[Thursday, December 2, 2021] – As Black Friday arrived, shoppers were ready to dive into the chaos of holiday sales, whether they were braving the crowds in traditional stores or scrolling through deals online. And according to Mastercard’s SpendingPulse insights, both in-store and online retail sales experienced a boost from last year, with significant spikes in categories like apparel, jewelry, and restaurants.
In-store sales saw a modest increase of just over 1%, while e-commerce had an even bigger jump of 8.5%. This was reflected in a report by Sensormatic Solutions, which tracks shopper traffic in brick-and-mortar stores. They found that there was a 4.6% increase in visits on Black Friday compared to 2020, a positive turnaround for retailers as overall foot traffic has been down this year.
Grant Gustafson, head of retail consulting and analytics at Sensormatic, commented on the unexpected increase in in-store traffic, saying, “Consumers are embracing the joy of traditional shopping and seeing it as an experience to share with loved ones. Retailers have done a great job streamlining the shopping process and providing satisfying experiences for shoppers.”
On the digital side, Adobe Analytics reports a record-breaking $9.8 billion in Black Friday online sales, an increase of 7.5% from last year. Electronics were the top-selling category, with a surge in demand for items like televisions, smartwatches, and audio equipment. Interestingly, most of these purchases were made on mobile devices, with $5.3 billion in sales coming from smartphones. Adobe also predicts that mobile purchases will outweigh desktop purchases for the first time this holiday season.
Another trend seen this year is the rise in popularity of “buy now, pay later” installment plans. Adobe found that 72% more shoppers used these payment options compared to the week before, likely as a way to stretch their holiday budgets. E-commerce platform Shopify also saw record sales, reaching over $4 billion worldwide, with a focus on categories like personal care, clothing, and kitchenware.
Looking ahead, analysts predict that retailers will continue to see a busy holiday shopping season leading up to Christmas. Adobe projects that Cyber Monday will be the biggest retail event of the year, with sales expected to reach a record-breaking $12 billion, a 6% increase from last year. In-person shopping is also expected to remain popular, with Sensormatic predicting that eight of the busiest shopping days this season will be in December. Combined with Black Friday weekend, these days are expected to make up 40% of all holiday foot traffic. So if you haven’t already, it’s time to get those shopping lists and budgets in order for the rest of the holiday season.
