Dutch pre–Black Friday payments climb to 37.8 million, exceeding last year’s total

Dutch consumers made more purchases in the week leading up to Black Friday than they did during the same period last year, according to daily figures released by iDEAL for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

From last Friday through Thursday, shoppers completed about 37.8 million iDEAL payments. In the comparable week before Black Friday in 2024, the total was about 36.3 million transactions.

iDEAL reported that payment activity peaked on Monday and Tuesday. A spokesperson said Monday saw more transactions than the days before because many workers received their salaries around the weekend.

The spokesperson also said consumers increasingly do not expect prices to drop further on Black Friday itself, prompting earlier purchases.

Retailers also saw increases. A spokesperson for MediaMarkt said the chain has recorded a 3 percent rise in product sales compared with the run-up to last year's Black Friday. According to the spokesperson, tablets, game consoles, and smartphones remain especially popular with customers.