The National Retail Federation recently conducted a survey revealing that spending over Thanksgiving weekend increased by 9.1% compared to last year, including both in-store and online shopping. About 226 million people shopped over the “Black Friday” weekend, which is up from 212 million the previous year. This shopping period consists of Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, while Sunday’s sales were still being projected when the survey was conducted.
According to Reuters, the average amount spent per person this weekend rose to $398.62, a jump from last year’s $365.34. Overall spending also surged, hitting around $52.4 billion compared to $44.5 billion last year.
The survey highlighted that department stores were the top destination, with half of the shoppers visiting at least one over the weekend. Other popular spots included discount retail stores and electronics stores.
Research firm comScore reported that even before Cyber Monday, online retailers were doing well on Sunday. Online shopping saw a 26% increase during this year’s Black Friday, defying some analysts’ expectations that longer in-store hours might negatively impact online sales.
So, what’s next? Get ready for Cyber Monday!