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shopping1h ago
A look at the Thanksgiving shopping weekend and what's next
- Shoppers flocked to both online platforms and physical malls over the five-day Thanksgiving weekend, signaling a strong start to the holiday season.
- Online spending during Cyber Week reached about $336.6 billion globally, with U.S. online sales at $79.6 billion for the week.
- The Mall of America reported a Black Friday attendance of more than 235,000, marking a record day for the venue.
- Discounts were wide but expected to level off, with average reductions ranging from 18% to 30% during the kickoff period.
- Retailers faced lean inventories but still aimed to meet demand without heavy discounting into December.
- Artificial intelligence played a growing role, aiding price tracking and gift recommendations during Cyber Week.
- AI-driven orders influenced a notable share of sales across Cyber Week, with substantial dollars attributed to AI assistance.
- Analysts expect continued strong spending through the rest of the holiday season, despite concerns about 2026.
- Industry groups projected November and December sales to total between $1.01 trillion and $1.02 trillion.
- Analysts noted shoppers are emotionally invested in the holidays, which shapes buying patterns.
- Retailers and analysts will monitor post-Thanksgiving activity to determine if spending is a trend or a one-time spike.
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