The National Retail Federation released a survey this past weekend indicating a 9.1% increase in Thanksgiving weekend spending compared to the previous year, incorporating both in-store and online shopping. Around 226 million people shopped during the “Black Friday” weekend, an increase from the 212 million people the previous year. The weekend includes Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, with Sunday’s sales still projected at the time of the survey.
Reuters stated that the average expenditure per person during this weekend increased to $398.62 this year, up from last year’s $365.34. The total expenditure also saw a hike, reaching around $52.4 billion from last year’s equivalent of $44.5 billion.
The survey by the trade group revealed that department stores were the popular choice among shoppers, with half of them visiting at least one during the weekend. The remaining shoppers explored discount retail stores and indulged in a bit of fun at electronics stores.
According to research company comScore, even before the much-anticipated Cyber Monday, online retailers were seeing healthy sales figures on Sunday. Online shopping increased by 26 percent during this year’s Black Friday, contradicting some analysts’ predictions that extended in-store hours might affect online business negatively.
So, what’s on the horizon? Get ready for Cyber Monday!
