Black Friday Online Sales Surge, Breaking Records

Black Friday online sales in the U.S. reached a record $9.8 billion, up 7.5% from last year, according to an Adobe Analytics report. The increase reflects a consumer who is more willing to spend, with price-conscious shoppers hunting for the best deals online. Mobile shopping accounted for $5.3 billion of the sales, with influencers and social media advertising playing a role in driving purchases. The best-selling categories were electronics, toys, and gaming, while home-repair tools underperformed. Retailers are offering higher discounting levels to capture deal-hunting consumers, and spending is expected to continue over the weekend and through Cyber Monday. However, growth is expected to weaken as discounts decrease, with Cyber Monday potentially being the last major spending spike for non-essential goods this holiday season.