While the 2024 holiday shopping season was expected to be strong, actual sales are exceeding expectations.
Online Sales Surge November 1 – November 24
Consumers spent $77.4 billion online in the first 24 days of the “official” holiday shopping season, a 9.6% increase from last year, according to Adobe Analytics data for November 1-24. CSA (Chain Store Age) reports that in those 24 days of holiday shopping, consumers spent over $3 billion in one day—21 times, topping 2023’s 16 days of $3 billion+ spending.
Top-growth product categories include apparel (up 13.4% over 2023), electronics (up 11.4%), cosmetics (up 10.1%), and furniture/bedding (up 7.2%).
Mobile Momentum
Over half (51.6%) of the online sales during this period were generated on a mobile device, totaling $39.9 billion, up 13.3%. Adobe expects total mobile holiday spending to reach a record $128.1 billion.
Record-Setting Black Friday Sales
Online sales on Black Friday were record-setting, according to CSA. Consumers spent an unprecedented $10.8 billion online on November 29, up 10.2% from 2023, according to data from Adobe Analytics.
Plus, CSA reports, “Adobe tracked a 1,800% increase in Black Friday traffic to retail sites from generative AI chatbots compared to 2023’s Black Friday. Over half (55%) of Black Friday’s online sales came via mobile devices, resulting in sales of $5.9 billion, a 12.1% increase from 2023.
Record-Busting Cyber Monday
Cyber Monday became the “biggest online shopping day of all time this year.” Adobe Analytics data reveals that consumers spent $13.3 billion online this Cyber Monday, up 7.3% from 2023, exceeding Adobe’s initial expectations of $13.2 billion. Unbelievably, from 8 pm to 10 pm ET, holiday shoppers spent $15.8 million online every minute.
Successful Shopping Weekend
Thanksgiving Weekend (also known as Cyber Week) boasted incredible online sales totals of $41.1 billion, up 8.2% from last year.
Every day of Thanksgiving Weekend was a record-setting online spending day:
- Thanksgiving: $6.1 billion, +8.8%
- Black Friday: $10.8 billion, +10.2%
- Small Business Saturday & Sunday: $10.9 billion, +5.8%
- Cyber Monday: $13.3 billion, +7.3%
Adobe initially forecast holiday online spending (from November 1 to December 31) to reach $240.8 billion, rising 8.4%. So far (from November 1 to December 2), online spending totaled $131.5 billion, up 9% from 2023. More than half (53.1%) of those sales were generated from mobile devices, totaling $69.8 billion, a 14.1% increase over last year.
Rieva Lesonsky is President of Small Business Currents, LLC, a content company focusing on small businesses and entrepreneurship. While you can still find her on Twitter @Rieva, she’s also hanging out at @Rieva.bsky.social and LinkedIn. Or email her at Rieva@SmallBusinessCurrents.com.
Online shopper picture by voronaman/Shutterstock