Is Mexico's Buen Fin losing its magic?
Mexico's Buen Fin is losing some of its magic: a Buen Fin day still beats a normal day, but by less than in 2016. This year it runs November 13 to 17.
Every November, Mexico (like much of the world) turns into a nation of bargain detectives. Shoppers compare prices and fill carts, waiting for three irresistible words: ¡Está en oferta!
The appetite for deals is unmistakable. Google searches for promoción and descuento were 42% higher last November than during the rest of 2025, compared to a 27% bump in 2016.
However, the extra spending associated with Buen Fin (Mexico’s version of Black Friday) has lost some of its punch. Last year, cardholders spent 56% more on an average Buen Fin day than on an ordinary day, down from nearly double in 2016. The lift in card purchases eased from 27% to 21% over the same period.
Counting only four-day editions (some ran longer), the extra daily card spending still fell from 93% before the pandemic to 71% after.
The holiday itself isn't shrinking. Total Buen Fin sales actually grew in 2025, reaching roughly $12B. But most were regulars: 78% of surveyed shoppers had bought during a previous Buen Fin.
And this year, only 3% of shoppers say they'll buy on impulse, though 63% would try a new brand for the right offer.
One discount can win a new customer or pay a regular for a planned purchase. Yet many of the 200,000+ businesses that signed up last year likely discount because everyone else does, rarely checking which of the two they paid for. Even Walmex, back after six years away, logged its biggest sales day ever and still said the event fell short of its expectations.
Which brings us to the billion-peso question for retailers: which promotions actually earn their discount?
| Year | Dates | Days | Extra card spending per day | Extra card purchases per day | Extra deal searches (November) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Nov 13–17 | 5 | Upcoming | Upcoming | Upcoming |
| 2025 | Nov 13–17 | 5 | +56% | +21% | +42% |
| 2024 | Nov 15–18 | 4 | +69% | +25% | +35% |
| 2023 | Nov 17–20 | 4 | +67% | +25% | +42% |
| 2022 | Nov 18–21 | 4 | +78% | +30% | +25% |
| 2021 | Nov 10–16 | 7 | +58% | +21% | +22% |
| 2020 | Nov 9–20 | 12 | +53% | +18% | +43% |
| 2019 | Nov 15–18 | 4 | +96% | +35% | +27% |
| 2018 | Nov 16–19 | 4 | +96% | +34% | +27% |
| 2017 | Nov 17–20 | 4 | +90% | +29% | +35% |
| 2016 | Nov 18–21 | 4 | +91% | +27% | +27% |
Source: Banco de México (card payments, an average Buen Fin day vs. the rest of the year excluding December; 2016–24 Latinometrics calculation, 2025 Banxico), Google Trends (searches for promoción and descuento in Mexico, November vs. the year's other months), Secretaría de Economía (dates).
