Half of Brazilians start researching Black Friday offers one month before the date, which falls on November 27 in 2026. Research starts on marketplaces, but 55% plan to buy on the store's own site. A merchant that prepares catalog, price and support in October reaches the date with customers already decided.
For a merchant, the calculation is simple. If the decision happens before Friday, the work must too. ChatFunnel connects the store's official WhatsApp to CRM. Through it, the store answers questions and follows up with people who abandoned a purchase. Below are the survey figures, the resulting calendar and what a store prepares in each window.
How do Brazilian consumers research products before Black Friday 2026?
The figures come from LWSA's Black Friday 2026 Purchase Intent Survey. LWSA owns Tray. Meio & Mensagem published the survey on September 21, 2026. Collection through the Opinion Box consumer panel surveyed 1,044 people aged over 18 across all Brazilian regions from July 31 to August 19.
- 50% start researching promotions one month before the date.
- 19% leave research until Black Friday week.
- 5% research only on Friday itself.
The practical reading is that most competition begins in October, when customers are still comparing stores, prices and delivery times. By the event week, many have decided.
Where do consumers research and where do they buy on Black Friday?
The research location is not necessarily the purchase location. The LWSA survey asks separately, and percentages exceed 100% because respondents could name more than one place.
| Channel | Where they research | Where they intend to buy |
|---|---|---|
| Marketplaces | 56% | 37% |
| Store and brand websites | 42% | 55% |
| Stores' own apps | 33% | 40% |
| Physical stores | not reported | 28% |
| 21% | not reported | |
| TikTok | 17% | not reported |
| AI tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini | 13% | not reported |
Marketplaces lead research, while brand sites lead purchase intent. For an online store, this creates an opportunity: a customer may discover a product elsewhere and order from the store that answered their question more clearly. ChatFunnel fits at this point because WhatsApp is where questions about size, timing and exchanges often arise before an order.
Does AI already feature in Black Friday product research?
Yes, though still a minority. According to LWSA, 13% of consumers already start product searches in AI tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini. Among users, 63% do so always or frequently. AI-generated summaries influence decisions for 45% of the audience, and AI recommendations influence 40%.
Reclame AQUI, a Brazilian consumer complaint platform, surveyed 2,161 consumers between August 21 and 26, 2026 and shows the other side: 87% intend to use AI on Black Friday. They would use it to compare specifications and models (71%) and find coupons and lower prices (44%). Only 15% accept AI choosing the store, and 4% would follow a recommendation without checking. These figures do not contradict each other: LWSA's 13% start their search in AI, while 87% intend to use it at some point. AI helps research and compare, while the final choice remains with the consumer.
Pedro Fonseca of Tray told Central do Varejo that clear, complete and structured information grows in importance in this setting. For stores, this becomes a catalog task: descriptions with material, sizes, delivery time and exchange policy in text, not only in an image. The same information must match across the website, marketplace and support replies. Fonseca recommends coordinating catalog, price, stock and communication across channels.
Black Friday 2026 calendar for online stores
With the date on November 27, research by those starting a month early concentrates from October 27. This schedule follows the figures above and should be adapted to your business size.
| Window | What the consumer does | What the store prepares |
|---|---|---|
| By Oct 26 | Compares stores and prices | Catalog, price, stock and exchange policy reviewed and consistent across channels |
| Oct 27 to Nov 22 | Researches (half the audience) | Contacts organized by interest and campaigns with Meta-approved templates |
| Nov 23 to Nov 26 | Researches in event week (19%) | Support ready for questions and an active cart recovery flow |
| Nov 27 | Buys and still researches (5%) | Fast replies, checked price and stock, team on duty |
| Nov 28 to Nov 30 | Waits for Cyber Monday | Follow-up with nonbuyers and people with pending payment |
Cyber Monday on November 30 also matters. Of the 47% considering waiting until after Black Friday, 35% look for items on Cyber Monday if they do not find what they want on the official date. Someone who did not buy Friday may still buy Monday.
How to prepare store WhatsApp for Black Friday without spam
WhatsApp can resume conversations with people who have spoken with the store. A store-initiated message outside the 24-hour window needs a Meta-approved template, as explained in ChatFunnel Help Center's 24-hour window guide. Request approval early because Meta can reject text and the store must adjust it before the campaign.
Three precautions apply:
- Segment by interest. Use tags and saved segments such as "interest in sneakers" to speak only to people connected to the product. The steps are in how to send a bulk campaign in ChatFunnel.
- Write to people who requested it. Send to contacts who have spoken with the store or authorized messages. A cold-list broadcast puts the number at risk, as shown in bulk messaging through the official API.
- Calculate cost first. Meta charges for marketing messages, while customer replies have a monthly free allowance. The article on official API pricing provides the rate card, and the Help Center shows how to simulate costs in ChatFunnel.
For abandoned carts or pending Pix payments, the flow must stop once payment is confirmed. Both are covered in abandoned cart and pending Pix.
What AI support needs to know before November 27
AI answers from what the store registers. In ChatFunnel, the knowledge base combines catalog, size guide and exchange policy; the team reviews active content and AI consults only approved material. For Black Friday, add campaign delivery times, promotion conditions and exchange rules for discounted products to the base before the date.
Also define when a conversation goes to a person. A customer with a delayed order, duplicate charge or complaint needs a human with conversation history. The article on AI support for Black Friday details the human queue, and the WhatsApp AI agent guide shows how to test AI before enabling it.
People researching in October choose stores before Black Friday
LWSA's survey shows consumers planning, comparing on marketplaces and, in many cases, buying on brand sites. An online store's decision is to use October to align catalog, price and support across channels, organize contacts by interest and prepare WhatsApp for November 27 and Cyber Monday. The data comes from an intent survey measuring what people say they will do, not what they will buy.
In ChatFunnel, the store connects official WhatsApp and the ecommerce platform, organizes contacts with tags and segments, sends campaigns using Meta-approved templates and has AI answer from the reviewed knowledge base. Cart recovery waits the defined period and ends when purchase is confirmed. Connection requires a number on the official API and authorization of store permissions. Want to see this preparation before the date?
Talk to a specialist and see Black Friday preparation from campaign to support
Frequently asked questions about Black Friday 2026
When is Black Friday 2026?
Black Friday 2026 will be Friday, November 27, according to Meio & Mensagem. Cyber Monday follows on Monday, November 30.
When does Black Friday 2026 begin?
The official date is November 27, but research starts earlier: half the audience researches one month before, according to LWSA. Offer start dates depend on each store, so define yours and notify contacts in advance.
When do consumers start researching Black Friday?
Half start a month before, according to LWSA. Another 19% research during event week and 5% only on Friday. For a store, the most important period begins in October.
Where do Brazilians research products before Black Friday?
Marketplaces lead with 56% of mentions, followed by store and brand sites at 42% and stores' own apps at 33%. Instagram and TikTok appear at 21% and 17%. Responses were multiple-choice, so each person could name more than one channel.
Where do consumers intend to buy on Black Friday 2026?
Store or brand websites lead at 55%, followed by own apps at 40%, marketplaces at 37% and physical stores at 28%, according to LWSA.
Do consumers use AI to research Black Friday products?
A small but existing share does: 13% start searching in tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini. Among users, 63% do so always or frequently. AI summaries influence 45% of the audience.
Will consumers use AI on Black Friday 2026?
Many intend to. According to Reclame AQUI, 87% plan to use AI for Black Friday 2026, more for comparing specifications (71%) and finding lower prices (44%) than deciding: only 15% accept AI choosing the store. LWSA shows 13% start their search in AI tools.
How can an online store prepare for Black Friday 2026?
Start with catalog, price, stock and exchange policy consistent across channels. Then organize contacts by interest, request WhatsApp template approval and place campaign rules in the support knowledge base. The guide to AI support for Black Friday provides the steps.
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