The Typical Independent Online Store Gives 10% Off Ahead of Black Friday, Whale Coupons Study Finds
A new Whale Coupons study of discount codes from more than 2,400 independent online stores finds the typical store offers 10% off ahead of Black Friday, with only 9% offering 20% or more.
- (1888PressRelease) October 19, 2026 - Shoppers heading into Black Friday (November 27), Small Business Saturday (November 28) and Cyber Monday (November 30) can expect a typical independent online store to offer 10% off, according to a new study from Whale Coupons, a site that lists discount codes issued directly by independent online stores. The Black Friday Indie Store Discount Study looks at the discount codes more than 2,400 independent online stores give their customers through Whale Coupons.
Key findings:
- The median discount code is 10% off, and the average is 11.1%.
- Big codes are rare: only 9% of stores offer 20% off or more.
- Fashion stores give the most (12.2% on average), followed by Beauty (12.1%). Toys & hobbies give the least (9.5%).
- 97% of stores apply the discount automatically through a link, so shoppers don't need to type a code.
"Most independent stores already give a standing discount before the sale even starts," said the Whale Coupons team. "Knowing that 10% is typical makes it easier to spot a genuinely good deal. A code of 20% or more puts a store in the top tenth." The figures describe the standing codes stores offer now, not Black Friday sale prices. The full study, with the category breakdown and methodology, is at https://whalecoupons.co/deals-research/black-friday-indie-discounts/.
About Whale Coupons: Whale Coupons (https://whalecoupons.co) lists store-issued coupon codes from thousands of independent online stores, updated daily. Whale Coupons may earn a commission when shoppers buy through its links.
Media contact: Whale Coupons team, contactwhalecoupons ( @ ) protonmail dot com.
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