Shoppers Embrace Online Spending Amid Economic Uncertainty This Holiday Season

Sun Nov 30 2025 01:05:33 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

This year’s Black Friday shows a remarkable increase in online spending despite wider economic concerns. Consumers are adapting their shopping habits, contributing to a record-breaking e-commerce performance.

New data from Adobe Analytics reveals that U.S. consumers spent a record $11.8 billion online during Black Friday, representing a significant 9.1% increase from the previous year, despite economic uncertainties. Shoppers are increasingly shifting to online purchases, impacting foot traffic in physical stores. Experts expect high spending to continue through the weekend, highlighting changes in consumer behavior amidst rising prices and economic challenges.

NEW YORK (Civitas Global) — This year’s holiday shopping season is marked by a surge in online spending, as shoppers adapt to economic uncertainties that loom over the holiday season. Black Friday, traditionally a day for in-store shopping frenzies, has transitioned into a major e-commerce event, with billions spent online.

According to Adobe Analytics, U.S. consumers spent a historic $11.8 billion online on Black Friday, reflecting a robust 9.1% increase over last year. The peak shopping hours revealed intense online activity, with $12.5 million transacting every minute between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. local time.

Prior to Black Friday, customers spent a record $6.4 billion on Thanksgiving Day alone. Popular categories included electronics, video game consoles, and home appliances, influenced heavily by AI-driven shopping services and social media advertising.

Salesforce also noted substantial online traffic, estimating Black Friday online sales at around $18 billion in the U.S. and $79 billion worldwide. Furthermore, Shopify reported an impressive $6.2 billion in total sales for its merchants on the same day, peaking at $5.1 million per minute, with cosmetics and clothing leading sales.

However, this year’s shopping patterns starkly contrast with the tradition of Black Friday crowds. Instead of rushing to brick-and-mortar stores, global consumers are increasingly turning to online platforms. This change contributed to a 3.6% decline in U.S. in-store traffic on Black Friday compared to last year, according to RetailNext, which tracks in-store foot traffic.

According to Joe Shasteen, a manager at RetailNext, shoppers today have adopted a new approach to their purchases, often spreading their shopping over a longer duration rather than making impulsive decisions. Data shows that shoppers are entering stores with specific intentions.

Despite the decline in foot traffic, Black Friday remains a pivotal date for retailers. The decline reported was three times better than the 6.2% decrease noted prior to Thanksgiving, demonstrating that shoppers still flock to stores during significant promotional events.

Consumer analysts anticipate that spending will surge through the weekend, with estimates predicting an additional $5.5 billion in spending on Saturday and $5.9 billion on Sunday, culminating in a potential $14.2 billion surge on Cyber Monday, setting another record.

Amidst this increase in spending, rising prices are becoming an increasing worry. Recent tariffs and economic pressures are influencing American consumers to buy fewer items. Salesforce found that shoppers bought 2% fewer items on Black Friday, with an overall decline in order volumes as average prices increased by 7%.

As holiday spending unfolds against a backdrop of economic uncertainty, experts from the National Retail Federation estimate consumers will spend over $1 trillion for the holiday season for the first time, although growth rates are slowing compared to prior years.

With credit card debt and delinquencies on the rise, more shoppers are resorting to “buy now, pay later” schemes, allowing them to manage their holiday purchases more effectively without immediate payments.