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.
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.”
In-store traffic has dwindled over the years. Initial data from RetailNext, which measures real-time foot traffic in physical stores, found that U.S. Black Friday traffic fell 3.6% compared to 2024. Still, the firm noted that was “notably better” than a sharper 6.2% decline it saw in the days leading up to Thanksgiving.
Sensormatic Solutions, which also tracks store traffic, found that in-store retail visits dipped 2.1% — but said that was in line with expectations and trends already seen this year. Traffic over the week of Black Friday was up nearly 57% compared to the week prior, per Sensormatic.
“Black Friday has really turned into like a full week event, or even further,” said Grant Gustafson, head of retail consulting and analytics at Sensormatic Solutions. And “Black Friday is really the start of just a really and critical stretch for retailers,” he added — noting that the weekend following Thanksgiving, as well as the days leading up to Christmas next month, will also be some of the busiest in terms of in-store traffic.
Meanwhile, in terms of e-commerce, Adobe expects U.S. shoppers to spend another $5.5 billion Saturday and $5.9 billion on Sunday — before reaching an estimated $14.2 billion peak on Cyber Monday, which would mark yet another record.
An uptick in budget-conscious behavior can also be seen in store traffic. While Sensormatic doesn’t track spending, “we do track consumer footsteps,” Gustafson notes — and “consumers are thinking a little bit harder about their purchases” this year, he explains, “to make sure that they’re getting their very best deals.”
