AI shopping tools push Black Friday online sales to $11.8B - what sales leaders should do next
Black Friday online spend hit a record in the US, and AI did the heavy lifting. Consumers skipped crowded aisles, asked chatbots for deals, and clicked "buy" faster than last year.
Here's the part that matters for sales teams: shoppers are now comfortable letting AI guide the cart. If your product discovery, pricing, and promotions aren't AI-ready, you're leaving money on the table.
US Black Friday by the numbers
Online sales reached $11.8 billion in the US, up 9.1% year-over-year, per Adobe Analytics. Traffic from AI-driven tools to retail sites surged 805% as assistants like Walmart's Sparky and Amazon's Rufus went mainstream. Nearly half of shoppers said they used or planned to use AI during the season.
Adobe Analytics tracked the spike and confirmed what many teams felt: shoppers want speed, relevance, and clear savings.
What actually moved
- Hot products: LEGO sets, Pokémon cards
- Hardware: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5
- Everyday tech and home: Apple AirPods, KitchenAid mixers
The mix points to giftable, mid-ticket items with familiar brands and obvious value props. If your assortment sits nearby, your PDPs and AI prompts should make comparisons and bundles painless.
Global signal: AI-influenced spend is real
Salesforce estimates AI and agent-assisted shopping influenced $14.2 billion in global online sales, with $3 billion in the US alone. Its broader read shows US shoppers spent $18 billion online on Black Friday, up 3%, with luxury apparel and accessories outperforming.
At the same time, demand softened: order volumes fell 1%, average selling prices rose 7%, and units per order dropped 2%. Tariffs lifted prices in discretionary categories, while higher-income consumers leaned into premium buys. Source: Salesforce.
Cyber Monday outlook
Expect an even bigger day: $14.2 billion online is projected, up 6.3% from last year. Electronics could see discounts as deep as 30%, with strong deals across apparel and computers.
What sales leaders should do now
- Put an AI assistant on your site and app. Feed it clean catalog data, pricing rules, inventory, and FAQs so it can recommend, compare, and upsell with confidence.
- Rewrite PDPs for AI. Short, structured bullets, clear specs, and compatibility notes make LLM answers accurate and persuasive.
- Bundle to defend AOV. With units per order dipping, use bundles and tiered discounts to lift basket size without racing to the bottom on price.
- Tune price ladders by segment. Keep entry-level SKUs visible for price-sensitive shoppers and protect margin on premium lines for higher-income buyers.
- Automate "deal-finder" journeys. Trigger emails, SMS, and push when prices drop or inventory is low on wishlist items.
- Tighten attribution for AI-influenced sessions. Track assistant usage, recommendations clicked, and assisted revenue so you can fund what works.
30-day playbook
- Ship a fast product finder: 5-7 questions, returns 3 clear picks, adds an upsell.
- Launch price-match messaging on PDPs where you already win on total value (warranty, shipping, bundles).
- Prebuild bundles for bestsellers (console + game + controller; mixer + bowl + attachment).
- Connect returns and reviews to your assistant so it answers "Will this fit?" and "Is it loud?" with real data.
- Set daily guardrails: max discount by category, minimum margin per order, and auto-pause for items with thin inventory.
KPIs to watch (and share daily)
- AI-assisted sessions, conversion rate, and assisted revenue
- AOV vs. units per transaction (catch margin dilution early)
- Discount depth by category and margin per order
- Return rate on AI-recommended items
- Price elasticity signals (clicks and conversion vs. 1-3% price moves)
In-store implications
Foot traffic was steady but bargain hunting felt muted. Shoppers are cautious on price and more intentional. Equip associates with instant product comparisons, digital price-match guidelines, and easy BOPIS handoffs to convert decisive buyers fast.
One shopper summed it up after snagging an ice cream maker at Best Buy: deals still matter, but every purchase is getting a second look. That mindset won't fade after the holidays.
Skill up your team on AI selling
If your reps, merchandisers, and CX teams need a fast upgrade on AI tools and workflows, start here: AI courses by job and a curated list of popular AI tools. Build practical fluency, then let the metrics guide spend.
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