Black Friday Statistics 2024 (and Cyber Monday Sales!)

Black Friday is the busiest shopping day of the year in the United States. It marks the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season. The day after Thanksgiving has been associated with discounted shopping since the 1930s, but it was in the 1980s that the term “Black Friday” became widely used.

Nowadays, Black Friday stretches beyond just Friday. Retailers offer Black Friday deals for the entire week leading up to the day after Thanksgiving. There are also tons of online deals on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Read on for the latest Black Friday statistics and trends that will give you insight into consumer behavior and sales for 2024.

Key Black Friday Statistics 2024

• In 2021, nearly half (45%) of U.S. consumers surveyed planned to shop on Thanksgiving Day.
• 66.5 million people shopped in stores and 88 million shopped online on Black Friday 2021.
• In 2021, Walmart and Amazon accounted for over 25% of all U.S. e-commerce sales during the five-day period from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday.
• Mobile shopping accounted for 55% of online sales on Black Friday 2021.
• Consumers spent an average of $380.50 over the five-day Thanksgiving weekend in 2021.
• In 2021, toys were the most popular Black Friday purchase category, followed by clothing and video games.

Detailed Black Friday Sales Statistics and Trends

Let‘s dive deeper into the data on Black Friday sales over the past few years.

1. Holiday sales have increased YoY since 2010, except for 2020 due to the pandemic.

The pandemic put a damper on holiday sales in 2020. But shoppers came back in full force in 2021. Holiday sales have grown year-over-year in every year since 2010, except 2020 when sales dipped 3.1%.

(Source: National Retail Federation)

2. Consumers spent an average of $380.50 during the 5-day Thanksgiving weekend in 2021.

Thanksgiving weekend shoppers shelled out $380.50 on average in 2021 across online and in-store purchases. This was up slightly from $380.45 in 2020.

The numbers include spending on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Cyber Monday.

(Source: Weekly Retail Monitor)

3. In 2021, 66.5 million Americans shopped in stores and 88 million shopped online on Black Friday.

On Black Friday 2021 itself, 66.5 million U.S. shoppers visited stores while 88 million shopped online. In total, over 155 million consumers made purchases either in-store or online.

This was an increase from 2020 when Black Friday foot traffic in stores dropped 37% year-over-year due to the pandemic.

(Source: National Retail Federation)

4. Cyber Monday 2021 was the biggest online shopping day in U.S. history with sales of $10.7 billion.

While Black Friday holds the title for the busiest shopping day, Cyber Monday takes the prize for the largest online shopping day.

In 2021, Cyber Monday generated $10.7 billion in online sales. This beat the previous record of $9.4 billion in 2020.

(Source: Adobe Analytics)

5. In 2021, 26% of consumers started holiday shopping before September.

Early holiday promotions have caused shoppers to start knocking items off their gift lists sooner. In 2021, 26% of consumers reported that they started their holiday shopping before September.

Amazon held a Prime Day event on October 11-12th, fueling this early shopping. Target also launched Deal Days on October 6th to jumpstart holiday sales.

(Source: Deloitte)

6. 45% of consumers planned to shop on Thanksgiving Day 2021.

The tradition of turkey followed by shopping is going strong. In a 2021 pre-holiday survey by the National Retail Federation, 45% of consumers said they plan to shop on Thanksgiving Day.

In 2020, online sales on Thanksgiving Day totaled $5.1 billion. Time will tell if the 2021 number beats that figure.

(Source: National Retail Federation)

7. Mobile shopping accounted for 55% of online sales on Black Friday 2021.

Phones have become the preferred device for online shopping, especially on busy days like Black Friday.

In 2021, mobile purchases accounted for 55% of all e-commerce spend on Black Friday. This number has grown steadily from 44% in 2019 and 47% in 2020.

(Source: Adobe Analytics)

8. Top sellers on Black Friday 2021 were toys, clothing, video games, and gift cards.

When looking at specific product categories, toys led the pack of top-selling Black Friday purchases in 2021. Clothing and accessories came in second place, followed by video games and gift cards.

Other popular buys included Samsung TVs, Apple AirPods, and Amazon Fire tablets and Echo speakers.

(Source: BlackFriday.com)

9. In 2021, Walmart and Amazon made up over 25% of online sales from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday.

The online giants continue to dominate holiday shopping. In 2021, Amazon accounted for 15.6% of all U.S. e-commerce sales from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday. Walmart grabbed 10.3% of online sales during this 5-day stretch.

No other retailer came close to these numbers. Target took third place with 4.8% market share of online sales.

(Source: Edison Trends)

10. Curbside pickup revenue grew by 567% YoY on Black Friday 2021.

The pandemic helped new shopping habits like curbside pickup gain serious momentum. On Black Friday 2021 itself, curbside pickup orders grew by 567% compared to Black Friday 2020.

Around 59% of retailers now offer curbside pickup. It provides a convenient way for consumers to shop while avoiding crowds.

(Source: Adobe Analytics)

Who Shops Black Friday? Demographics and Purchase Data

Beyond the headline sales stats, it‘s helpful to look at which demographic groups are fueling Black Friday shopping. Here are some insights into the demographics and characteristics of Black Friday shoppers.

11. 18-24 year-olds planned to spend the most on holiday shopping in 2021 at $932 on average.

Younger millennials and Gen Z reported plans to do the most holiday spending in 2021. 18-24 year-olds planned to spend $932 on average. The next highest spenders were 25-34 year-olds at $852 average planned spend.

By comparison, 45-54 year-olds planned to spend $751 on average while 65+ planned to spend $549.

(Source: Accenture)

12. Gen Z led holiday shopping habits like social media browsing and using buy now, pay later financing.

Gen Z consumers (aged 18-24) stood out for their shopping habits compared to older generations. According to an Accenture survey:

• 64% of Gen Z shoppers planned to browse products on social media vs. 51% overall.
• 55% planned to use digital wallets vs. 45% overall.
• 53% planned to use buy now, pay later financing vs. 39% overall.
• 44% start making purchases before November vs. 33% overall.

(Source: Accenture)

13. Women planned to spend 20% more than men over the 2021 holidays.

Among shoppers with definitive spending plans, women expected to spend an average of $721 compared to men who planned to spend $592.

When it comes to making gift purchases, 61% of women versus 48% of men said it‘s important to buy gifts for family members.

(Source: Accenture)

14. Higher income households drive the bulk of holiday spending.

It‘s no surprise that household income is tied to holiday spending habits. Households earning over $100,000 per year accounted for 61% of all holiday spending in 2021.

Middle income households ($50,000 – $99,999) represented 31% of holiday spending. Low income households (less than $50,000) made up 8% of spending.

(Source: Deloitte)

15. Clothing, gift cards, and electronics were the most returned Black Friday purchases in 2021.

Every year, consumers return billions of dollars worth of unwanted gifts and purchases. In 2021, clothing items were returned the most (24%), followed by gift cards (23%), and electronics (22%).

Almost six in ten (58%) Black Friday shoppers admit they tend to make impulse purchases, so it‘s no wonder buyer‘s remorse kicks in for many consumers.

(Source: ShipStation)

16. 65% of consumers preferred to shop Black Friday deals exclusively online in 2021.

While shopping centers still see hordes of Black Friday crowds, consumers increasingly opt for online-only shopping. In a 2021 survey, 65% of U.S. shoppers said they prefer to shop the Black Friday sales events exclusively online. Just 9% preferred only in-store shopping.

The remainder (26%) favored a mix of in-store and online Black Friday shopping.

(Source: Sheet Savings)

Black Friday and Cyber Monday Online Shopping Statistics

Beyond the in-store doorbusters, e-commerce is a major component of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Here are some stats on the online shopping trends.

17. Cyber Monday 2021 brought in $10.7 billion in U.S. online sales.

As mentioned earlier, Cyber Monday is the biggest day of the year for e-commerce. In 2021, shoppers spent $10.7 billion online on Cyber Monday. That handily beat the previous record of $9.4 billion in 2020.

(Source: Adobe Analytics)

18. Mobile shopping accounted for 55.2% of online sales on Black Friday 2021.

Phones were the dominant device used for online Black Friday shopping in 2021. Mobile purchases made up 55.2% of all e-commerce sales on Black Friday itself.

Mobile has steadily gained ground, up from 44% on Black Friday 2019 and 47% in 2020.

(Source: Salesforce)

19. 57% of consumers say Cyber Monday has the best online deals.

In a 2021 survey by Deloitte, 57% of shoppers said they expect Cyber Monday to offer the best deals and discounts for online purchases.

When asked which days have the best deals overall (in-store and online combined), 38% chose Black Friday. Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday tied for second at 12% each.

(Source: Deloitte)

20. Social networks drove 5% of all Black Friday and Cyber Monday traffic in 2021.

Social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are becoming serious drivers of sales, especially among younger consumers. In 2021, social networks drove 5% of visits to retail websites on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Facebook led the pack, accounting for 77% of social-driven traffic to sites. 20% came from Instagram and 3% from TikTok.

(Source: Adobe Analytics)

21. Shopify merchants made over $1.9 billion in sales on Black Friday/Cyber Monday 2021.

Shopify provides reporting on sales by its 1.7+ million merchants. On Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2021, Shopify merchants sold:

• $2.9 billion globally
• $1.9 billion in the U.S.
• Over 46 million products

Top-selling product categories included apparel, health and beauty, and home goods.

(Source: Shopify)

22. E-commerce conversion rates peaked at 5.9% on Black Friday 2021.

Conversion rate is a key e-commerce metric measuring what percentage of site visitors complete a purchase. On Black Friday 2021 itself, the average U.S. e-commerce conversion rate was 5.9%. This was 66% higher than the 2021 pre-Black Friday daily average.

(Source: Adobe Analytics)

How Have Black Friday Trends Changed in the Wake of COVID-19?

The pandemic dramatically impacted shopping habits and sales in 2020. But what trends are here to stay in 2021 and beyond?

23. 60% of retailers made changes to their Black Friday strategy due to COVID-19.

Retailers have needed to re-think Black Friday due to health concerns and supply chain issues caused by the pandemic. According to a 2021 survey by Bluecore:

• 60% of retailers changed their Black Friday strategy compared to pre-COVID.
• 70% spread out discounts over a longer time period than just Black Friday weekend.
• 85% said they "reimagined" the role Black Friday plays in their broader holiday strategy.

(Source: Bluecore)

24. Curbside pickup sales grew by 567% YoY on Black Friday 2021.

While curbside pickup was gaining ground pre-COVID, the pandemic accelerated adoption. Curbside orders on Black Friday 2021 grew 567% compared to Black Friday 2020.

This service provides a safer alternative to shopping inside crowded stores on Black Friday.

(Source: Adobe Analytics)

25. 46% of shoppers planned to avoid stores on Black Friday 2021 due to COVID-19 concerns.

Despite increased vaccination rates, many consumers were still wary of COVID exposure on the busiest shopping days in 2021. When surveyed in October 2021:

• 46% planned to avoid shopping in-store on Black Friday because of COVID-19.
• 53% said they didn‘t feel completely safe shopping in crowded stores.

Health concerns led many consumers to shift their purchases online.

(Source: Adobe Analytics)

26. Out-of-stock alerts to online shoppers increased 434% YoY in November 2021.

Supply chain issues impacted inventory leading up to the 2021 holiday shopping season. In November 2021, out-of-stock alerts sent to online shoppers increased 434% versus November 2020.

Top impacted categories included sports equipment, electronics, housekeeping supplies, and home and garden.

(Source: Adobe Analytics)

FAQs About Black Friday and Cyber Monday Stats

How many people shop on Black Friday each year?

In 2021, over 155 million U.S. consumers shopped in stores or online on Black Friday itself. This includes nearly 67 million who visited brick-and-mortar stores and 88 million who browsed or bought online.

How much money is spent on Cyber Monday each year?

In 2021, Cyber Monday online sales hit $10.7 billion in the United States. This beat the previous record of $9.4 billion spent on Cyber Monday 2020.

What percentage of sales does Amazon take on Black Friday?

In 2021, Amazon accounted for 15.6% of all online sales in the U.S. during the 5-day period from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday.

What time do Black Friday sales start?

While deals are available for weeks ahead of time online, in-store Black Friday sales typically begin around 5 or 6 AM local time on the day after Thanksgiving. However, store opening times can vary by location and retailer.

How many people shop online on Cyber Monday?

Cyber Monday 2021 generated $10.7 billion in U.S. online sales. Given the average e-commerce order value, this equals around 68 million online orders placed on Cyber Monday.

Final Thoughts

Black Friday shopping continues to be a major event, drawing crowds into stores and heavy online traffic each year. The pandemic accelerated some key trends like earlier holiday shopping, increased online buying, and use of omnichannel services like curbside pickup.

As the holiday shopping season approaches, consumers are looking forward to bagging great deals across categories like apparel, electronics, toys, and more. Retailers, meanwhile, aim to bounce back from the pandemic year while dealing with supply chain challenges.

One thing is certain: the 2022 holiday shopping season promises to be unlike any before. Stay tuned for updated data on Black Friday and Cyber Monday trends in the coming months.