Adobe Analytics reports U.S. online shoppers spent $11.8 billion on Black Friday, an increase of nearly 10% from last year. The rise came despite ongoing economic worries and higher prices, as many consumers clipped budgets and actively hunted what they saw as the best deals.
While online sales surged, in-store shopping still matters. RetailNext, which measures physical-store traffic, says Black Friday remains the busiest in-store shopping day of the year, even though overall foot traffic has declined compared with earlier periods. Shoppers’ habits have shifted amid tariffs and inflation, pushing many people to prioritize value and be more selective about purchases.
A National Retail Federation survey found roughly 60% of respondents treat holiday spending as an essential part of their household budgets. Many shoppers described balancing gift purchases with cutbacks elsewhere — for example, concentrating spending on grandchildren or focusing on higher-value items rather than buying broadly.
Officials at the White House called the post-Thanksgiving weekend a strong retail showing: online sales were up nearly 10% and in-store sales rose about 4%. The weekend’s totals were tempered in some regions by weather, including a storm in the Midwest that kept some shoppers home.
Attention now turns to Cyber Monday, where heavy online shopping is expected to continue as retailers offer additional deals and consumers continue to hunt discounts both in stores and online.