Black Friday 2025: AI and chats are expected to boost interactions after a 2024 record

Six out of ten Brazilians intend to shop on this year's Black Friday, a number close to the 62% in 2024, according to Google. Last year, there was a record of 3.4 billion interactions between consumers and businesses, a 26% increase over 2023, indicates the Infobip. Of these, 1.8 billion were messages via SMS, WhatsApp, and RCS, with a peak of 1.6 billion in a single day. To best take advantage of the date, companies should start communications early, and consumers can turn to chatbots and AI to compare prices.

With 531,000 people saving money to buy on Black Friday, according to data collected by Google, it is essential that companies implement digital channels and virtual assistants to cope with high demand, warns Giovanna Dominiquini, Sales Director at Infobip, the company responsible for integrating these conversational platforms into numerous e-commerces, such as Mercado Livre, for example. 

“Last year's learnings show that the consumer seeks convenience, personalization, and security. Brands that strategically used multiple channels managed to reduce failures and offer a more consistent experience. For 2025, the recommendation is to integrate digital channels, automate communications, and explore technologies such as RCS and AI agents to scale without losing proximity,” he comments.

WhatsApp continues to be the dominant channel, being used by brands for both offers and customer service, according to the Infobip study, which presents data from the last Black Friday. SMS maintained a strategic role for critical messages, such as payment confirmations and order statuses, thanks to its high delivery rate. RCS, considered an evolution of SMS, gained traction as an interactive alternative, registering a 3881% growth compared to 2023 and enabling more immersive experiences with images, action buttons, and detailed information.

In addition to growth in Brazil, RCS is also advancing globally. Infobip has already surpassed 10 billion messages delivered on its platform, with a 500% increase in just one year. “This advance reinforces the channel's role during peak consumption periods like Black Friday, when companies seek more interactive messages, with buttons, images, and personalization to engage customers and boost sales,” details Giovanna.

Here is the translation: However, despite this progress, market figures reveal that bottlenecks still exist. According to the Confederation of National Commerce of Goods, Services, and Tourism CNC), the e-commerce generated/moved R$5,22 billion on Black Friday 2024, but the Procon-SP received more than 2,000 complaints, mainly related to delays and delivery failures. This data reinforces the need for brands to be prepared not only to sell but also to provide fast and efficient service during periods of high demand. 

Another key point highlighted in the Infobip report is that successful campaigns share three elements: intelligent segmentation, to deliver the right offer to the right audience; automated messaging, which increases efficiency without sacrificing personalization; and a multichannel strategy, leveraging the strengths of each platform at different stages of the journey.

The retail and e-commerce grew 42% in interactions, still according to the same study, while the finance advanced 36%, reinforcing the centrality of these categories in Black Friday. Furthermore, the volume of interactions extended across all of November, indicating that the event is no longer limited to just Black Friday itself, but has consolidated into an extended shopping season.

The expectation for this year is of even greater growth. According to the Brazilian Association of Electronic Commerce (ABComm), the e-commerce is expected to invoice between R$1.6 billion and R$3.3 billion In Black Friday 2025, an increase of almost 151% compared to 2024. For Google, 68% of people might change their purchase for a good price, which suggests to companies a greater use of AI for consumer searches and that virtual assistants should be used on a larger scale to convince and communicate with customers.

“This must be the AI Black Friday, where the number of customer interactions with chatbots could break records. It is the most opportune moment to turn data into practical actions. With the right tools, the date ceases to be a challenge and becomes an opportunity to build lasting relationships with customers,” Giovanna concludes.