak BFCM volume.
32
18.8% open rate for personalized emails versus 13.1% for non-personalized
Personalized emails achieve an average open rate of 18.8%, compared to 13.1% for non-personalized emails. This 43% improvement is foundational to BFCM success, where inbox competition is highest and relevance determines who wins attention.
Omnichannel Integration and Email Plus SMS
Email remains the primary channel, but top-performing brands combine email with SMS, push notifications, and other channels. This section shows how omnichannel strategies boost BFCM revenue and consumer preference.
33
23.92% SMS click-through rate achieved in December during BFCM period, up from 3.47% in January
SMS click-through rates surge dramatically during BFCM season. Omnisend's 2025 data shows CTR climbs from 3.47% in January to 18.02% in October, 20.28% in November, and peaks at 23.92% in December, demonstrating SMS's critical role when combined with email strategies during peak holiday spending.
34
20% year-over-year increase in e-commerce revenue when brands added SMS to their marketing mix during BFCM 2024
Brands that integrated SMS messaging into their email and paid media strategies saw measurable revenue lift. This 20% YoY revenue increase translated to more than $100M in extra gross merchandise value during BFCM 2024, proving SMS amplifies email's effectiveness rather than cannibalizing it.
35
39% triggered SMS conversion rate during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, driven by abandoned cart recovery and cart abandonment reminders
Triggered (behavioral) SMS messages significantly outperformed broadcast campaigns during BFCM. Attentive's 2025 data showed triggered message conversion rates reached as high as 39%, with abandoned cart reminders alone recovering $81 million across customers during the period.
36
47.7% increase in customer engagement when SMS was integrated alongside email campaigns in omnichannel workflows
Research from 2025 shows that brands integrating SMS into omnichannel workflows with email saw engagement increases of 40-50%, with one study specifically documenting a 47.7% increase. This demonstrates that SMS and email function synergistically during peak seasons like BFCM.
37
78% of consumers expect to hear from brands via multiple channels during BFCM
Omnisend's 2025 consumer survey revealed that nearly 4 in 5 shoppers have clear expectations for omnichannel engagement during peak season. This directly validates the strategic importance of coordinating email and SMS during BFCM rather than treating them as separate channels.
38
89% customer retention rate for brands with strong omnichannel engagement strategies versus 33% for those with weak strategies
Companies implementing coordinated omnichannel strategies (including email plus SMS) retain an average of 89% of customers, compared to just 33% for organizations without integrated cross-channel approaches. This 56-percentage-point gap illustrates the long-term value of BFCM omnichannel integration beyond a single season.
39
12.39% average SMS campaign click-through rate in 2025 versus 0.74% for email campaigns on the same data set
Omnisend's 2025 dataset comparing SMS and email performance on identical ecommerce data shows SMS campaigns achieved 12.39% CTR while email campaigns averaged 0.74% CTR. During BFCM when inbox crowding peaks, SMS's direct-to-phone delivery provides significantly faster click response rates than email alone.
Deliverability, Infrastructure, and Email Volume Challenges
BFCM represents the ultimate stress test for email infrastructure, with sending volumes spiking 300-400 percent above normal days. Brands must prioritize authentication, list quality, and sender reputation to ensure their campaigns reach inboxes.
40
20.4 billion emails delivered during BFCM 2025 Cyber Week, up 30 percent year-over-year on Black Friday alone
During the week of Black Friday 2025, Sinch's email platform handled an unprecedented surge in volume, demonstrating the massive infrastructure pressure that threatens sender reputation and inbox placement during peak selling periods.
41
36 percent of emails land in spam folders, with another 4 percent getting blocked or going missing entirely
According to Unspam's 2025 report, roughly 40 percent of all emails never reach the inbox regardless of content quality. This deliverability gap widens dramatically during BFCM when mailbox providers enforce stricter filters on high-volume senders.
42
Only 33.4 percent of top 1 million domains have valid DMARC records, with 85.7 percent failing to enforce p=reject policy
The vast majority of domains lack proper authentication enforcement. Gmail, Yahoo, and Microsoft now require DMARC for bulk senders, making this authentication gap a critical barrier to BFCM inbox placement and sender reputation protection.
43
Gmail permanently rejected non-compliant bulk mail with hard 5xx SMTP errors starting November 2025
Gmail shifted from temporary deferrals to permanent rejections for senders not meeting authentication and engagement requirements. This escalated enforcement directly impacts BFCM campaigns, making pre-season preparation mandatory for high-volume senders.
44
Microsoft Office365 inbox placement dropped 26.73 percentage points year-over-year due to stricter anti-spam filters
Microsoft's May 2025 bulk sender requirements triggered widespread inbox placement declines for high-volume senders. This platform-specific challenge demands separate authentication and warming strategies during BFCM peak periods.
45
Sinch processed 95,000 messages per second and 4.4 million per minute at peak during BFCM 2025
Infrastructure stress at scale tests sender reputation and authentication protocols. Brands relying on inadequate infrastructure risk deferrals and throttling when volume spikes, even with proper authentication setup.
Sources
All statistics on this page are sourced from the following 42 references.
- 1Sinch Mailjet and Adobe Analytics, 2025
- 2Wunderkind, 2024
- 3Shopify, 2025
- 4Braze, 2025
- 5Mailjet Consumer Survey, 2025
- 6Adobe Analytics and Salesforce, 2024
- 7Dotdigital, 2024
- 8Mailgun, 2025
- 9Sinch Mailjet Consumer Survey, 2025
- 10Klaviyo BFCM Benchmark (2025)
- 11Klaviyo BFCM Performance Data (2025)
- 12Klaviyo BFCM Data (2025)
- 13Klaviyo BFCM Benchmark (2025)
- 14Sinch Mailjet BFCM Data (2025)
- 15Sinch Mailjet Analysis (2025)
- 16Sinch Consumer Survey (2025)
- 17Stripo.email Mobile Email Statistics (2026)
- 18Drip Email Marketing Statistics (2025)
- 19Klaviyo Black Friday Data (2024)
- 20Mailgun BFCM 2024 Analysis (2025)
- 21Genesys Growth Mobile Email Statistics (2026)
- 22Attentive BFCM Deliverability Guide (2025)
- 23Omnisend Email Marketing Statistics (2025)
- 24Attentive (via Yotpo BFCM Marketing Guide 2025)
- 25Omnisend 2025 Data (via Litmus and Marketful)
- 26Drip Email Marketing Statistics 2026
- 27Drip Email Marketing Statistics 2026 (citing ecommerce data)
- 28Klaviyo BFCM Case Study 2024-2025
- 29Verified.Email Email Marketing ROI Statistics 2026
- 30Maropost BFCM 2024 Analysis
- 31Omnisend SMS Marketing Benchmarks 2026
- 32Klaviyo Black Friday Email Marketing Strategy (2025)
- 33Attentive Cyber Week Message Examples (2025)
- 34Sakari SMS Marketing Statistics (2026)
- 35Omnisend Email Marketing Statistics 2026
- 36Mailmodo Omnichannel Marketing Statistics (2025)
- 37Sinch Mailgun/Mailjet BFCM 2025 Data
- 38Unspam 2025 Email Deliverability Report
- 39Landbase 2026 Email Deliverability Statistics Report
- 40MessageFlow 2026 Email Deliverability Guide
- 41The Digital Bloom 2025 B2B Email Deliverability Report
- 42Mailgun BFCM 2025 Infrastructure Data
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