One of the biggest upticks from last year is in the concentration of spending around sales events. The five-day period including Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday are expected to drive nearly one-fifth of sales (17.2%), up from 6.3% last year.
Yet the focus on deal days comes even as retailers hold steady on discount rates—and many consumers look for more than just the lowest price.
Adobe expects retailers to offer up to 28% off listed price, which is comparable to last year’s rate. At the same time, consumers appear ready to trade up this year, with the estimated share of units sold for the most expensive products rising 56% in sporting goods, 52% in electronics, and 39% in appliances.
But that doesn’t mean consumers won’t borrow money to fund their purchases; BNPL is set to drive $20.2 billion in online spending, which is up 11% year over year, according to Adobe.
Shoppers are also on track to continue tapping AI-powered services for their shopping this year. Adobe estimates a 520% jump in AI traffic, and it anticipates this activity peaking around Thanksgiving, with categories such as toys, electronics, and jewelry seeing the biggest boost from AI services.
