Global Insights on Black Friday reflect on how market decisions are differently influenced by tariffs on different continents. Where import costs rose in EU states or Canada during pre-season or domestic market holidays, supermarkets use AI to immediately shift promotions and price points to adapt to market opportunities. U.S. shoppers can learn to anticipate which products might incur price rises and domestic equivalents to offer better value for money. International observers who track patterns with the help of AI benefit with superior inventory control, high-accuracy promotions, and customized messaging to deliver a better-informed, more efficient, and interactive Black Friday experience to mirror shifting international purchasing patterns.
This year, Black Friday will be even more complicated for consumers due to tariffs and the effects of artificial intelligence. From an economic perspective, tariffs are a tax on imported goods, and many retailers will have hardened decisions to make. They can either absorb the cost, which erodes profitability, or pass the cost to the customer. We are beginning to see some combination of the two, but with higher demand and commodity goods, which are often expected to be sold on Black Friday, it is likely that the cost will be incurred by the consumer in terms of higher prices. So, what this means on Black Friday is that either the deals will not be as steep as in previous years or the sale price will be in line with what the regular price used to be, prior to the implementation of tariffs. However, AI is also having a large influence on the shopping experience, making it much more personalized. Retailers are able to use AI customer data to set dynamic prices in real time. So the price that you see may be different than the price that someone else sees, as your browsing history, previous purchases, and even your location could be affecting what the retailer has decided to present as the price to you. AI is also being used to set hyper-specific product recommendations and deals. Instead of just the standard Black Friday ad that airs on television for everyone to see, you may receive an email or push notification with an offer specific to something you've been looking at. Consumers will need to be a more savvy shopper as they have to compare prices from multiple sites to find the best deals.
This Black Friday is playing out differently. The tariffs on clothing and electronic items are pushing up costs, and therefore shoppers are becoming more shrewd about scheduling acquisitions and searching out optimal bargains. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence is speeding up and refining the buying experience with trend forecasting, customized promotions, and side-by-side comparison that makes consumers consult professionals. The combination of tariff-based pricing and artificial intelligence-based software is shifting the mode of buying people are undertaking on this Black Friday from a spree of impromptu purchases to a strategic informed experience.
Tariffs and AI are disrupting Black Friday in ways shoppers may not immediately recognize on the surface. Increasing tariffs can cause prices to rise, altering the way consumers balance bargains and value. While AI assists stores in forecasting demand, tailoring promotions, and optimizing inventory such that popular items remain on shelves as well as lesser-known items become visible within recommendations. For shoppers, this equates to savvier bargains and more tailored buying experiences, whereas stores are able to control costs as well as waste. On the horizon, this combination of tariff-affected price-based economics as well as AI-powered understanding of shoppers is poised to transform marketplaces, adjusting everything from strategy of operations to building loyalty among shoppers. Black Friday will no longer simply be about promotions; it is growing to be an extremely savvy data-based buying event.
E-commerce expansion has only increased the data-driven nature of Black Friday with AI analysis at its core to influence pricing strategy within a tariff-sensitive market. Retailers are able to instantly gauge product costs influenced by tariffs, forecast customer price sensitiveness and make live adjustment to discounts to remain competitive. For consumers, this translates to individualized discounts, more intelligent product suggestions and a more seamless online buying experience. Through AI, retailers are able to grasp detail-level consumer behavior to ensure Black Friday promotions find appropriate value and urgency balance and influence increased engagement and intelligent spending decisions.
I'm not an economist, but here's what I've seen from recent consumer behavior trends and economic reporting, cutting through the fluff: With tariffs affecting costs, especially on imports, some shoppers are feeling the pinch. Still, many aren't seeing a direct impact just yet. A recent AI-powered consumer report found that 62% of shoppers say they rarely or never run into issues finding items because of tariffs, and nearly 50% intend to spend the same this holiday season as they have the last. On the AI side, it's a game-changer. During Black Friday 2025, retailers using AI-driven chatbots saw traffic spikes up 1,800%, and conversion rates jumped 9%. AI just makes shopping smoother. For customers, that means: yes, some price increases could come via tariffs but they're still shopping if the experience is clean, personalized, and relevant.
This year's tariffs are rattling supply chains, meaning Black Friday inventory may be leaner than normal. Shoppers may find fewer items on sale or reduced discounts, and AI is filling the void by assisting retailers with predicting demand, pricing to perfection, and tailoring promotions in real time. Savvy shoppers who grasp those forces will be wiser and more strategic, and companies that harness AI well can keep shelves adequately stocked, promotions appealing, and the purchasing experience smooth regardless of international trade issues. It's a storm to end all storms where economics intersects with tech and consumerism on a very practical level.
Tariffs and AI will create a push-and-pull. AI made personalization better and algorithms now anticipate demand weeks ahead. It can adjust prices and show products that shoppers are most likely to buy. Discounts shoppers see will be more relevant and their shopping experience will be better. Unfortunately, tariffs reduce shopper excitement. Categories such as electronics, home goods and clothes are absorbing higher baseline costs. Thus, limiting how steep the discounts go. Retailers might use AI to disguise slimmer margins through product bundling, time-sensitive deals. They might also suggest lower-cost alternatives that feel premium. On the other hand, consumers benefit from smarter shopping journeys. Nevertheless, they need to know how to separate algorithmic bargains from genuine markdowns. Last year, an AI platform kept promoting noise-canceling headphones among the "hot deals". On a closer look, those headphones had seen a quiet price inflation weeks before and were discounted back to their original baseline. That's when I realized AI also shapes perception. It could make a modest deal feel irresistible. This year, with tariffs, I expect AI to continue polishing the presentation.
Similar to last year, AI models and LLMs like ChatGPT and Claude will assist online shoppers, and are expected to influence 54% of online shopping tasks with their research-backed advice. Consumers are expected to leverage AI to sort out multiple products, secure cheaper deals, and prioritize purchases based on their current circumstances. Not only from the consumer's side, AI is also expected to facilitate companies promoting their Black Friday and Cyber Monday campaigns by features like chatbots, personal shopping assistants, and real-time query resolutions. Companies that are embracing AI-assistance within their online shops are expected to convert 15% more visitors than companies that still rely on the manual workforce. One unique tip to optimize your decision-making while shopping is to enter your details into the custom memory of LLMs. Specify crucial information, such as your salary, financial goals, and upcoming expenses. Also, share instructions about your budget and shopping preferences. With a comprehensive and stellar input, you can expect handpicked products by AI.
Being in the AI-driven software industry has taught me many lessons. The most prevalent one is that retailers who double down on AI across acquisition, personalization, operations, and customer experience see an average 20-30% growth in demand. From a consumer perspective, this approach manifests in very practical ways. Suddenly, personalized deals feel like they've been handpicked by a consultant who knows your problems, browsing is no longer a doomsday scroll through inventory, and support resolves your issue the first time. During a Black Friday shopping spree, speed and continuous experience make all the difference. If a customer hits a dead-end offer that's no longer available, an AI-powered recommendation system is highly likely to direct the shopper to a viable alternative. Black Friday shopping that is guided by AI feels much smoother and personalized, encouraging the customer to spend more and browse longer. The rise of intelligent shopping journeys serves as grounds for a global shift in consumer behavior. A retailer can no longer afford to deliver anything less than a flawless consumer interaction. Consumer tolerance towards outdated and clunky experiences is no longer there. Once a shopper experiences instant alternatives, personalized deals, and banners that mirror the shopper's mindset, there's no going back. They're emotionally attached to the retailer that "gets them". And the retailer now reaps the benefits of brand attachment, trust, and repeat purchase likelihood. Tariffs add another layer. Black Friday is deeply rooted in the consumer culture, with people planning their purchases months ahead. When tariffs hit hard with the price increase, consumers adapt with more caution, more price comparison, and more waiting for the right trigger before buying. This adoption further accelerates the necessity for AI intelligence to create that perfect customer interaction.
This Black Friday, the shift in shopping will no longer just be collectibles & discounts, it will be the influence of both tariffs & AI on consumer attitudes. With tariffs increasing the price of imported electronics, consumers will likely want to retreat from purchasing big-ticket items, such as phones or gaming consoles - they no longer see it as a deal to be had. However, this opens for retailers to view the appreciation to a value-based offer. Rather than reducing the price, retailers could be utilizing AI to present the value of ownership, based on durability, warranty bonuses or sustainability, all of which, is becoming very coveted by the increasing number of eco-friendly consumers. Essentially, AI can help redefine what it means to have a deal & with it being removed from just showing the discount off the price. From a business perspective AI's predictive analytics within their ecosystem provides a more unobtrusive timing to stay engaged. Businesses can anticipate when consumers will be pushed to change their budget in a desire not to miss out & build their marketing towards these moments of time. This simple shift in behavior could generate a different kind of consumerism. The frenzy of Black Friday consumerism could be replaced with the opportunity for thoughtful, AI guided decision-making - with consumers proactively surveying valued, anticipated purchases as opposed to impulsively seeking out discounts.
Prices on medical equipment will go up because of tariffs and this will include our products. Our adjustable hospital beds which normally retail for around $2500, may go up by $500 or more due to increased import duties on items coming from China & Mexico. This puts added cost on customers who already face high healthcare costs. Probably, consumers will increasingly rely on AI tools to help them deal with rising prices. AI can help with price comparisons, product searches & recommendations to more complex decisions. AI can help our customers find the best deals. For example, AI might suggest bundles such as a combination of bed & mattress, since purchasing those two items at once could help offset some of the price increase. In combination, higher tariffs and AI-driven shopping will lead to more cautious spending. Customers may be more selective, more value-driven, and more cautious. Customers will likely be more selective with their purchases, focusing on value and quality.
As a founder of a retail business, I have witnessed how economic trends and technology affect shopping habits. Tariffs are affecting the customers' decisions around Black Friday purchases. While many consumers may have budgeted for a range of products, they are especially more careful with their spending habits this holiday season. They plan. They are certainly moving as planned, and in many cases, they are beginning their holiday shopping much earlier, on some occasions in September, to try not to pay higher prices later. Retailers are also adjusting to accommodate these changes in buying habits by making deals available earlier to lock in holiday sales before the tariffs wreak havoc on prices. We are all seeing AI starting to shape many aspects of our lives, including shopping trends as more customers, most especially the younger generations, are beginning to adopt AI tools into their shopping patterns. They use AI to compare prices & get recommendations for products. AI use is helping consumers make smarter decisions so they are more likely to wait for bigger sales like Black Friday & Cyber Monday.