Introduction

November is traditionally one of the most influential months in retail eCommerce, driven by Black Friday, Cyber Week, and early Christmas shopping. In November 2025, we continue to see dramatic divergence across categories with some sectors skyrocketing thanks to seasonal demand, while others softened due to weather shifts or reduced consumer focus.

Below we highlight three top performers, three under-performers, and the broader implications for retailers as we move further into peak season.

 

Top-Performing Sectors

1. Jewellery (+262.7%)

Jewellery emerged as the clear standout in November with an impressive +262.7% surge, effectively reversing the unexpected decline seen in October. This dramatic rise was largely driven by strong gifting momentum as shoppers leaned toward premium and sentimental items for the holiday season. The combined impact of Black Friday and Cyber Week promotions also contributed significantly, drawing consumers toward higher-value luxury purchases. Overall, this growth reflects a confident consumer mindset and strong conversion within luxury-leaning sectors.

 

2. Gifts (+135.4%)

The Gift sector delivered a robust +135.4% rise, further reinforcing the trend of early holiday shopping. Consumers increasingly opted for early Christmas purchases, taking advantage of bundled gift sets and seasonal promotions that offered added value. Another notable trend was the growing desire to avoid last-minute delivery challenges, motivating shoppers to complete their gifting earlier. As a result, this sector remains one of the dominant forces shaping early Q4 shopping behavior.

 

3. Beauty (+100.9%) → especially Fragrance (+151.8%)

Beauty also enjoyed a strong month, posting a +100.9% overall increase, with Fragrance emerging as the star performer at +151.8%. Fragrance continued its long-standing reputation as a classic holiday gift, attracting shoppers across demographics. Other areas of Beauty also showed healthy momentum, including Skincare (+76.8%), Makeup (+52.5%), and Haircare (+40.5%). Together, these results highlight the influence of premium gifting trends, rising interest in self-care, and increased engagement with seasonal beauty events.

 

Under-Performing Sectors

1. Garden (−3.7%)

As expected during the late autumn period, the Garden sector recorded a decline of −3.7%. Seasonal inactivity naturally reduces outdoor gardening demand, which was evident in Gardening’s sharper drop of −25.2%. Although Garden Furnishings saw a modest improvement at +12.2%, it still did not align with broader market momentum. Overall, this sector continues to face predictable seasonal challenges.

 

2. Home Improvement (+5.0%) - a soft performer

Home Improvement grew slightly at +5.0%, but this result was soft compared to the Total Market’s significant +53.5% spike. Consumer attention shifted away from home projects and toward more seasonally relevant sectors such as gifting, electronics, and festive items. While the Gome Improvement remains stable, it clearly lost share to more holiday-driven segments.

 

3. Toiletries (+3.9%) - weakest within Health & Beauty

Toiletries posted a mild +3.9% increase, making it the weakest performer within the broader Health & Beauty sector. This slow movement stemmed from relatively low promotional responsiveness and the category’s limited relevance in holiday gifting. Additionally, consumer attention within Health & Beauty gravitated toward premium beauty products, leaving Toiletries trailing behind despite strong overall sector performance.

 

Other Notable Sector Movements

Total Market (+53.5%)

A very strong month overall - reflecting promotional intensity and pre-holiday demand.

Beers & Wines (+81.3%)

Driven by festive gatherings, celebrations, and bulk holiday stock-ups.

Clothing (+36.1%)

Clothing also recorded +36.1% growth, with Accessories (+96.7%), Menswear (+63.3%), Lingerie (+69.7%), Footwear (+34.6%), and Womenswear (+25.0%) performing particularly well.

Electricals (+81.9%)

Electricals surged by +81.9%, largely powered by Black Friday enthusiasm. Categories such as Audio (+91.9%), Accessories & Hobbies (+84.6%), Gaming & Computing (+80.9%), and Small Appliances (+80.9%) delivered strong results, while Large Appliances showed a more modest +14.1% due to price sensitivity.

Sports & Outdoors (+79.0%)

Sports & Outdoors experienced a strong +79.0% rebound from October’s decline, driven by demand for winter sports gear and fitness products. Meanwhile, Mobile Commerce continued to dominate online shopping journeys, with Smartphones rising by +54.7% and Tablets by +38.8%.

 

Looking Ahead: What Retailers Should Prioritise

For Strong Sectors

Jewellery & Gifts

Retailers should continue promoting gifting bundles, curated selections, and festive value messaging. Enhancing premium packaging and offering reliable delivery guarantees will also help sustain momentum.

Beauty & Fragrance

Holiday sets, limited-edition collections, and influencer-driven campaigns remain essential. Maintaining strong promotional activity into December will be key.

Electricals

Tech bundles, accessory upsells, and mobile-exclusive offers can further boost performance. Efficient stock management for high-demand products is critical as peak season continues.

For Weaker Sectors

Garden

Since outdoor activity is limited, shifting focus to indoor plant care, tools, and pre-orders for early spring can help maintain engagement.

Home Improvement

Highlighting winter-ready projects and small-scale indoor updates may encourage shoppers to continue investing in home upgrades.

Toiletries

Repositioning toiletries as stocking fillers or subscription bundle options could help strengthen demand during the festive period.

Conclusion

November 2025 delivered standout results, particularly in Jewellery, Gifts, Beauty, Fragrance, Electricals, and Mobile Commerce, all of which benefited from the seasonal surge in promotional activity and holiday gifting.

On the flip side, seasonal sectors like Garden, and lower-elasticity ones like Toiletries, saw much softer movement. As retailers head into December - the final stretch of peak trading - agility and targeted promotional tactics will be essential for maximising year-end performance.