Black Friday Statistics in US 2025 | Shopping Sales Stats

Black Friday Sales in America 2025

Black Friday has transformed from a single-day shopping event into an extended retail phenomenon that shapes the entire holiday shopping season across America. The year 2025 marks another milestone as consumer spending patterns continue to evolve with digital commerce, mobile shopping, and artificial intelligence reshaping how Americans hunt for deals. For the first time in history, total holiday spending in the United States is projected to surpass the $1 trillion mark, underscoring the economic significance of this shopping period that begins on the Friday following Thanksgiving.

The landscape of Black Friday shopping in 2025 reveals a mature market where online and in-store experiences blend seamlessly, giving consumers unprecedented control over when, where, and how they shop. Retailers have extended promotional periods well into November, creating what industry experts now call “Black November,” while maintaining the intensity of deals during the traditional Cyber Week period from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday. With 186.9 million Americans expected to shop during the Thanksgiving weekend, the competition for consumer dollars has never been fiercer, driving retailers to offer compelling discounts averaging 28% across major product categories while leveraging sophisticated technology to personalize shopping experiences.

Interesting Black Friday Facts and Latest Statistics in the US 2025

Data sources: Adobe Analytics Holiday Shopping Report 2025, National Retail Federation Winter Holiday Survey 2025, Capital One Shopping Research 2025

Black Friday 2025 is positioned to break sales records again with online transactions reaching $11.7 billion, representing substantial growth from the $10.8 billion recorded in 2024. The total Cyber Week period, spanning five days from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, is forecast to generate $43.7 billion in online sales alone, capturing 17.2% of the entire holiday season’s online spending. Perhaps most remarkably, the entire holiday shopping season from November 1 through December 31 will exceed $253 billion in online sales for the first time, marking a 5.3% increase year-over-year. Mobile devices will account for more than half of all online purchases at 56.1%, cementing smartphones as the dominant shopping channel. Meanwhile, Buy Now Pay Later services are projected to facilitate $20.2 billion in transactions throughout the season, with 79% of that activity occurring on mobile devices. The average American consumer plans to spend $890.49 on holiday purchases including gifts, decorations, and food, with $641 specifically allocated to gifts.

Consumer participation remains robust despite economic headwinds, with a record 186.9 million people planning to shop during the Thanksgiving weekend period. Black Friday itself attracts the highest concentration of shoppers, with 70% of Thanksgiving weekend shoppers specifically choosing Friday for their purchases. The data reveals that 81.7 million consumers shopped in physical stores during Black Friday 2024, while 87.3 million shopped online, demonstrating the continued dominance of digital channels. Discount levels are expected to remain competitive at an average of 28% off listed prices, matching 2024 levels. Electronics typically receive the deepest markdowns at 28%, followed by toys at 27%, apparel at 25%, televisions at 23%, and computers at 23%. The consistency in discount depth suggests retailers have found an equilibrium that drives sales volume while protecting margins.

Online Sales Growth in the US 2025

Data sources: Adobe Analytics Black Friday Reports 2017-2025, Salesforce Shopping Index 2024, National Retail Federation Historical Data

The trajectory of Black Friday online sales demonstrates remarkable resilience and consistent growth over the past eight years. From $5.0 billion in 2017 to a projected $11.7 billion in 2025, online Black Friday sales have more than doubled, representing a 134% cumulative increase. This growth reflects fundamental shifts in consumer behavior, with Americans increasingly comfortable making significant purchases through digital channels. The year 2024 marked a particularly strong recovery with 10.2% growth, the highest single-year increase since 2020, when pandemic-related restrictions accelerated e-commerce adoption.

The 2025 projection of $11.7 billion represents continued momentum, though at a slightly moderated 8.3% growth rate. This deceleration from 2024’s exceptional performance aligns with broader retail industry forecasts suggesting a normalization of growth patterns as the market matures. Globally, Black Friday online sales are expected to reach between $80 billion and $82 billion, maintaining the United States’ position as the largest single market while international adoption continues expanding. The only anomaly in this growth pattern occurred in 2021, when sales dipped 1.1% to $8.9 billion, attributed to supply chain disruptions and earlier holiday shopping prompted by inventory concerns. Since recovering in 2022, growth has accelerated consistently, with 2023 showing 7.7% gains and 2024 achieving double-digit expansion at 10.2%.

Consumer Shopping Behavior Patterns in the US 2025

Data sources: National Retail Federation Consumer Survey 2025, Adobe Analytics Consumer Behavior Study 2025, Circana Holiday Shopping Report 2025

American shopping behavior in 2025 reflects both tradition and transformation, with 186.9 million people planning to shop during the five-day Thanksgiving weekend—a record that surpasses 2024’s 183.4 million and demonstrates the enduring appeal of this retail event. However, the timing of purchases has evolved dramatically, with 58% of holiday shoppers now beginning their purchasing before Thanksgiving arrives, and 38% starting as early as October. This trend toward earlier shopping responds to several factors including retailer promotions beginning in early November, consumer desire to spread expenses over a longer period, and concerns about product availability given recent supply chain disruptions and tariff-related price increases.

Black Friday itself remains the most popular single shopping day, with 70% of Thanksgiving weekend shoppers choosing Friday for purchases, while 40% participate in Cyber Monday and 36% support Small Business Saturday. The average Black Friday shopper spends approximately $650 during the weekend period, though total holiday budgets average $890.49 per person when including all November and December purchases. Notably, 32% of American consumers don’t participate in major promotional events like Black Friday or Cyber Monday at all, preferring to shop at other times or avoid the intensity of peak season altogether. Economic concerns are influencing behavior in 2025, with 32% of shoppers planning to reduce spending specifically due to import tariffs raising prices, while 26% plan overall spending cuts compared to 2024. Despite these constraints, 78% of shoppers remain motivated primarily by deals, confirming that discounts continue driving purchase decisions during this competitive period.

Mobile Shopping Dominance in the US 2025

Data sources: Adobe Analytics Mobile Commerce Report 2025, Salesforce Mobile Shopping Index 2024-2025, Queue-it Holiday Traffic Analysis 2024

Mobile devices have definitively conquered Black Friday shopping, with smartphones and tablets expected to account for 56.1% of all online holiday purchases in 2025, translating to $142.7 billion in mobile revenue during the November through December period. This represents remarkable growth from 2024’s 54.5% mobile share and $131.6 billion in mobile spending, continuing a multi-year trend that has seen mobile evolve from a research tool to the primary transaction channel. The dominance extends beyond purchases to browsing behavior, with mobile devices generating 73% of all retail website traffic during the 2025 holiday season, up from 70% in 2024.

The mobile shopping experience has improved substantially, with retailers investing heavily in app development, mobile-optimized checkout flows, and digital wallet integration that reduces friction during the purchase process. Buy Now Pay Later services, which facilitate budget-conscious shopping, see particularly high mobile adoption with 79% of all BNPL transactions occurring on smartphones in 2025, up from 75% the previous year. This translates to $15.6 billion in mobile BNPL spending during the holiday season. The mobile-first approach reflects changing consumer preferences for shopping convenience, with users able to browse deals, compare prices, and complete purchases from anywhere—whether at home, commuting, or even while shopping in physical stores to compare prices. Desktop computers now account for only 26% of holiday shopping traffic, marking an all-time low and suggesting the personal computer’s role in retail has become primarily enterprise-focused rather than consumer-facing.

Product Category Performance in the US 2025

Data sources: Adobe Analytics Category Performance Report 2025, Salesforce Shopping Index Category Data 2024-2025, National Retail Federation Product Category Forecast 2025

Electronics maintain their position as the dominant Black Friday category, projected to generate $57.5 billion in holiday season sales during 2025, representing 4.0% growth over 2024’s $55.3 billion. This category encompasses smartphones, laptops, tablets, gaming consoles, televisions, and smart home devices, with average discounts reaching 28% off listed prices. Specific hot-selling items for 2025 include the Nintendo Switch 2, Sony PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X gaming consoles, along with games like Elden Ring: Nightreign and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Television sales are expected to surge 915% compared to average daily sales from January through August, making Black Friday the premier time to purchase large-screen displays.

Apparel and accessories rank second with projected sales of $47.6 billion, up 4.4% from 2024’s $45.6 billion, benefiting from slightly deeper discounts averaging 25% versus 23.2% in 2024. Clothing and accessories are the most popular gift category, purchased by 49% of Black Friday consumers. Furniture and home goods show particularly strong growth at 6.5%, climbing from $29.2 billion to $31.1 billion, as consumers continue investing in their living spaces with discounts of 18% motivating purchases of power tools (up 1,060%), home security products (up 1,050%), refrigerators (up 910%), and smart home devices (up 615%). Cosmetics and beauty products also demonstrate robust expansion, growing 6.5% to reach $8.2 billion with the deepest category discounts at 40% off, while toys and games climb 6.1% to $8.7 billion with 27% markdowns driving holiday gift purchases, particularly among families with children.

Buy Now Pay Later Adoption in the US 2025

Data sources: Adobe Analytics BNPL Report 2025, PayPal Holiday Shopping Survey 2025, Affirm Transaction Data 2024

Buy Now Pay Later services have emerged as a critical enabler of holiday shopping, with projected spending through these installment payment methods reaching $20.2 billion during the 2025 November-December period, representing 11.0% growth over 2024’s $18.2 billion. This acceleration from the previous year’s 9.6% growth rate reflects increasing consumer acceptance and retailer integration of BNPL options from providers like Klarna, Affirm, Afterpay, and PayPal’s Pay in 4 service. The services will account for approximately 8.0% of all online holiday sales in 2025, up from 7.6% in 2024 and 6.9% in 2023, demonstrating steady market share gains.

Black Friday itself will generate $762 million in BNPL transactions, growing 11.1% from 2024’s $686 million, while Cyber Monday crosses the symbolic billion-dollar threshold at $1.04 billion in BNPL spending, up 5.0% from $991 million. The appeal of BNPL spans demographics but shows particular strength among younger consumers, with 39% of Gen Z and Millennial shoppers planning to use these services for holiday purchases. Two primary motivations drive adoption: 20% of users employ BNPL to manage cash flow and spread payments across multiple pay periods, while another 20% use it to afford items they couldn’t purchase with a single payment. With 50% of PayPal users specifically planning to utilize BNPL for holiday shopping, these services have transitioned from niche alternative to mainstream payment method, fundamentally changing how Americans finance holiday purchases while enabling higher average order values that benefit retailers despite the processing fees associated with BNPL programs.

Generational Shopping Differences in the US 2025

Data sources: Hostinger Black Friday Consumer Survey 2025, AT&T Business Holiday Shopping Survey 2025, Impact.com Consumer Research Study 2025, YouGov Generational Shopping Analysis 2025

Generational differences create distinct Black Friday shopping patterns that retailers must understand to effectively target their marketing. Gen Z consumers show the highest participation rate at 79%, despite planning to reduce spending by 23% compared to 2024—the sharpest pullback of any generation. This cohort prioritizes fashion and sustainable brands, with 40% discovering products through TikTok Shop and 84% believing Black Friday offers good value. However, 60% later regret some purchases, suggesting impulse-driven behavior encouraged by social media exposure. Millennials match Gen Z’s 79% participation rate while demonstrating more substantial spending power, with middle-income Millennials planning $1,548 in holiday expenditures and showing strong responsiveness to email marketing (59% influenced) and Facebook advertising (53% primary platform).

Gen X shoppers, aged 44-59, participate at 68% but represent the highest-spending demographic, averaging $1,850 during the holiday season, with greater emphasis on practical items like home goods and furniture. This generation embraces omnichannel shopping, comfortably switching between online research and in-store purchases, and shows declining interest in mega sales events, with 40% reporting waning enthusiasm compared to previous years. Baby Boomers participate at 60% rates, prefer traditional in-store shopping experiences, and focus purchases on gifts for family members rather than self-gifting. Interestingly, older consumers (61-79) emerge as the most likely to research and purchase online while also making the most unplanned purchases, with 27% reporting impulse buys—higher than any other age group. These patterns require retailers to deploy age-appropriate marketing channels: TikTok and influencer marketing for Gen Z, email and Facebook for Millennials, omnichannel strategies for Gen X, and in-store events with digital support for Boomers.

Artificial Intelligence Integration in Shopping in the US 2025

Data sources: Adobe Analytics AI Shopping Report 2025, Impact.com Consumer AI Usage Survey 2025, Queue-it Technology Trends Analysis 2025

Artificial intelligence is transforming the Black Friday shopping experience in 2025, with AI-driven traffic to retail websites expected to increase 520% year-over-year during the holiday season, following a remarkable 1,300% surge in 2024 that established AI as a legitimate shopping assistant. Between 52% and 64% of consumers plan to use AI tools for holiday shopping in 2025, up substantially from 38% who used such tools in 2024. The primary use case involves finding deals and comparing prices, with 39% of shoppers leveraging AI specifically for this purpose, while 43.5% use AI for product discovery and 37.9% employ AI chatbots for after-hours customer support.

Consumer trust in AI recommendations has reached a tipping point, with 49.3% of shoppers trusting AI suggestions as much or more than recommendations from real people—a threshold that validates AI’s role as a credible shopping advisor. Retailers implementing AI chatbots report 9% higher sales conversions compared to traditional customer service approaches, driven by instant responses, 24/7 availability, and personalized product suggestions based on browsing behavior. The AI revolution extends beyond chatbots to include generative AI services like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which recently launched checkout functionality partnering with Etsy and Shopify, and Google’s shopping-focused AI features that aggregate deals across retailers. Usage patterns show AI adoption peaks in the ten days leading up to Thanksgiving as consumers research products and hunt for optimal prices. However, generational gaps persist, with only 19% of Gen Z and Millennials saying they won’t use AI tools compared to higher skepticism among older demographics who prefer traditional search methods. Social media platforms are leveraging AI to drive 51% year-over-year growth in revenue attribution, demonstrating AI’s expanding influence across the entire customer journey from discovery to purchase.

Retail Channel Performance in the US 2025

Data sources: Adobe Analytics Retailer Performance 2024, Enjoy Aiia Amazon Sales Estimates 2024, National Retail Federation Channel Data 2025, Shopify Merchant Sales Report 2024

Online channels dominated Black Friday 2024 with $10.8 billion in sales and are projected to reach $11.7 billion in 2025, but physical retail remains vibrant with 81.7 million in-store shoppers during Black Friday 2024—the highest level since the pandemic—and expectations for 82-84 million in 2025. This demonstrates consumers’ desire for experiential shopping despite e-commerce convenience. Amazon maintains its position as the single largest retailer, generating approximately $900 million during Black Friday 2024 with projections exceeding $950 million for 2025, fueled by maintaining prices averaging 14% lower than major competitors and driving over 60% of sales through independent third-party sellers during its largest 12-day shopping event.

Walmart delivered exceptional performance with $1.77 billion in Black Friday 2024 sales, deploying a sophisticated three-phase promotional strategy running from mid-November through December 1, and is projected to surpass $1.85 billion in 2025. Target exceeded $500 million in Black Friday 2024 sales with strong year-over-year growth and is estimated to reach $540 million or more in 2025, supported by price reductions on 3,000 grocery and essential items that drive store traffic. The independent merchant sector, represented primarily by Shopify-powered stores, demonstrates remarkable strength with $4.1 billion in Black Friday 2024 sales, up 22% year-over-year, with transaction peaks reaching $4.6 million per minute. For 2025, Shopify merchants are projected to exceed $4.5 billion on Black Friday alone, while the entire five-day Thanksgiving weekend generated $11.5 billion in 2024, up 24%, suggesting continued momentum for small and medium-sized businesses that offer specialized products and personalized shopping experiences that major retailers struggle to replicate at scale.

Economic Impact and Spending Constraints in the US 2025

Data sources: National Retail Federation Holiday Forecast 2025, Deloitte Holiday Retail Survey 2025, NPR Economic Analysis November 2025, McKinsey ConsumerWise Research 2025

The 2025 holiday shopping season achieves a historic milestone with total spending surpassing $1 trillion for the first time, representing growth between 3.7% and 4.2% over 2024 according to National Retail Federation forecasts. This translates to spending between $1.01 trillion and $1.02 trillion across November and December, demonstrating the retail sector’s economic resilience despite significant consumer anxiety. However, beneath this aggregate growth lies considerable financial strain, with 52% of shoppers intending to spend less during the holiday season compared to 40% in 2024, and 26% specifically planning Black Friday and Cyber Monday spending reductions.

Import tariffs imposed during 2025 create particular pressure, with 32% of Americans reducing Black Friday purchases specifically due to tariff-related price increases, while overall tariff impacts could cost shoppers an additional $132 each according to analysis from LendingTree. Prices could rise 10-15% on certain imported goods, motivating 33% of consumers to prioritize “Made in USA” products when available, despite typically higher costs. Economic uncertainty drives 78% of shoppers to seek less expensive alternatives, accelerating growth in private label products and retailer-owned brands that offer 20-30% savings versus national brands. Wealthier households continue spending robustly, propping up aggregate numbers, while lower and middle-income families face genuine constraints. This creates a “K-shaped” economy where high-income consumers trade up to premium products while budget-conscious shoppers trade down, forcing retailers to balance value offerings with quality merchandise. Despite challenges, consumer confidence remains sufficient to drive spending growth, as Americans view holiday shopping as essential rather than discretionary, and retailers’ multi-month promotional periods allow consumers to spread purchases across longer timeframes, easing the immediate financial burden that once characterized Black Friday’s compressed 24-hour intensity.

Small Business Saturday Performance in the US 2025

Data sources: National Retail Federation Small Business Saturday Report 2024-2025, Capital One Shopping Small Business Analysis 2025, American Express Small Business Insights 2025

Small Business Saturday, observed on the Saturday between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, continues gaining momentum as consumers increasingly prioritize supporting local economies. Spending at small and independent businesses reached $17.0 billion in 2023 and grew to approximately $17.5 billion in 2024, with projections for $18.0 billion in 2025. Participation among holiday shoppers jumped dramatically from 14.0% in 2023 to 20.0% in 2024, representing 42.9% growth and suggesting the day’s rising cultural significance beyond its American Express origins.

In-store shopping participation at small businesses increased 3.56% year-over-year in 2024, with expectations for 4-5% growth in 2025 as consumers seek authentic, local shopping experiences. Survey data reveals 80% of consumers in 2024 considered supporting local businesses, rising to an estimated 83% in 2025, while 77% indicated they would shop exclusively at small businesses if prices matched larger retailer.

Disclaimer: This research report is compiled from publicly available sources. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is given as to the completeness or reliability of the information. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions, losses, or damages of any kind arising from the use of this report.

Email ID:

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Email

Email *

SUBSCRIBE