Black Friday Spending Surges Despite Economic Uncertainty

Sat Nov 29 2025 21:24:09 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Amid economic challenges, Black Friday 2023 saw U.S. consumers spend a record sum online and in stores, revealing shifting shopping behaviors and heightened promotional strategies among retailers.

Despite looming economic uncertainties, Black Friday 2023 recorded an unprecedented spending of $11.8 billion online in the U.S., a notable 9.1% increase from the previous year. While traditional in-store traffic experienced a decline, consumer spending was boosted by AI-driven shopping experiences and online promotions. Analysts suggest that the rise in spending reflects a shift towards online purchases, alongside changing consumer behaviors amid rising prices and credit concerns. With an overall projected holiday spending over $1 trillion, retailers hope the lucrative trend continues throughout the season.

NEW YORK (AP) — Despite wider economic uncertainty hovering over this year's holiday season, shoppers turned out in big numbers for Black Friday, spending billions of dollars both in stores and online. Adobe Analytics reported that U.S. consumers spent a record $11.8 billion online, marking a 9.1% increase from the previous year. Notably, peak traffic occurred between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. local time, with online sales reaching $12.5 million each minute.

On Thanksgiving Day, consumers spent a record $6.4 billion online, with top spending categories including video game consoles, electronics, and home appliances. The influence of artificial intelligence in shopping services and social media advertising appear to significantly shape consumer choices.

Salesforce estimated U.S. online sales for Black Friday totaled $18 billion and $79 billion globally. Meanwhile, e-commerce platform Shopify reported its merchants made a record $6.2 billion in worldwide sales on Black Friday, peaking at $5.1 million per minute, with cosmetics and clothing among the top-selling categories.

The shopping landscape for Black Friday has dramatically transformed from decades past; more consumers are opting for online deals rather than participating in late-night sales events. As a result, in-store traffic has dwindled. According to RetailNext, U.S. foot traffic in physical stores fell by 3.6% compared to the previous year.

RetailNext's global manager of advanced analytics, Joe Shasteen, noted that while customers are shopping less in stores, they are still engaged during major promotional periods, anticipating heightened spending through the weekend. Adobe forecasts U.S. shoppers will spend an additional $5.5 billion on Saturday and $5.9 billion on Sunday, preceding an estimated $14.2 billion on Cyber Monday.

However, increasing prices may influence this surge. Despite spending significantly more overall, Salesforce found that shoppers purchased fewer items on Black Friday, indicating a drop of 2% in item amount and 1% in order volumes as average selling prices rose by 7%.

The current holiday season is unfolding amidst economic concerns stemming from tariffs and potential job insecurities. The National Retail Federation estimates that U.S. holiday spending will surpass $1 trillion this year, albeit at a slower growth pace than previously seen.

Additionally, rising credit card debt and delinquencies on short-term loans have led shoppers to increasingly rely on 'buy now, pay later' plans, allowing them to postpone payments on holiday purchases.