Black Friday: A record in online spending in the United States

This year’s Black Friday set new records for online sales, with American consumers spending approximately $10.8 billion on their mobile devices, laptops, and other devices, according to the latest data from Adobe Analytics. This increase represents a 10.2% rise compared to the previous year, confirming the growing trend of e-commerce during this iconic shopping day.

A day that marks e-commerce growth

“Reaching the $10 billion mark is a significant milestone for online commerce on Black Friday, a day that historically was more focused on in-store shopping,” said Vivek Pandya, an analyst at Adobe Digital Insights. Adobe, which tracks over $1 trillion in visits to retail websites in the U.S., noted that this day marked the official start of the holiday shopping season, with retailers competing to attract bargain-seeking shoppers.

Popular products and heightened competition

Online sales were dominated by items such as makeup products, televisions, board games, and perfumes, according to Adobe. Beauty products, in particular, were highly sought after. For instance, toy sales saw an impressive 622% increase compared to average daily sales in October, while jewelry sales rose by 561% and home appliances by 476%.

E-commerce giants, such as Amazon and Walmart, benefited from this trend, with Walmart investing heavily in home delivery services to support its holiday sales. Department store chains like Macy’s, Kohl’s, and big-box retailer Target also increased their efforts to capture consumers’ attention.

Online shopping gaining popularity

For Corey Coscioni, 58, Black Friday was an opportunity to look for good deals both online and in stores to find gifts for his family.

Last year, in 2022, online spending for Black Friday reached $9.1 billion, and in 2023, it was $9.8 billion. With a total of $10.8 billion for this year, it seems that the upward trend of e-commerce during Black Friday is set to continue for years to come.