BFCM 2025: Clearco-Funded Brands Outpace Competition, Growing 25 Percentage Points

Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2025 delivered record-breaking online sales, reaching $11.8B USD and $14.25B USD in spending respectively. As the biggest shopping week of the year, BFCM 2025 saw record-breaking consumer spending but not all ecommerce brands benefited equally. Only those who prepared and funded early captured the peak demand.

Capital Readiness Was the Real Growth Multiplier This BFCM

After analyzing BFCM 2025 trends, one takeaway is clear: this year rewarded preparedness, not patience. Brands with working capital ready to deploy before demand surged gained a competitive edge.

According to Clearco’s proprietary BFCM 2025 data, Clearco-funded brands grew 25 percentage points more compared to brands without ecommerce working capital in place. Their access to strategic funding was critical for capturing outsized market share.

Brands that partnered with Clearco for strategic funding were able to:

• Stock shelves immediately.
• Launch aggressive marketing campaigns.
• Place early purchase orders.
• Maintain clear financial visibility.

Clearco’s fast working capital proved to be a strategic growth lever, enabling DTC brands to move faster and fully capitalize on the surge in demand while others stalled. The biggest lesson from BFCM? Success was realized by the most agile brands, not those with the steepest discounts. 

Product Category Trends During BFCM 2025

Cyber Week saw strong performance across key product categories. With $44.2B in total online spend, up 7.7% year over year, consumers became more intentional about where and how they spent. The weekend was shaped by early deal strategies and standout product categories.

Apparel Brands Took Charge

Apparel brands dominated again during BFCM 2025, with 23.6% YoY growth among active Clearco-funded brands. Apparel retailers brought in a total of $2.6B, an increase of 5.2% YoY, accounting for  over half of Cyber Monday 2025’s online sales. Apparel's success isn’t new; it also captured the largest revenue share in 2024. By leveraging  Clearco’s founder-friendly funding, apparel brands were able to seize market share and accelerate growth.

Household Products Emerged

Household products emerged as a breakout category this BFCM, with consumers opting for personal massage devices, candles, pet food, and camping products.

• The Home & Garden industry posted the highest average order value (AOV) at $107.75.
• Furniture and home goods spending is forecasted to reach $31.1B by the end of the holiday season, signaling sustained post-holiday demand.

Pricing Strategy: Value-Led & Premium Products Pulled Ahead

Shopping behaviors became increasingly polarized as the gap between budget and premium products widened. Shoppers bypassed the middle in favor of clear value or discounted premium items.

Market research confirms this consumer polarization growing. Mid-priced ecommerce brands need aggressive marketing or faster fulfillment strategies, backed by holiday ecommerce funding, to remain competitive.

Using BFCM 2025 as a Financial Playbook

The results are in: DTC brands with strategic funding outpaced competitors during BFCM 2025 and carried that momentum straight into Q1.

Clearco-funded brands leveraged flexible, revenue-based funding to maximize performance, growing 25 percentage points  more than brands that failed to plan ahead. Capital readiness was the real growth multiplier this peak season. By treating BFCM 2025 as a capital stress test, founders put their financial strategy to the test and strengthened their foundation for Q1. 

These learnings now serve as a performance guide, revealing:

• How Q1 inventory orders should be sequenced.
• Where pricing adjustments make sense.
• Which reinvestment decisions will sustain growth momentum.

Funding early with a flexible capital partner is critical for gaining a competitive advantage in the new year. Clearco’s Holiday Funding Playbook brings these BFCM insights together, showing founders how to win during peak season and translate that success into a solid Q1 strategy.

Don’t let the highs of BFCM 2025 performance stall your growth. Get personalized insights for your brand today and connect with a Clearco expert to explore funding options tailored to your growth goals.