Black Friday Online Hits a Record: What Sales Teams Should Do Next
U.S. shoppers spent $11.8B online on Black Friday, up 9.1% year over year, according to Adobe Analytics. That set a new high for the day. Offline, foot traffic stayed soft as price sensitivity and tariff risk kept many buyers cautious.
Mastercard SpendingPulse reported online sales up 10.4% and in-store up 1.7%. The mix shift to digital isn't slowing. If you sell anything with a cart, a quote, or an invoice-your buyer is defaulting to online first.
AI Changed How People Shopped
New assistants from Walmart and Amazon made deal-hunting faster, driving an 805% jump in AI-driven visits to retail sites, per Adobe. Many buyers used chat to plan gifts with less friction.
Hot items: LEGO, Pokémon cards, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Apple AirPods. When discovery gets easier, demand finds the path of least resistance.
Price Pressure Is Real
Salesforce data shows order count fell 1%, average selling price rose 7%, and units per order slipped 2%. Translation: buyers are spending, but they're buying fewer items and trading up only when value is clear.
Discount depth stayed flat due to higher product costs. Margin is tight, so positioning and bundles matter more than blanket markdowns.
Sales Moves to Execute Now
- Lead with value math: cost-per-use, total lifetime, and upgrade benefits. Make the trade-up feel obvious.
- Bundle smart: pair a hero item with low-cost add-ons to lift AOV without heavy discounts.
- Offer flexible payments: BNPL, split pay, or extended terms for B2B. Remove budget friction at checkout and in quotes.
- Turn chat into a closer: guided selling, quick comparisons, and back-in-stock alerts. Measure "chat-assisted orders."
- Protect margins with targeted promos: segment by intent, inventory levels, and price elasticity tests.
- Make shipping and pickup crystal clear: deadlines, costs, and stock visibility reduce cart anxiety.
AI Playbook for Revenue Teams
- On-site assistants that recommend gifts by budget, use case, and compatibility.
- Product finders and comparison tools that cut decision time.
- CRM copilot prompts for outreach: abandoned-cart nudges, back-in-stock alerts, and upgrade pitches.
- Creative acceleration: subject lines, ad variations, and offer testing-measured against conversion lift, not vanity metrics.
If your team needs structured upskilling, see practical options by role at Complete AI Training - Courses by Job.
Cyber Monday Outlook (and How to Win It)
Adobe projects $14.2B in Cyber Monday sales, likely the biggest online day of the year. Expect the best deals in electronics (near 30% off) with solid movement in apparel and computers. Stores may stay quiet as buyers balance cash needs with caution.
- Front-load electronics and high-intent SKUs in hero sections and emails before noon.
- Run time-boxed promos to convert fence-sitters; pair with low-friction financing.
- Trigger retargeting on carts and product views within 30-60 minutes.
- Post-purchase upsells: accessories, warranties, or setup services.
- Clear, prominent shipping cutoffs and BOPIS options to remove delivery doubt.
KPIs to Watch All Day
- Conversion rate by channel and by offer
- AOV, units per order, and attach rate on bundles
- Discount depth versus margin contribution
- Percent of chat-assisted or AI-assisted orders
- Time to first response in chat and email
- Return-risk signals on heavily discounted items
Quick Scripts for Reps and Chat
- Value-first: "Most customers in your budget pick X + Y for [specific outcome]. It saves about Z% versus buying later."
- Objection-price: "We kept the price steady and added [bonus/extended warranty]. With split pay, it's $X today."
- Urgency without pressure: "Order by 3 p.m. for delivery by Friday. I can hold this bundle for 30 minutes if you're ready."
Sources
Bottom Line
Online demand is climbing while stores stay muted. Use AI to shorten decisions, price with precision, and reduce friction at checkout. Keep your offers tight, your chat responsive, and your margins intact.
Your membership also unlocks:
