Record-Breaking Black Friday Online Spending in 2024
Black Friday 2024 saw record-breaking online spending, continuing the momentum from Thanksgiving. Adobe reported a staggering $10.8 billion in online purchases in the U.S., a 10.2% increase from 2023. Salesforce provided a higher estimate of $17.5 billion in the U.S., up 7% year-over-year. Globally, Salesforce reported a new high of $74.4 billion, a 5% increase.
Mobile Shopping and Discounts Drive Sales
Mobile devices accounted for 55% of online spending, totaling $5.9 billion, a 12.1% year-over-year increase. Discounts played a significant role, with toys, electronics, and TVs seeing substantial markdowns. This aligns with consumer behavior during the holiday shopping season, often purchasing gifts early to take advantage of deals. For more insights on holiday shopping trends, see Apple Black Friday 2024 Deals.
The Rise of Chatbots in Retail
Chatbots are emerging as a powerful tool in online shopping. Adobe reported an 1800% increase in retail site traffic from GenAI chatbots compared to the previous year. A survey by Adobe revealed that 20% of consumers used chatbots for deal hunting and shopping recommendations. This trend could impact how consumers discover products, potentially challenging traditional search engines. Concerns about the accuracy of information provided by AI tools have been raised, as discussed in ChatGPT's Citation Inaccuracy Raises Concerns for Publishers.
Black Friday's Evolving Landscape
Black Friday, traditionally associated with in-store shopping, has transformed into a major e-commerce event. The increasing comfort of consumers with mobile shopping and emerging technologies like chatbots contributes to this shift. This growth aligns with broader e-commerce trends, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau, which noted a 6-8% increase in online spending in Q3 2024. While Black Friday remains a predominantly U.S.-centric event, its global impact is steadily growing. For more information on the growth of online marketplaces, you can refer to Apple App Store Lawsuit Expands in UK.