Black Friday 2025 broke records—but what’s really behind the $44.2 billion Cyber Week surge? In this episode of the PlayAbly Podcast, we cut through the headlines to unpack what actually drove this year’s growth. Was it real demand… or just higher prices? Which brands won (and why), who quietly lost, and what it all means for December and the overlooked but crucial Q5 window in January.

We’ll cover:

• The end of the “doorbuster” era and the rise of digital-first shopping
• How Buy Now, Pay Later is both fueling sales and signaling stress
• The surprising BNPL data no one’s talking about (hint: late payments ≠ defaults)
• Why retention beats CAC this holiday season
• How to turn gift buyers into repeat buyers in Q5
• And why “experience scaffolding” is your real holiday unlock

If you’re building for Shopify retention, VIP programs, or trying to drive deeper post-purchase engagement, this one’s for you. You’ll also learn how ecommerce gamification and shoppable games can turn the December-January dip into a high-value loyalty loop.

Links we mention:
👉 PlayAbly — Your partner for Shopify gamification and conversion-driven experiences
👉 Explore customer loyalty programs that work beyond BFCM
👉 Build your own ecommerce quizzes and gamified experiences for Q5

Subscribe and stay ahead—because this season isn’t just about sales. It’s about what happens after.

Get Your First Month of PlayAbly free when you mention this Podcast during your free PlayAbly Demo - learn how gamification can improve your ecommerce shop at www.playably.ai