Black Friday is one of the clearest annual examples of behavioural design in action. Scarcity, urgency, social proof and reward cues all combine to create a powerful surge of buying.

Yet every year, many people actively avoid it. Some opt out quietly. Some push back loudly. Others reinvent the day entirely.

So why does this resistance happen?

When the Triggers Don’t Trigger

Black Friday is built on classic behavioural levers, but these cues do not land equally for everyone.
For some people, the urgency feels artificial. The scarcity feels manufactured. The “everyone’s doing it” message feels exaggerated.

Their resistance isn’t irrational. It simply reflects that the expected triggers do not match their motivations, values or beliefs.

Identity Over Incentives

Discounts are often treated as universal motivators, but identity frequently outweighs price.
If someone sees themselves as intentional, values-led, independent or mindful, the hype around Black Friday can feel misaligned.

For these people, opting out becomes an identity-affirming choice — a way of acting consistently with who they believe they are.

Psychological Reactance: When Pressure Backfires

Black Friday messaging leans heavily on pressure:
• “Act now.”
• “Don’t miss out.”
• “Everyone’s buying.”

For some, this intensity triggers psychological reactance, the instinctive pushback we feel when our autonomy seems threatened.
Avoiding the sales becomes a way of reclaiming choice.

This dynamic shows up everywhere in behaviour change, from health services to workplace change to public policy. Too much pressure often creates resistance rather than action.

A Real Example of Reframing Resistance

A friend of mine runs a retail business and refuses to join the Black Friday price race.
Instead, he runs “Green Friday”: planting a tree for every purchase and framing the day around conscious buying rather than cost-cutting.

His audience loves it. Not because the deal is bigger, but because the framing aligns with what they care about.
He isn’t competing with Black Friday. He’s reshaping it into something that resonates.

The Bigger Lesson Beyond Retail

The behavioural patterns behind Black Friday resistance show up across systems and sectors:
• People act in ways that protect and express identity
• Excessive pressure can create backlash
• Values shape decisions as much as incentives
• Understanding resistance allows us to design better alternatives

Put simply: if we want to influence behaviour, we need to understand the “why” behind the resistance.
Only then can we create approaches that connect, empower and reduce pushback rather than amplify it.

Written by Nina Illingworth

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