Online shopping in the United States reached a new high on Black Friday as consumers relied on AI tools to search for discounts while managing price pressures linked to tariffs and inflation. Adobe Analytics reported record online spending of US$11.8 billion, a 9.1 percent increase from 2024.
The surge came during a holiday season shaped by weakening consumer confidence, rising unemployment and tighter household budgets. Mastercard SpendingPulse said online activity grew 10.4 percent on Black Friday, compared to a 1.7 percent rise in physical store sales.
AI adoption was one of the biggest drivers. Adobe found that AI-driven traffic to major US retail platforms increased 805 percent from last year. This growth followed the launch of tools such as Walmart’s Sparky and Amazon’s Rufus. “Consumers are using new tools to get to what they need faster,” said Suzy Davidkhanian, an eMarketer analyst. “Gift giving can be stressful, and LLMs (large language models) make the discovery process feel quicker and more guided.”
Items in highest demand included LEGO sets, Pokémon cards, gaming consoles such as the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5 and products ranging from Apple AirPods to KitchenAid mixers.
Salesforce estimated that AI agents influenced US$14.2 billion in global Black Friday sales, with US$3 billion coming from the United States. Its figures, which include non-discretionary goods like groceries, showed that Americans spent US$18 billion online, with luxury apparel and accessories performing strongly.
Despite higher overall spending, shoppers bought fewer items per transaction. Salesforce said order volumes fell 1 percent and units per checkout declined 2 percent, while the average selling price increased 7 percent year on year.
Caila Schwartz, Salesforce’s director of consumer insights, attributed the price rise to two factors. “The first is absolutely the impact of tariffs, especially on those discretionary categories where we have seen a lot of growth in selling price. The other is the fact that we are seeing a much stronger higher-income earner than average-income earner, evidenced by the strength in the luxury category,” she said.
Discount levels were roughly similar to 2024. Analysts said higher product costs made deeper promotions difficult for retailers. Suzy Davidkhanian noted that deals may not feel as strong because tariffs and inflation have pushed base prices higher. Running Point Chief Investment Officer Michael Ashley Schulman said the combination of rising prices and flat discounts reduced the real value of Black Friday bargains.
Adobe expects Cyber Monday to outperform Black Friday. Sales are forecast to reach US$14.2 billion, which would make it the largest online shopping day of the year. Electronics are expected to see discounts of up to 30 percent, along with strong markdowns in apparel and computers.
Physical retail activity was quieter, with some consumers choosing to limit spending due to persistent inflation, uncertainty around trade and a softening labour market.
Reuters
