Photo: AFP
American consumers splurged a record $10.8 billion online during Black Friday promotions, leveraging artificial intelligence tools to snag the best deals, according to Adobe Analytics' announcement on Saturday. Total sales surged 10.2 percent compared to Black Friday in 2023. The top-selling categories included toys, jewelry, household appliances, skincare and haircare products, clothing, and electronic devices. Crossing the $10 billion threshold was a significant milestone for e-commerce, especially since Black Friday shopping has historically been dominated by brick-and-mortar stores, noted Vivek Pandya, an analyst from Adobe Digital Insights. The surge in spending was driven by heightened demand rather than price inflation, Adobe added, highlighting that electronic sales prices have been declining for 26 consecutive months—down 2.9 percent in October compared to the same month in 2023. AI tools played a pivotal role, with traffic on sites utilizing AI for consumer guidance skyrocketing 1,800 percent from last year's Black Friday. An Adobe survey revealed that consumers used AI not only to find the best deals but also to swiftly locate specific items and receive product recommendations. Black Friday traditionally kicks off the year-end holiday sales season in the United States. As the promotions continue, online consumers are projected to spend an additional $5.2 billion on Saturday and $5.6 billion on Sunday, with a record $13.2 billion expected on Cyber Monday, marking a 6.1 percent increase from 2023. For the entire five-day period from Thursday through Monday, consumers are anticipated to spend a total of $40.6 billion online, reflecting a seven percent rise from the previous year, according to Adobe.
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