Americans spent a record $9.8 billion online on Black Friday 2023

As a result of last Black Friday, retail sales in the United States set a new record – $9.8 billion, which is 7.5% more than last year. Experts note that this year, against the backdrop of accelerating inflation, American consumers were especially attentive to the conditions offered by sellers, and they managed to attract the attention of buyers with truly generous discounts.

Research company Adobe Analytics reportedthat following Black Friday in the United States, online retail sales increased by 7.5% compared to last year and reached $9.8 billion. Sales in brick-and-mortar stores are still being calculated, but Adobe Analytics awaits in 2023, total sales for the entire holiday shopping season (November to December) will grow by 4.8% to $221.8 billion.

Adobe analysts note that against the backdrop of accelerating inflation, American sellers had to try hard to attract the attention of buyers with truly profitable offers. “This sales season, discounts will reach record heights – up to 35% on average of the regular price. Retailers are facing challenging conditions in an uncertain economic environment with consumers continuing to deal with rising food and fuel costs, the report notes.

Of the 18 product categories examined, the best deals were found on toys (up to 35% off on average, up from 34% last year), electronics (30% and 25%) and clothing (25% and 19%).

Big discounts are offered in categories such as sporting goods (24% compared to 10% a year earlier), televisions (22% and 17%) and furniture/bedding (19% and 8%).”

Reflecting on shopping behavior this sales season, Adobe Digital Insights Lead Analyst Vivek Pandya said, “We have seen consumers change their behavior significantly this past year to take full advantage of sales days to get maximum discounts.”

Sales increase on Black Friday in the US noted and Mastercard researchers. According to their data, which took into account card payments for both online and offline purchases, sales on Black Friday increased by 2.5% compared to last year. “Consumers were well prepared for the shopping season and took full advantage of holiday deals,” said Steve Sadovy, senior advisor at Mastercard. “Consumers are also buying significantly wiser. They use every possible channel—from searching for better prices directly on store websites to comparing prices using special apps and online resources—to save not only money, but also time to spend with friends and family.”

Evgeny Khvostik