Black Friday spending in Jamaica held up far better than expected this year, giving retailers a boost as they continue to grapple with Melissa’s aftermath.

New data from JETS, operator of MultiLink — the electronic switching network — shows that Black Friday transactions totalled $2.45 billion on 28 November 2025, edging ahead of the $2.41 billion recorded on 29 November 2024. While the increase is modest, JETS CEO Edmundo Jenez said the performance was “solid” considering the physical and economic disruption retailers continue to navigate.

Importantly, this year’s spending happened even though only 86.6 per cent of ABMs and 87.5 per cent of POS terminals were online — well below normal levels.

“Black Friday would undoubtedly have been stronger without Melissa, but the fact that the market still grew shows the resilience of Jamaican consumers and merchants,” Jenez told the Jamaica Observer.

As at 1 December, ABM availability stood at 86.9 per cent (767 machines) and POS terminals at 90.7 per cent (21,595 units). JETS expects ABM availability to reach 90 per cent and POS 95 per cent by mid-December.

However, approximately 44 ABMs — or 5 per cent of the national fleet — may not return before 2026 because of severe flood damage, vandalism, and prolonged power and telecom outages, Jenez said.

A closer look at ABM availability shows how uneven the recovery has been across the island. Jenez, in providing the update told the Business Observer that St Thomas is fully restored, while the Corporate Area and several eastern and central parishes — Kingston, St Andrew, St Catherine, Manchester and St Mary — are mostly back to normal, with between 92 and 99 per cent of machines online. Clarendon and Portland have also climbed above 80 per cent, reflecting steady progress even if they are not yet at pre-Melissa levels.

The picture is far more challenging in the west. St Ann and St James are sitting at around 73 per cent, while Trelawny and Westmoreland are still in the mid-60s. The slowest recovery is in St Elizabeth, now at 51 per cent, and Hanover, at just 43 per cent.

Mixed sales outcome

Retailers say the disparity has shaped how and when people shop, particularly in communities where cash withdrawals remain essential to everyday spending.

At Home and Things’ Cross Roads branch, General Manager Oshane Christie said this year’s turnout was one of the strongest he has seen in his three years with the company.

“This year was way better. We didn’t expect such a huge morning crowd. Customers were here from as early as 6:00 am,” Christie said.

The store offered 30 to 70 per cent discounts, and extended its opening hours late into the evening to accommodate after-work shoppers. He noted high demand for vanities, doors, and tiles, with many customers using Black Friday to tackle long-delayed home upgrades.

But just metres away, at a large Cross Roads furniture and appliance retailer, the results were more subdued. Store manager Marsha said sales were about 50 per cent lower than last year, despite offering up to 60 per cent off. The store began its promotions on Monday, widening the deals on Friday to capture pay-day spending.

“People are buying, but not at the level we’re used to,” she said. “I suspect people in Kingston feel like they can’t enjoy themselves too much because people on the other side of the island are going through a crisis. It’s not something we say out loud, but many people feel a little down, and the typical Black Friday excitement just isn’t there.”

Shoppers gravitated toward small appliances and televisions, targeting items with the steepest reductions. The store also moved several beds, which Marsha believes were being purchased for relatives and friends in western Jamaica affected by Melissa.

At Payless Shoesource in downtown Kingston, store manager Marian Burke-Bailey said foot traffic rose sharply this year as the company remained open until 7:00 pm, compared with a 2:00 pm closure last year.

“Overall, this year we had more people coming into the store, and we weren’t expecting that because we thought Melissa would have dampened sales,” she said.

Men’s shoes topped sales across the day’s 50 per cent-off promotion.

Among the shoppers was Zimbabwean national Oliver Murima, who was browsing the aisles with his wife Juliah. The couple bought more than 15 pairs of shoes and several packs of socks to take back home.

“I came because I knew the price would be better on Black Friday, so I waited to come to the store today,” Murima said. “Ever since I came to Jamaica two years ago, I always prepare myself to do Black Friday shopping. We are preparing to go back to Zimbabwe; we are just here for a while, but we wanted to get some items to take back home to the family.”

Erica Grant (right), sales rep for Home and Things (right), and customer Shantelle Turner on Black Friday 2025. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

Shoppers at Egoo Haberdashery in Cross Roads on Black Friday, November 28, 2025.  (Photo: Naphtali Junior)