Greece’s Black Friday sales failed to deliver the expected boost for small and medium-sized businesses, highlighting ongoing pressure on the retail sector. According to the Hellenic Confederation of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (ESEE), many retailers fell short of revenue targets despite offering significant discounts across a wide range of products.

Sales and Participation Insights

The annual survey by ESEE’s Institute (INEMY) analyzed 258 nationwide retail businesses for the tenth consecutive year. Key findings include:

  • 48% of businesses reported lower sales compared to last year.
  • Among those with decreased sales, two-thirds experienced a drop of less than 10%.
  • Satisfaction with Black Friday results was moderate for 52% of businesses, but the share of those expressing low satisfaction doubled from 15% in 2024 to 38% in 2025.

Participation remained high, with 81% of retailers offering promotions, mirroring last year’s levels. Nearly half (48%) ran discounts throughout the Black Friday week, while 26% extended deals across the entire month of November.

Discount Patterns and Traffic

  • Roughly one in three businesses applied discounts of 31–40%, while another 31% offered reductions of 21–30%.
  • 34% applied discounts to all products, and 28% to most new arrivals.
  • Store traffic satisfaction was low for 54% of businesses, with peak visits occurring over the Black Friday weekend for 40% and on the main Friday for 20%.

Sales trends generally mirrored foot traffic, with 30% of retailers seeing the highest sales over the weekend and 28% on Black Friday itself. Payment increasingly relied on card and electronic transactions, with cash-only purchases significantly reduced.

Sector Pressures and Observations

  • 80% of businesses reported autumn sales at or below last year’s levels.
  • 60% cited limited support from suppliers on Black Friday pricing.
  • Only 20% participated in Cyber Monday.
  • 64% of retailers questioned the value of Black Friday, noting it benefits large brands and platforms more than small businesses due to low profit margins.

Promotion Strategies

Retailers relied heavily on in-store signage (47%) and social media campaigns to attract shoppers, reflecting a combination of traditional and digital marketing approaches.

Despite high participation and strategic promotions, Greek small and medium retailers face ongoing challenges in recovering lost revenue, with attention now turning to the upcoming holiday season as the next critical sales period.