Black Friday Sales Spike Despite Economic Uncertainty, Study Shows—Here’s Why

Topline

Black Friday spending online increased almost 10%, or $1 billion, from last year, according to a new report, despite persistent economic concerns among the American public and a dip in consumer confidence.

Key Facts

Shoppers spent $11.8 billion on online deals this year, $1 billion, or 9.1% more, than the $10.8 billion spent in 2024, according to Adobe Analytics, which tracks e-commerce sales.

Overall spending during the month of November is up 7.1% from last year, with sales increasing in all three of the top product categories: electronics, apparel and furniture/home goods, according to the Adobe study.

Another report, from Mastercard SpendingPulse, found both online and in-store retail sales, excluding autos, were up 4.1% on Black Friday from 2024, with online sales up 10.4% and in-store purchases up 1.7%.

The uptick in spending comes despite a drop in the consumer confidence index this month, from 95.5 in October to 88.7 in November, the lowest reading since April, The Conference Board reported Tuesday.

Big Number

$253.4 billion. That’s how much Adobe expects holiday spending will total in 2025, up from $241.1 billion in 2024.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2025/11/29/black-friday-online-sales-up-nearly-10-from-last-year-study-shows/