"NEW YORK (AP) - Despite wider economic uncertainty hovering above 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, which tracks e-commerce, said U.S. consumers spent a record $11.8 billion online Friday, marking a 9.1% jump from last year. Traffic particularly piled up between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. local time nationwide, when $12.5 million passed through online shopping carts every minute."
"Consumers also spent a record $6.4 billion online on Thanksgiving Day, per Adobe. Top categories that saw an uptick in sales across both days included video game consoles, electronics and home appliances. Shopping services powered by artificial intelligence and social media advertising have also particularly influenced what consumers choose to buy, the firm said. Meanwhile, software company Salesforce estimated that Black Friday online sales totaled $18 billion in the U.S. and $79 billion globally."
"And e-commerce platform Shopify said its merchants raked in a record $6.2 billion in sales worldwide on Black Friday. At its peak, sales reached $5.1 million per minute - with top categories including cosmetics and clothing, according to the Canadian company. Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks in-person and online spending, reported that overall Black Friday sales excluding automotive rose 4.1% from a year ago. Michelle Meyer, chief economist at the Mastercard Economics Institute, said consumers are "navigating an uncertain environment" this holiday season "by shopping early, leveraging promotions, and investing in wish-list items.""
U.S. consumers set online spending records across Thanksgiving and Black Friday, with Adobe Analytics reporting $6.4 billion on Thanksgiving and $11.8 billion on Black Friday. Peak online traffic occurred between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., with as much as $12.5 million added to carts per minute. Salesforce and Shopify reported larger global and platform-specific records, with Shopify merchants earning $6.2 billion worldwide and Salesforce estimating $79 billion globally. Mastercard data showed overall Black Friday sales excluding autos rose 4.1%, led by a double-digit jump in online sales while in-store purchases rose modestly. Video game consoles, electronics, appliances, cosmetics and clothing were top categories. Artificial intelligence and social media ads influenced consumer choices.
Read at AP News
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