Black Friday: a surge in major purchases and logistics traffic

Black Friday, Black Week, and Cyber Monday remain highly popular in Poland, with this year seeing even greater interest compared to last year. According to an analysis by the payment operator Tpay, online sellers experienced a 136% increase in turnover during Black Friday 2024 compared to the rest of the month. This marks a significant rise from the previous year, when the increase was 116%.

Logistics serves as a litmus test for the economy, revealing its trends and consumer behavior. The positive attitude of Poles towards shopping during the November sales, coupled with the larger scale of activity compared to last year, has been clearly reflected in our operations. As a comprehensive logistics operator, we handle a wide range of goods, including electronics, household appliances, furniture, finishing materials, flooring, and bathroom fittings. These items are delivered via both B2B channels to retail stores and B2C channels directly to end recipients.

This year, we observed an 8% increase in general cargo deliveries in the days following the sales festival compared to the same period in 2023. In the B2C channel alone, this increase was even more pronounced—over 15%. Additionally, heightened logistics activity was evident throughout November, particularly during the period of store restocking and sellers’ preparations, surpassing traffic levels from the previous year.

It is also worth noting that the logistics surge associated with Black Friday extended beyond road transport. In recent weeks, air cargo activity—primarily driven by e-commerce—has also increased significantly, exceeding last year’s levels.

Why did consumers purchase more during this year’s November sales? Several factors contributed to this trend, including a mild economic recovery and rising wages.

Black Friday Drives Greater Demand for Delivery and Assembly Services

The surge in purchasing activity during sales periods places significant demands on logistics operators. Today, customers in the TSL (Transport, Shipping, and Logistics) industry expect a comprehensive supply chain capable of addressing all consumer needs. Beyond safe, fast, and timely deliveries, there is a growing demand for additional services, such as the delivery and installation of electronics, household appliances, and furniture—popular purchases during Black Friday and Black Week. Consumers also value services like the collection of unused products as part of a single delivery.

At Rohlig SUUS Logistics, we prioritize such solutions. Through SUUS EXPERT, our dedicated service for this segment, we provide deliveries of bulky goods using double teams. These teams are not only responsible for transport and delivery but are also qualified to professionally install products, such as gas stoves and electric hobs.

Our data highlights the increasing popularity of these services. In November 2024, we recorded a more than 10% increase in arrival and departure services compared to November 2023. Furthermore, during the sales period, the preference for such services became even more apparent. Orders for drop-in and drop-off services in the days immediately following Black Friday were over 40% higher than those recorded one or two weeks earlier.