U.S. Online Shoppers Spend Record 11.8 Billion on Black Friday

U.S. online shoppers spent a record 11.8 billion dollars on Black Friday, Adobe Analytics estimated, marking a 9.1 percent increase from 2024 according to Reuters on November 29, 2025. The figures arrived amid pronounced changes in how consumers search for and complete purchases, with AI powered shopping tools and agents emerging as a prominent force in e commerce traffic this holiday weekend.

Adobe and Salesforce data cited in the report showed retailers' chatbots, recommendation assistants, and other AI features drew large amounts of traffic and helped shoppers compare prices and locate deals more efficiently. Retailers said these tools shortened search time and guided consumers to higher priced items, contributing to higher average selling prices per transaction. That dynamic produced a measurable change in basket composition, as rising average selling prices reduced items per transaction even while overall spending increased.

The surge in AI driven assistance appears to have altered the mechanics of online competition. Rather than relying solely on broad site wide promotions, retailers used personalized suggestions and conversational interfaces to steer consumers toward particular products. Adobe highlighted the technology driven traffic growth as a key component of the record spending. Salesforce data reinforced the view that platform level analytics are showing different patterns of engagement compared with past holiday seasons.

Economic context shaped the underlying numbers. Retail price pressures tied to persistent inflation and to tariff related cost shifts have pushed up sticker prices across many categories, a factor that analysts say influenced the mix of purchases. Higher prices can inflate sales totals even as unit volumes stagnate or fall, complicating interpretations of consumer strength. The Adobe figures reflect nominal spending, not adjustments for inflation or changes in quantities purchased.

Market participants are watching Cyber Monday closely. Early projections in the coverage indicated that Cyber Monday will likely top Black Friday in online spending, continuing a longer term trend of concentrated digital sales later in the holiday weekend. Retailers and payments networks are allocating resources to handle both the volume and the AI driven interactions that are shaping purchase decisions.

Policy implications are notable. Price increases driven by inflation and tariffs feed into household budgets and tax and monetary policy considerations, and the growing role of algorithmic recommendations raises questions about competition and transparency in online marketplaces. Regulators and central bankers monitoring consumer price dynamics will need to account for how technological shifts affect spending patterns and the interpretation of sales data.

For retailers, the mix of higher average selling prices and fewer items per transaction will affect inventory planning, margin management, and promotional strategies. For consumers, the immediate payoff appears to be faster discovery of deals and tailored shopping experiences that can both raise spending and simplify comparisons. As the holiday shopping period continues, the combined effects of pricing dynamics and AI driven tools will determine which retailers convert traffic into sustained sales gains.