Shoppers don't wait for Friday anymore, and the data shows it
The idea of Black Friday as a single day is outdated. Surveys from Brazil this year show shoppers who research early, compare carefully and spread their purchases across the whole month.
Those figures come from an LWSA survey of 1,044 Brazilian consumers, run through the Opinion Box panel between late July and August 2026. A separate study commissioned by Google from Offerwise found that 48% of Brazilians already have their wish lists ready before the campaigns even begin.
In plain terms: buying decisions are being made now, in late October and early November. If you only show up during Black Friday week, a lot of people have already picked a store, saved the item to their cart or simply bought it.
This isn't just an e-commerce problem. A clinic running a seasonal package, a local shop or a service business with a special offer all face the same reality: if people research a month in advance, your offer needs to be on their radar during that month.
Why waiting until the last minute costs more in 2026
Showing up late is one problem. Paying more for it is another. There are three concrete reasons.
Meta ads up to 12.15% more expensive in Brazil
Since January 2026, Meta passes PIS/Cofins and ISS taxes on to advertisers billed in Brazil
1. The auction gets crowded. Google and Meta sell ad space through auctions. During Black Friday week everyone wants the same space at the same time, and prices go up. Brazilian consultancy Kobe has projected that customer acquisition costs this Black Friday could be the highest on record, combining Meta's tax pass-through with competition for media in an election year. It's a projection, not a final number, but the direction is clear.
2. The algorithm needs time to learn. Every new campaign, or one that gets a major edit, goes through a learning phase. On Meta Ads, the most commonly cited benchmark is around 50 optimization events within 7 days for an ad set to exit learning. A campaign built on Tuesday to sell on Friday has no time to learn, and you pay for that learning curve during the most expensive week of the year.
3. No warm audience means no remarketing. The cheapest Black Friday sale is usually to someone who already knows you: they visited your site, engaged with your posts or asked for a quote. If you didn't attract those people beforehand, there's nobody to retarget when your offer goes live.
A 4-week calendar so you don't burn your budget
The good news: there's still time, but the clock is running. Here's a simple plan for the roughly four weeks left before November 27:
Notice that most of the work happens before Black Friday. The week itself is just the harvest.
It also pays to set a realistic budget now, knowing that ad prices rise this time of year. A smaller budget spread across November usually goes further than burning it all in three days competing with the biggest retailers.
At IKOEH, we build this timeline with you, set up the tracking and watch your campaigns closely, with clear reporting and lifetime post-launch support. If you want to go into Black Friday 2026 prepared, get in touch while there's still time.
Frequently asked questions
When is Black Friday 2026?
Black Friday 2026 falls on Friday, November 27, with Cyber Monday right after on Monday, November 30. But as recent surveys show, many shoppers start researching and buying well before that, throughout the whole month.
How far ahead should I start my Black Friday ads?
Ideally at least three to four weeks ahead. That gives campaigns time to get through the learning phase, lets you warm up an audience and build remarketing lists, and puts you in front of the half of shoppers who start researching more than a month before the date.
Can a small business compete with big retailers on Black Friday?
Yes, as long as you don't try to win the same auction on the same day with a smaller budget. Start earlier, focus on local audiences and people who already know your business, and lean on remarketing, which usually converts more cheaply than reaching new people during the most expensive week of the year.