Big retailers in Reynosa see early gains during Mexico’s Black Friday–style event, but downtown shops struggle as U.S. shoppers stay away

REYNOSA, Tamaulipas — Reynosa business leaders expect a record shopping weekend as more than 1,700 local businesses participate in El Buen Fin 2025.

Mexico’s nationwide sales event, often compared to Black Friday in the United States, runs from Nov. 13–17 and is considered one of the strongest retail drivers of the year across northern Mexico.

Gildardo López Hinojosa, president of the Reynosa Chamber of Commerce, Services and Tourism (Canaco ServyTur), said the city is projecting a 20% increase in sales compared with last year. 

He described El Buen Fin as an initiative that has evolved from a border-region effort into “a public policy initiative with significant economic and social impact.”

“The goal is clear: to ensure that the deals offered during these days are truly the best of the year — in quality, in price, and in direct benefit to Mexican families,” López Hinojosa said. “This 2025 edition of El Buen Fin will be historic for Reynosa. Here, we don’t just sell; we work as a team, build community, and strengthen our economy.” 

Big retailers report strong early demand

Inside local stores, early activity suggests strong momentum.

At a Soriana location in Reynosa, a store manager who identified himself only as Luis said the retailer began the weekend “very well,” reporting an 8% increase in sales compared with the first day of last year’s event.

“People are coming in to check out our promotions. We have very good deals, and we’re already above last year’s sales,” he said.

Televisions were among the top sellers, particularly LG and JVC models. Luis highlighted a 60-inch TV discounted from $429 (7,500 pesos) to $342 (5,990 pesos), calling it “a very attractive deal” for shoppers. 

Soriana also launched seasonal promotions on imported and national toys, wine and spirits, and Christmas merchandise. He said customer turnout was strong from the earliest hours.

Shoppers said the discounts were noticeable.

One customer, who asked not to be identified, said he had been tracking prices on video games, televisions, and printers for weeks. 

“I came two weeks ago, and yes, there are discounts on several products; they’re already being applied,” he said. 

He added that office furniture and home appliances were cheaper than in previous years.

Another customer, Ana Paola, visited the store looking for Christmas décor.

“It’s worth it, because almost everything we’ve seen is 40% off,” she said.

Downtown merchants hope for weekend surge

While big-box stores saw early demand, historic downtown merchants reported a slower start

Along Reynosa’s pedestrian street, foot traffic was steady but sales lagged, business owners said.

Homero Barrera de León, owner of Botas Barrera, a family-run bootmaker founded in 1938, said early turnout had been modest.

“The start has been slow, but we hope that the weekend, payday, and early holiday bonuses will bring more movement,” Barrera said.

He noted that the shop continues to source its boots from León, Guanajuato, with current customer demand favoring stingray and fish-skin styles. 

“Women no longer want floral boots; now they want smooth or subtly engraved designs,” he said.

Barrera said the municipal government’s downtown façade renovation initiative has improved the shopping environment. 

“It has worked; the historic downtown looks better, and it improves the atmosphere,” he said.

But both Barrera and store employee Jesús García said the number of visitors from the Rio Grande Valley has fallen sharply.

“People from the other side almost don’t come. They don’t want to wait in lines of three or four hours to cross,” Barrera said. “Before, many people would come in just to look, even if they didn’t buy. Now there are days when we sell two or three pairs, and we’ve had weeks with no sales at all.”

He said El Buen Fin remains critical for downtown businesses. 

“We need people to come — we need sales. Downtown depends heavily on visitors,” Barrera said.