DTC Podcast Bonus Episode Summary

Episode Title: How Nearly 50,000 Brands Spent $607M This BFCM – Insights from Triple Whale
Date: December 4, 2025
Guests: Anthony (Triple Whale)
Host: Eric Dick (DTC Podcast)

Episode Overview

This bonus episode delivers a deep dive into Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) 2025 ecommerce data and trends, featuring insights from Triple Whale, a leading analytics platform used by over 50,000 brands. The discussion explores how brands spent over $607 million in ad spend, strategic omnichannel diversification, the rising importance of AI in DTC, category winners, and what this data signals for the future of ecommerce marketing.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Aggregate 2025 BFCM Performance

BFCM 2025 was "bigger and earlier than ever." Shopify merchants drove over $14 billion in sales; Triple Whale’s customers contributed almost $3 billion of that (01:21 – 02:31).
Of Triple Whale’s total BFCM sales, nearly $1.4 billion came from new customers—setting up a huge Q4/Q1 retention opportunity (02:31 – 03:39).
Total observed:
- 26M orders
- $606M+ ad spend
- AOV: ~$79
- For brands <$1M in revenue, 60% came from net new customers—“astounding and awesome to see…consumers are continuing to spend in more places.” (03:39 – 04:40)

2. Real-Time Decision Making & Technology

Triple Whale launched a public-facing BFCM Live dashboard updating in real-time across all major marketing channels (Meta, Google, affiliates, CTV, Klaviyo, etc.), accommodating spikes of up to 1,700 orders/second and 25,000 page/sessions per second (04:40 – 05:03).

Memorable Quote

“AI is no longer experimental. It’s how brands protect margins and compete.”
– Anthony, (02:31)

3. Surge in New Customer Acquisition

Brands leaned heavily into paid acquisition, with efficiency top of mind despite BFCM being the “most expensive on record” for ad costs (05:25).
Early and aggressive diversification of ad spend to channels like TikTok, AppLovin, and Pinterest, while leveraging email/SMS on platforms like Klaviyo and Attentive for retention (05:25 – 06:13).
Emphasis on balancing efficiency and reach—brands “spent more and more and more on ads” to target new audiences (05:25).

4. Platform Performance & Channel Diversification

Meta & Google Dominate, But...

Meta: 67.6% of ad spend; Google: just over 22%. Both down slightly YoY as brands shift spend (08:34 – 09:31).
Ad costs rose:
- Meta CPMs +8%; but ROAS up 3% YoY
- Google: CPMs +11%, CPA +34%—returns slipping faster than costs (09:31 – 10:01)

TikTok: Big Winner

TikTok’s CPMs down 30%, CPA down 29%, ROAS up 28%—brands sought greater efficiency and shifted budgets here (10:37 – 11:21).

AppLovin:

Growth in specialized audiences, especially app-heavy/gaming. Highest CPMs but strong niche appeal (06:24 – 07:11).

Amazon:

Lowest CPA growth among majors—only up 4% YoY (10:37 – 11:21).

Memorable Quote

“TikTok…saw CPMs down almost 30%…CPA down 29% while ROAS was up 28%. So it was definitely where a lot of brands shifted spend…”
– Anthony, (10:37)

5. The Rise (and Limits) of SMS & Email

Despite “more texts than ever,” post-purchase surveys attributed just 2% of conversion credit to SMS and 7% to Email over BFCM; ~300,000 SMS sent during the 4-day window (07:35 – 08:28).

6. Omnichannel “Gospel” Becomes Reality

Omnichannel presence is “no longer theoretical”—testing diverse platforms/placements (e.g., Meta’s Reels Overlay, Facebook Overlay, expanding Google efforts) is essential (11:21 – 12:57).
Efficiency now hinges on placement: “scale versus efficiency” constant tension.

Memorable Quote

“Diversification is no longer just theoretical. You absolutely need to think about how you can test in new platforms and learn about how your audience performs.”
– Anthony, (11:55)

7. Category Standouts & Unit Economics

Apparel & Beauty: ~60% of revenue across all brands during BFCM (13:54).
Standouts by efficiency:
- Automotive: AOV to CPA ratio 4x
- Travel Accessories/Luggage: 3.8x
Categories under more pressure: Media, Publishing, Health, & Wellness (13:54 – 14:41).

8. Shopify Outage Crisis

Shopify Admin & POS outage during Cyber Monday left many brands “flying blind”—unable to access critical business data (14:41).
Triple Whale’s real-time reporting remained uninterrupted, allowing brands to scale budgets based on live data (15:00 – 16:16).
Brands extended sales into Tuesday in response, with many pushing offers longer (16:25 – 16:47).

Notable Story

“Using Triple Whale’s real-time metrics, [one customer’s] team could scale budgets aggressively intraday on Cyber Monday…all in real time.”
– Anthony, (15:00)

9. Earlier, Longer, Data-Driven BFCM

BFCM now a "two-week run-up": week prior alone represented $2B in revenue—nearly 40% of BFCM sales. Brands dynamically adjusted discounts/creative based on early data (16:47 – 17:38).

10. Role of AI & MOBI in Marketing Decisions

Triple Whale’s MOBI AI handled 25,000+ chat messages in 5 languages during BFCM, ranging from tactical to strategic (“If I want $600k in revenue, how should I distribute my spend?”) (17:47 – 19:05).
MOBI evolving from a reporting layer to an active intelligence/execution partner (building/ad-editing creative, managing segments, running campaigns) (20:00 – 21:13).

Memorable Quote

“MOBI is not just a software…[but] the teammate of theirs.”
– Anthony, (19:19)

11. Best-In-Class Brands: Top 1% Tactics

Leading brands are test-obsessed: “spending on more platforms, testing new ad creative, email creative…test-first culture” is critical (22:14).
UGC (user-generated content) is resurging—especially in combination with TikTok Shop and omnichannel experimentation (22:59 – 23:32).
AI for creative iteration and competitor analysis more widely adopted (23:44 – 24:35).

12. Holistic Measurement: Why In-Platform Data Isn’t Enough

Platform-reported attribution is often misleading: nearly 1 in 5 conversions arise by word-of-mouth even as platforms credit “last click” elsewhere (24:58).
Holistic, cross-channel measurement (MMM, incrementality) now essential, especially as commerce fragments into less trackable platforms (25:54).

Memorable Quote

“Platform reporting is only a piece of the puzzle…you need to be thinking about measurement holistically and in new ways.”
– Anthony, (24:58)

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

“AI is no longer experimental. It’s how brands protect margins and compete.”
— Anthony (02:31)
“Diversification is no longer just theoretical. You absolutely need to think about how you can test in new platforms…”
— Anthony (11:55)
“TikTok…saw CPMs down almost 30%…CPA down 29% while ROAS was up 28%. So it was definitely where a lot of brands shifted spend…”
— Anthony (10:37)
“MOBI is not just a software…[but] the teammate of theirs.”
— Anthony (19:19)
“Platform reporting is only a piece of the puzzle…you need to be thinking about measurement holistically and in new ways.”
— Anthony (24:58)

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

Aggregate Performance Overview: 02:19 – 04:40
Real-Time Dashboard & Shopify Outage: 04:40 – 05:03, 14:41 – 16:16
Platform Spend Breakdown: 08:34 – 11:21
Diversification & Omnichannel Insights: 11:21 – 12:57
Category Winners & Unit Economics: 13:54 – 14:41
AI Decision-Making & MOBI Evolution: 17:47 – 21:13
Top-Performing Brand Strategies: 22:06 – 23:32
Holistic Measurement & Attribution: 24:35 – 25:54

Practical Takeaways for Brands (2026 & Beyond)

Prioritize omnichannel diversification. Test new platforms and placements—don’t rely solely on Meta/Google.
Track and actively manage new customer acquisition/retention; BFCM is now an ongoing event, not a single weekend.
Lean on AI-driven insights. Real-time data and decision-making drive efficiency; AI agents like MOBI can be execution partners, not just dashboards.
Test relentlessly. Both the best brands and rising stars are iterating creative, copy, platforms, and offers continually.
Embrace holistic measurement—in-platform data is directional at best; invest in third-party, cross-channel measurement solutions.

For a deeper dive, download the full BFCM 2025 report at triplewhale.com.

DTC Podcast Bonus Episode Summary

Episode Title: How Nearly 50,000 Brands Spent $607M This BFCM – Insights from Triple Whale
Date: December 4, 2025
Guests: Anthony (Triple Whale)
Host: Eric Dick (DTC Podcast)

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Aggregate 2025 BFCM Performance

BFCM 2025 was "bigger and earlier than ever." Shopify merchants drove over $14 billion in sales; Triple Whale’s customers contributed almost $3 billion of that (01:21 – 02:31).
Of Triple Whale’s total BFCM sales, nearly $1.4 billion came from new customers—setting up a huge Q4/Q1 retention opportunity (02:31 – 03:39).
Total observed:
- 26M orders
- $606M+ ad spend
- AOV: ~$79
- For brands <$1M in revenue, 60% came from net new customers—“astounding and awesome to see…consumers are continuing to spend in more places.” (03:39 – 04:40)

2. Real-Time Decision Making & Technology

Triple Whale launched a public-facing BFCM Live dashboard updating in real-time across all major marketing channels (Meta, Google, affiliates, CTV, Klaviyo, etc.), accommodating spikes of up to 1,700 orders/second and 25,000 page/sessions per second (04:40 – 05:03).

Memorable Quote

“AI is no longer experimental. It’s how brands protect margins and compete.”
– Anthony, (02:31)

3. Surge in New Customer Acquisition

Brands leaned heavily into paid acquisition, with efficiency top of mind despite BFCM being the “most expensive on record” for ad costs (05:25).
Early and aggressive diversification of ad spend to channels like TikTok, AppLovin, and Pinterest, while leveraging email/SMS on platforms like Klaviyo and Attentive for retention (05:25 – 06:13).
Emphasis on balancing efficiency and reach—brands “spent more and more and more on ads” to target new audiences (05:25).

4. Platform Performance & Channel Diversification

Meta & Google Dominate, But...

Meta: 67.6% of ad spend; Google: just over 22%. Both down slightly YoY as brands shift spend (08:34 – 09:31).
Ad costs rose:
- Meta CPMs +8%; but ROAS up 3% YoY
- Google: CPMs +11%, CPA +34%—returns slipping faster than costs (09:31 – 10:01)

TikTok: Big Winner

TikTok’s CPMs down 30%, CPA down 29%, ROAS up 28%—brands sought greater efficiency and shifted budgets here (10:37 – 11:21).

AppLovin:

Growth in specialized audiences, especially app-heavy/gaming. Highest CPMs but strong niche appeal (06:24 – 07:11).

Amazon:

Lowest CPA growth among majors—only up 4% YoY (10:37 – 11:21).

Memorable Quote

“TikTok…saw CPMs down almost 30%…CPA down 29% while ROAS was up 28%. So it was definitely where a lot of brands shifted spend…”
– Anthony, (10:37)

5. The Rise (and Limits) of SMS & Email

Despite “more texts than ever,” post-purchase surveys attributed just 2% of conversion credit to SMS and 7% to Email over BFCM; ~300,000 SMS sent during the 4-day window (07:35 – 08:28).

6. Omnichannel “Gospel” Becomes Reality

Omnichannel presence is “no longer theoretical”—testing diverse platforms/placements (e.g., Meta’s Reels Overlay, Facebook Overlay, expanding Google efforts) is essential (11:21 – 12:57).
Efficiency now hinges on placement: “scale versus efficiency” constant tension.

Memorable Quote

“Diversification is no longer just theoretical. You absolutely need to think about how you can test in new platforms and learn about how your audience performs.”
– Anthony, (11:55)

7. Category Standouts & Unit Economics

Apparel & Beauty: ~60% of revenue across all brands during BFCM (13:54).
Standouts by efficiency:
- Automotive: AOV to CPA ratio 4x
- Travel Accessories/Luggage: 3.8x
Categories under more pressure: Media, Publishing, Health, & Wellness (13:54 – 14:41).

8. Shopify Outage Crisis

Shopify Admin & POS outage during Cyber Monday left many brands “flying blind”—unable to access critical business data (14:41).
Triple Whale’s real-time reporting remained uninterrupted, allowing brands to scale budgets based on live data (15:00 – 16:16).
Brands extended sales into Tuesday in response, with many pushing offers longer (16:25 – 16:47).

Notable Story

“Using Triple Whale’s real-time metrics, [one customer’s] team could scale budgets aggressively intraday on Cyber Monday…all in real time.”
– Anthony, (15:00)

9. Earlier, Longer, Data-Driven BFCM

BFCM now a "two-week run-up": week prior alone represented $2B in revenue—nearly 40% of BFCM sales. Brands dynamically adjusted discounts/creative based on early data (16:47 – 17:38).

10. Role of AI & MOBI in Marketing Decisions

Triple Whale’s MOBI AI handled 25,000+ chat messages in 5 languages during BFCM, ranging from tactical to strategic (“If I want $600k in revenue, how should I distribute my spend?”) (17:47 – 19:05).
MOBI evolving from a reporting layer to an active intelligence/execution partner (building/ad-editing creative, managing segments, running campaigns) (20:00 – 21:13).

Memorable Quote

“MOBI is not just a software…[but] the teammate of theirs.”
– Anthony, (19:19)

11. Best-In-Class Brands: Top 1% Tactics

Leading brands are test-obsessed: “spending on more platforms, testing new ad creative, email creative…test-first culture” is critical (22:14).
UGC (user-generated content) is resurging—especially in combination with TikTok Shop and omnichannel experimentation (22:59 – 23:32).
AI for creative iteration and competitor analysis more widely adopted (23:44 – 24:35).

12. Holistic Measurement: Why In-Platform Data Isn’t Enough

Platform-reported attribution is often misleading: nearly 1 in 5 conversions arise by word-of-mouth even as platforms credit “last click” elsewhere (24:58).
Holistic, cross-channel measurement (MMM, incrementality) now essential, especially as commerce fragments into less trackable platforms (25:54).

Memorable Quote

“Platform reporting is only a piece of the puzzle…you need to be thinking about measurement holistically and in new ways.”
– Anthony, (24:58)

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

“AI is no longer experimental. It’s how brands protect margins and compete.”
— Anthony (02:31)
“Diversification is no longer just theoretical. You absolutely need to think about how you can test in new platforms…”
— Anthony (11:55)
“TikTok…saw CPMs down almost 30%…CPA down 29% while ROAS was up 28%. So it was definitely where a lot of brands shifted spend…”
— Anthony (10:37)
“MOBI is not just a software…[but] the teammate of theirs.”
— Anthony (19:19)
“Platform reporting is only a piece of the puzzle…you need to be thinking about measurement holistically and in new ways.”
— Anthony (24:58)

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

Aggregate Performance Overview: 02:19 – 04:40
Real-Time Dashboard & Shopify Outage: 04:40 – 05:03, 14:41 – 16:16
Platform Spend Breakdown: 08:34 – 11:21
Diversification & Omnichannel Insights: 11:21 – 12:57
Category Winners & Unit Economics: 13:54 – 14:41
AI Decision-Making & MOBI Evolution: 17:47 – 21:13
Top-Performing Brand Strategies: 22:06 – 23:32
Holistic Measurement & Attribution: 24:35 – 25:54

Practical Takeaways for Brands (2026 & Beyond)

Prioritize omnichannel diversification. Test new platforms and placements—don’t rely solely on Meta/Google.
Track and actively manage new customer acquisition/retention; BFCM is now an ongoing event, not a single weekend.
Lean on AI-driven insights. Real-time data and decision-making drive efficiency; AI agents like MOBI can be execution partners, not just dashboards.
Test relentlessly. Both the best brands and rising stars are iterating creative, copy, platforms, and offers continually.
Embrace holistic measurement—in-platform data is directional at best; invest in third-party, cross-channel measurement solutions.

For a deeper dive, download the full BFCM 2025 report at triplewhale.com.

Bonus: How Nearly 50,000 Brands Spent $607M This BFCM – Insights from Triple Whale

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Summary

DTC Podcast Bonus Episode Summary

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Aggregate 2025 BFCM Performance

2. Real-Time Decision Making & Technology

Memorable Quote

3. Surge in New Customer Acquisition

4. Platform Performance & Channel Diversification

Memorable Quote

5. The Rise (and Limits) of SMS & Email

6. Omnichannel “Gospel” Becomes Reality

Memorable Quote

7. Category Standouts & Unit Economics

8. Shopify Outage Crisis

Notable Story

9. Earlier, Longer, Data-Driven BFCM

10. Role of AI & MOBI in Marketing Decisions

Memorable Quote

11. Best-In-Class Brands: Top 1% Tactics

12. Holistic Measurement: Why In-Platform Data Isn’t Enough

Memorable Quote

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

Practical Takeaways for Brands (2026 & Beyond)

Summary

DTC Podcast Bonus Episode Summary

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Aggregate 2025 BFCM Performance

2. Real-Time Decision Making & Technology

Memorable Quote

3. Surge in New Customer Acquisition

4. Platform Performance & Channel Diversification

Memorable Quote

5. The Rise (and Limits) of SMS & Email

6. Omnichannel “Gospel” Becomes Reality

Memorable Quote

7. Category Standouts & Unit Economics

8. Shopify Outage Crisis

Notable Story

9. Earlier, Longer, Data-Driven BFCM

10. Role of AI & MOBI in Marketing Decisions

Memorable Quote

11. Best-In-Class Brands: Top 1% Tactics

12. Holistic Measurement: Why In-Platform Data Isn’t Enough

Memorable Quote

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

Practical Takeaways for Brands (2026 & Beyond)