Black Friday Shoppers Broke the Internet, Smashing Records with $10.8 Billion Splurge!

Hold onto your hats, shoppers! Black Friday broke all the records this year with U.S. consumers splurging a jaw-dropping $10.8 billion online, a dazzling 10.2% spike from 2023! Get this—mobile sales blasted through expectations, making up a colossal 55% of all online transactions. Who could have predicted that our trusty phones and chatty chatbots would become our new shopping BFFs?

But wait, there's more! Foot traffic in stores took a nose dive—3.2% overall and a hefty 7% in the Midwest, according to the retail whizzes at RetailNext. With brands that master the e-commerce, social, and mobile mix standing tall, the rush was all about snagging the hottest deals!

What's a Black Friday without a little tech magic? Retail sites reported an astronomical 1,800% jump in traffic from AI tools like ChatGPT! Even Best Buy rode the wave, thanks to its killer mobile platform and irresistible early deals.

And don't even get us started on those savvy Gen Z shoppers! A whopping two-thirds of them perfectly timed their gift purchases around Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day, all in pursuit of that perfect discount.

Discount divas, rejoice! The magic number this holiday season? Fifty percent off! Stores like Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters saw a surge in foot traffic with their mega 50% discounts. Ann Taylor, Loft, and Macy’s followed suit with crazy markdowns up to 75%! It's all about attracting both the bargain hunters and those splurging on trendy finds no matter the price tag.

The plot thickens with an 8.8% rise in buy-now, pay-later services, turning into a financial lifesaver for Gen Z! But brace yourself for a twist; the overall use of BNPL services is sliding down compared to past years. Shoppers are now investing in higher-ticket items, reveling in that sweet deal satisfaction!

Let’s not forget footwear, the underdog turned superstar with a 1.3% increase in foot traffic after a year of decline. And jewelry? It glittered throughout the year but took a slight step back with a -0.2% sales dip on Black Friday.

If Black Friday 2024 taught us anything, it's that shoppers love a bargain, crave the trendiest must-haves, and are always on the lookout for the next killer deal!