Cyber Monday eclipses Black Friday again as e-commerce surges

Cyber Monday sales eclipsed Black Friday's again as inflation-pinched consumers hunt for deals that aren't just on offer the day after Thanksgiving.

With deals beginning even earlier ahead of Black Friday than in years past and continuing well after Cyber Monday, consumers are no longer cramming all their gift shopping into one day. 

Adobe Analytics said Tuesday that consumers spent $11.3 billion on Cyber Monday, about 5.8% higher than last year’s haul. That sum is nearly 25% higher than the record $9.1 billion in online sales on Friday.

“It has surpassed Black Friday as the biggest shopping day of the season,” said Patrick Brown, vice president of marketing and insights at Adobe, whose data shows Cyber Monday sales have outstripped Black Friday since at least 2014. Overall, Black Friday sales topped $8.9 billion last year, versus $10.7 billion on Cyber Monday 2021. That trend, Brown said, “shows no signs of slowing down.”

And while inflation is driving up sticker prices pretty much across the board, Adobe said the 2.3% increase in overall spending this Black Friday versus last year wasn’t just because of higher prices. The $9.12 billion in total sales retailers notched on Friday was partly due to growing demand, Adobe said.

Still, Black Friday’s importance may be waning as Americans increasingly think twice about participating in doorbusters and in-person frenzies, with many preferring to order gifts from their couches instead.

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/cyber-monday-black-friday-holiday-deals-rcna58967

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