The stampede of Black Friday has increasingly become digital. Beyond discounts and deals, what’s clear is how large language models (LLMs) are transforming ecommerce navigation. These AI systems aren't just helping shoppers find deals faster, they're redefining shopping itself. From filtering through vast product catalogs to offering specific recommendations based on real-time queries, their role has expanded far beyond simple assistance.
Let me break down what I learned about this fascinating shift. After a deep analysis of data collected from Black Friday 2025, here’s what stood out about how LLMs are reshaping ecommerce and what this means for entrepreneurs and business leaders globally.
The Anatomy of AI Recommendations on Black Friday
Every query related to Black Friday, like “best budget gaming laptop under $1000” or “eco-friendly sportswear deals,” turns into a battleground. LLMs, such as those powering ChatGPT or Google's Gemini, analyze endless data inputs to offer refined answers. An analysis of over 10,000 LLM responses provided critical insights:
- Retail giants dominate AI output: Walmart, Target, and Best Buy led mentions, covering nearly 48% of LLM-generated retail suggestions. Their structured data and massive online presence make them AI-friendly sources.
- Social platforms influence results: Reddit discussions, YouTube reviews, and real-time TikTok trends surged among top-ranked sources, especially during volatile shopping periods like Black Friday.
- Questions over clutter: Users prefer direct, concise answers instead of the traditional product-list bombardment. Queries often resulted in a narrowed selection of options, accompanied by justifications for why specific items were chosen.
Why This Matters
This isn’t just about convenience. It’s about trust. Shoppers increasingly lean on LLMs to do what search engines cannot: curate personalized, immediate options based on nuanced needs. Brands that get this right could see exponential growth in visibility, and revenue.
Lessons for Entrepreneurs: Focus on “AI Visibility”
Classic SEO alone no longer guarantees a spot in the AI shopping carousel. Being indexed is a start, but visibility in these systems requires precision in both on-site and off-site efforts.
1. Structured On-Site Content
Organized, accessible content is critical in helping AI models pick and rank your product or service for a specific query. For example:
- Use schema structure for product pages, FAQs, pricing tables, technical specifications, and categories must be crystal clear.
- Include detailed product descriptions under the word limit (Google Shopping caps descriptions at 5,000 characters). A concise yet descriptive copy outperforms cluttered alternatives.
2. Compelling Off-Site Data
- Encourage authentic discussions about your products on Reddit, YouTube, or forums. For instance, Garmin’s technical watches consistently perform well in AI shopping suggestions, thanks to product specs and comparisons listed in user reviews.
- Partner with influencers and community leaders. This isn't about superficial promotion, it’s about embedding your brand into conversations that LLMs pull from.
3. Anticipate Shopping Trends
Price sensitivity loomed large in 2025. Shoppers relied on terms like “deals under $250” or “discounted tech accessories.” Incorporating such pricing data on your site, and updating it during sales events, boosts the likelihood of your business appearing in AI-driven suggestions.
Common Mistakes to Sidestep
Many assume their website or catalog will automatically get picked up by AI shopping agents. But brands slipping into irrelevance often make the same pitfalls:
Mistake 1: Stale Content
AI tools deprioritize outdated pages or products. If your product inventory doesn’t reflect current deals or availability, you might be ignored entirely.
Mistake 2: Lack of Diversification
If your brand relies solely on homepages or product galleries, you’re missing out. AI prioritizes sources with structured reviews, comparisons, or user-generated FAQs.
Mistake 3: Ignoring Real-Time Updates
Customers aren’t patient during Black Friday, they need decisions quickly. Last-minute website glitches or outdated listings annoy both shoppers and LLMs.
A Short Guide for Boosting AI Compatibility
Becoming visible to shoppers through AI channels doesn’t have to be daunting. Start small with these steps:
- Audit On-Site Data: Check your images, titles, and tags. Are they descriptive and clear? Ensure load times are fast, poor performance will drop you off the radar.
- Refresh Content Regularly: Include dynamic banners or live updates for seasonal sales, like Black Friday. AI trusts fresh data more than static pages.
- Leverage External Platforms: Expand beyond your website, Amazon, Walmart, and Etsy listings matter. Even smaller platforms like niche review sites (e.g., RTings for electronics) amplify visibility.
- Invest in User-Generated Content: Get involved in forums like Reddit or Quora. Authentic testimonials and reliable user reviews are more influential than static ads.
Statistics That Explain the Future
- 805% growth: That’s the increase in AI-driven traffic during Black Friday 2025, compared to the previous year. Tools like ChatGPT now guide more consumers toward checkout lines than ever.
- 38% jump in long-tail platform visits: Smaller retailers like Newegg saw significant diversity in shoppers’ preferences, indicating that niche markets are far from obsolete.
- 1.7x higher conversions: According to RealityMine data, shoppers using generative AI tools converted at nearly double the rate of traditional search users.
Conclusion
Black Friday 2025 confirmed one thing: the days of shoppers aimlessly clicking through countless product pages are fading. Instead, LLMs step in as dynamic curators, guiding choices based on data, sentiment, and personalization. Businesses prepared for this shift will dominate, and those unwilling to adapt will get left behind.
As an entrepreneur focused on scaling your business, positioning yourself within AI's growing influence isn't optional. It’s necessary. Prioritize structured content, curate real customer engagement, and remain vigilant about updating your data. The demands of digital consumers, and their AI-driven shopping assistants, won’t wait.
FAQ on "How LLMs are Transforming Ecommerce During Black Friday"
1. How are AI-driven tools transforming Black Friday shopping?
AI tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini help users quickly discover products, enabling faster decisions with curated results based on nuanced queries. Learn more about how Black Friday reveals AI-driven ecommerce
2. Which platforms dominate AI-driven ecommerce searches?
Retail giants like Walmart, Target, and Best Buy are frequently recommended by LLMs due to their structured and accessible data. Understand how prominent retailers drive AI responses
3. What role do social platforms play in AI ecommerce decisions?
Social platforms like Reddit, YouTube, and TikTok influence AI outcomes, particularly during high-demand shopping periods like Black Friday. Explore how user-generated content impacts AI decisions
4. How can businesses increase visibility in LLM shopping recommendations?
Brands must focus on structured on-site content, promote off-site data like reviews, and anticipate trends such as price sensitivity. Learn strategies for boosting AI visibility
5. What are common mistakes businesses make in AI-optimized ecommerce strategies?
Stale content, lack of diversified data, and failure to update real-time deals can reduce a brand's visibility in AI shopping recommendations. Discover common pitfalls in AI ecommerce strategies
6. How does price sensitivity affect AI-powered shopping recommendations?
AI models prioritize queries that include budget constraints, showing users the best options under specific price limits. Learn about the importance of price-focused data
7. How is user-generated content reshaping ecommerce visibility?
Platforms like Reddit and YouTube provide authentic reviews and discussions that LLMs favor when recommending products. Explore the impact of UGC on AI ecommerce
8. Do AI tools curate results differently from traditional search engines during Black Friday?
Yes, AI tools provide curated, specific responses with well-justified recommendations, focusing less on displaying numerous product pages. Understand the difference between AI tools and traditional search engines
9. What growth trends are associated with AI-driven ecommerce?
AI-driven shopping traffic grew by 805% during Black Friday 2025, showing its increasing importance in the online shopping landscape. Read about AI-driven ecommerce growth statistics
10. How do different AI platforms format and display ecommerce recommendations?
Platforms like Gemini focus on verbose, structured lists, while OpenAI's ChatGPT provides shorter, concise responses to queries. Discover differences among AI platforms for ecommerce
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.