U.S. Black Friday Retail Sales Climb 3.4%, E-Commerce Surges

Black Friday sales in the United States grew 3.4% compared to last year, according to preliminary data from Mastercard SpendingPulse. The report, which tracks retail sales across all payment types and excludes automotive purchases, revealed a robust performance in e-commerce, which surged 14.6%, while in-store sales showed a modest 0.7% increase.

Shoppers increasingly turned to online platforms for their holiday purchases, with e-commerce sales driving much of the growth on Black Friday. Key gift sectors such as apparel, electronics, and jewelry performed strongly, with apparel seeing significant gains online.

“Black Friday was a good indicator of how the holiday season is positively shaping up,” says Michelle Meyer, chief economist at Mastercard Economics Institute. “Our real-time insights show that consumers are comfortably in the gift-giving spirit as price reductions and deals occur across sectors, supporting budgets for holiday shopping.”

Steve Sadove, senior advisor for Mastercard and former CEO of Saks Incorporated, adds, “Shoppers are making the most of seasonal deals and enjoying a balance of experiences spending and gifts for all loved ones. They’re more strategic in their shopping though, prioritizing promotions that they believe hold the greatest value — opening their wallets, but with more intentional distribution.”

Key Themes and Black Friday Spending Trends

The Mastercard SpendingPulse report identified several trends that defined this year’s Black Friday:

• Value-Driven Shopping: Deals and promotions remained a strong motivator for consumers, who strategically targeted discounts on high-value items.
• Apparel Momentum: Cooler weather arriving after a warm fall boosted apparel spending. Footwear also outpaced last year’s performance during the same period.
• Dining and Grocery Growth: Grocery sales increased in the two weeks leading up to Black Friday, as consumers prepared for holiday feasts. On Black Friday itself, restaurant spending showed notable growth.
• Regional Standouts: Massachusetts, Washington D.C., and Colorado emerged as regions with stronger spending performance.

Black Friday’s Evolving Role

Mastercard highlighted the shifting nature of Black Friday from a single shopping day to a broader window of opportunity for both retailers and consumers. Early deals leading up to Thanksgiving captured shopper attention, but Black Friday itself remained a focal point for holiday spending.

The report underlines that consumers are balancing their budgets effectively, taking advantage of discounts to maximize the value of their purchases.

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