What you don’t know about Black Friday: discount anxiety
Every year in November, the marketing calendar marks a small masterpiece of collective manipulation: Black Friday. A day that sells not only products, but adrenaline, belonging, and the fear of being left behind. Behind the numbers and flashing banners lies a psychological mechanism that is much more sophisticated than it seems: we don’t buy out of necessity, but so as not to miss out. And this, for the brain, is much more powerful than any discount.
You know that mattress that’s “60% off today only”?
We used to fall for it en masse. Today we smile in front of the TV, but inside we know that something still stings: the fear that tomorrow will be too late. But what really happens in our minds when a brand tells us that we have to buy now or we’ll never be able to do so again?
I have FOMO: the fear of missing out
FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is the backbone of contemporary marketing and the queen of Black Friday. You’re not just selling a product: you’re selling the fear of being left out of something that “everyone” is experiencing.
There are two key mechanisms:
- Perception of exclusion: the feeling that others are taking advantage of an experience that we are missing out on.
- Compensatory behavior: to fill that void, we open notifications, click on banners, and make purchases.
According to Self-Determination Theory, FOMO stems from three unmet psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and social connection.
Those who are most afraid of being excluded tend to seek immediate gratification, and shopping is one of the most effective shortcuts.
Studies confirm this: those who experience FOMO are statistically more prone to compulsive buying behavior (CBB).
“You only have 3 days left!”: cognitive tricks
There are “2 days, 14 hours, and 36 minutes” left. The offer flashes, an influencer shows it off, the comments say “already got it!” At that point, you’re no longer buying a product, you’re defending your position in the group.
Behind every urgent message are the refined cognitive mechanisms of persuasive copywriting:
- Asymmetric social comparison: on social media, you only see those who have “won” the opportunity, never those who resisted.
- Cognitive timing: countdowns reduce the window for reflection, and the brain reacts impulsively.
- Information saturation: too many stimuli wear down attention and disable critical thinking.
- Anticipation of regret: “if you don’t buy now, you’ll regret it tomorrow,” and the brain chooses action to avoid pain.
- Individual differences: those with low self-esteem or high social sensitivity are more vulnerable to the appeal of FOMO.
The discount effect and the mathematics of emotion
“–70% today only.” Three numbers and an adverb are enough to reverse the perception of value. Discounts are cognitive illusions studied in neuromarketing “laboratories.”
Each number is a psychological lever:
- Loss aversion: the brain perceives more pain in “missing out” than pleasure in saving money.
- Frame effect: changing the way you present a price changes the reaction. “50% discount” and “Save half” evoke different feelings, even if they are mathematically identical.
- Misleading reference price: the classic “previously $299” has often never been real, but serves to deepen the perception of the advantage.
- 9.99 effect: cents are used to make people perceive a jump in category—19.99 is not 20, it is “less than 20.”
- Numerical scale effect: between -30% and -70%, the brain chooses the extreme, the one that gives the feeling of “maximum gain.”
In reality, what we buy is not the discount, but the thrill of “getting a bargain,” a fleeting emotion that fades faster than the promised cashback.
Inside the buyer’s mind
The cognitive journey always starts with an input.
Newsletters, banners, or sponsored posts: each stimulus combines a time lever (“until midnight”), social proof (“others are buying”), and an emotional reward (“don’t miss out”).
In a matter of seconds, the amygdala, the part of the brain that manages emotions, reacts. Adrenaline rises, the heart rate accelerates, and rationality shuts down. The process follows a constant sequence:
- Stimulus: the advertising message triggers urgency.
- Emotional reaction: the limbic area takes control before the prefrontal cortex (critical thinking).
- Action: click, shopping cart, purchase.
- Post-purchase: calm and reflection return along with doubts – “Did I really need this?”
It is a cycle designed to be quick, enjoyable, and repeatable. And in fact, it repeats itself.
Now that you know how to do it, take action: a guide for brands and e-commerce
There is a fine line between persuasion and manipulation. Black Friday walks that line, and brands that know how to manage it turn it into a powerful lever rather than a trap.
The secret is to use psychology not to force a purchase, but to shape a valuable experience. Emotional levers only work if they are integrated into a coherent strategy that combines urgency, trust, and brand consistency.
Here’s how an e-commerce business can turn pressure into connection:
- Build anticipation, not anxiety.
- The best campaigns don’t pop up the day before, but create a positive countdown: teaser newsletters, previews, early access. Make the user feel part of something, not a victim of the timer.
- Show social proof with authenticity.
- Reviews, “best sellers,” and real customer content are powerful cognitive reinforcements. But they must be true, consistent, and up-to-date, with no inflated numbers: the user will notice immediately.
- Communicate scarcity in a credible way.
- Saying “last pieces available” only makes sense if it really is true. Once exposed, fictitious scarcity destroys trust and nullifies the value of the brand.
- Use FOMO as inclusion, not exclusion.
- Offer benefits to your followers, newsletter subscribers, or community members.
- Make room for post-purchase.
- After the peak of euphoria, take care of the follow-up. Thank-you emails, tips on how to use the product, loyalty programs: these serve to transform impulse into relationship.
The point is not to sell more, but to sell better, because in 2025 the most valuable conversion is not a full shopping cart, but full trust: the kind that keeps users coming back even when the timers go off.
On Black Friday, there is no mercy
Black Friday is not just a date on the calendar, but the symbol of an emotional economy that thrives on pressure, comparison, and speed. Understanding these mechanisms is the first step in breaking the chain, not to give up on sales, but to truly choose the right and affordable ones.
On Black Friday, e-commerce wakes up to maximize sales.
On Black Friday, customers wake up to maximize their savings.
On Black Friday, it doesn’t matter if you’re a brand or a consumer: what matters is knowing the strategies behind it.
