U.S. consumers spent $8.6 billion in online sales on Black Friday, according to data released by Adobe Analytics, which tracks e-commerce transactions from a majority of the top 100 internet retailers in the United States. The spending occurred on November 25, a day traditionally associated with the start of the holiday shopping season.
The total represents a 1.2% decrease from the $8.7 billion spent online during Black Friday in 2021, as reported by Adobe. However, the figure remains higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Shopping activity was also strong on Thanksgiving Day, which preceded Black Friday. Consumers spent a record $5.29 billion online on Thursday, November 24, an increase of 2.9% compared to the same day in the previous year.
Mobile devices played a significant role in online purchasing behavior. According to the Adobe report, sales made from smartphones accounted for 48% of all digital sales on Black Friday, a record for the day.
The report also highlighted trends in consumer payment methods. The use of “Buy Now, Pay Later” (BNPL) services saw a substantial increase. From the week of November 19 to November 25, BNPL-based orders rose by 78% compared to the preceding week.
“As Black Friday discounts became more ubiquitous, we saw a surge in demand for popular items like electronics and toys as consumers took advantage of the season’s best deals,” stated Vivek Pandya, lead analyst for Adobe Digital Insights, in a statement accompanying the report.
Among the top-selling product categories were electronics, toys, and exercise equipment. Specific items noted in the report included gaming consoles, drones, Apple MacBooks, and Dyson products.
Adobe Analytics compiled its report by analyzing over one trillion visits to U.S. retail sites, covering 100 million stock-keeping units and 18 product categories. The firm provided a forecast for Cyber Monday, projecting it would be the largest online shopping day of the season, with expected sales reaching $11.2 billion.
