South Africa’s Black Friday Spend Is Set to Break Records Again and Ecentric’s Dashboard Shows It in Real Time

Black Friday spending climbs as South Africans gear up for record retail activity

South Africa is heading into what could be its biggest Black Friday season yet. In 2024, the Bureau of Market Research estimated that November alone generated R88 billion in economic value across retail, wholesale and fuel sectors. More than R30 billion in card payments moved through three major banks on Black Friday itself. Analysts expect these figures to rise even higher in 2025 as consumers, retailers and banks prepare for another intense month of shopping activity.

To track the surge, Ecentric has activated its 2025 Black Friday Dashboard, a real time interactive platform offering payment insights across millions of transactions. The dashboard will remain live from today until Cyber Monday on 1 December, providing retailers, journalists and analysts with a detailed view of national payment behaviour during the country’s busiest retail week.

Ecentric opens real time visibility into SA’s shopping surge

Ecentric is one of the most significant players in South Africa’s payments ecosystem. The company processes 20 percent of the country’s card transactions and serves as the payment partner to 65 percent of JSE listed retailers. This gives the company a uniquely broad lens into how South Africans shop across in store, online and omnichannel environments.

The 2025 dashboard brings that intelligence to the public in a visual, easy to interpret format. It includes year on year comparisons of transaction volumes and total spend, as well as real time monitoring of payment patterns as they unfold.

The data also highlights shifts in consumer behaviour, giving stakeholders early insights into how spending habits change during Black Friday week. For retailers, these trends can help with decision making around staffing, inventory, checkout optimisation and promotions. For analysts and journalists, the dashboard offers trustworthy, live data to contextualise the national retail picture.

Tracking online and in store behaviour during SA’s biggest shopping week

Black Friday in South Africa has evolved into a hybrid retail moment, with online and in store trends moving at different speeds. Ecentric’s dashboard captures both channels live, helping users see where demand is growing fastest.

As more shoppers use mixed channels, including mobile payments, tap to pay and same day deliveries, the need for accurate real time tracking is greater than ever. The dashboard aims to help stakeholders understand not just the scale of national spending but how consumers move between physical stores and digital platforms.

The platform also reflects how retailers are responding. Many have extended Black Friday into a multi day or even month long cycle, spreading out deals to manage operational pressure and meet shifting consumer expectations.

Market share makes the insights meaningful

What makes Ecentric’s dashboard particularly valuable is the scale of the company’s footprint. Processing one in five card transactions gives it a representative sample of national spend. Serving 65 percent of JSE listed retailers means the dataset reflects both large chains and broad consumer demographics.

This reach provides a level of national visibility that few private sector platforms can match. For an event as economically significant as Black Friday, real time insights can help retailers remain agile through peaks, lulls and unexpected behavioural changes.

A powerful tool for SA’s busiest retail weekend

As South Africa moves toward another massive Black Friday, Ecentric’s dashboard offers clarity in a period often characterised by unpredictability. With spending expected to surpass 2024’s R88 billion benchmark, access to real time payments intelligence will play an important role in helping the industry navigate the rush.

The dashboard is available online from today until Cyber Monday at:
https://dashboard.ecentricpaymentgateway.co.za/