Black Friday 2025: Online Shopping Surges as Cautious Consumers Skip Store Lines

Black Friday 2025 saw a major shift in shopping behaviour as Americans increasingly chose to shop online rather than line up outside stores in the cold. According to Adobe Analytics, shoppers spent $8.6 billion online by early Friday, with total Black Friday online sales expected to reach nearly $12 billion. The traditional rush outside malls and electronics stores faded, replaced by mid-morning online buying spikes and evening surges. Many shoppers who did venture out said they were more budget-conscious due to a softening labour market and lingering inflation.

Deep discounts and extended online promotions have blurred the boundaries between Black Friday and the rest of Cyber Week. Retailers are spreading deals across multiple days, making online platforms the top hub for bargain hunting. Cyber Monday is expected to set a new record with an estimated $14.2 billion in online spending. At the same time, higher prices driven by inflation and tariff impacts have made shoppers more selective. Data from Salesforce shows average selling prices in the U.S. rising faster than the global average, partly due to tariffs and retailers protecting their margins.

Despite cautious spending, affluent consumers continue to drive strong sales in luxury and high-end categories. Meanwhile, the usual early-morning crowds were noticeably thinner at stores like Walmart and Target, with some offering freebies to draw foot traffic. Labour unrest also shaped the day, with strikes at Amazon warehouses in Germany, protests in Spain, and expanded Starbucks walkouts in the U.S. Overall, Black Friday 2025 reflected a retail landscape where online shopping dominates, consumer behaviour shifts, and economic uncertainty plays a growing role.

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