U.S. consumers have poured $8.6 billion into online purchases as of 3:30 p.m. Pacific Time on Black Friday, a 9.4% jump from last year. That number already beats earlier forecasts of 8.3% year-over-year growth. Final tallies for the day could land between $11.7 billion and $11.9 billion, potentially making this the biggest Black Friday for e-commerce on record.
Shopping patterns have shifted this year. The heaviest traffic hit between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m. Pacific, with a second wave rolling in from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. That's different from previous years, when most activity clustered in the evening hours. The surge comes down to discounts running deeper than expected across electronics, toys, apparel, and home goods—especially electronics.
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Key Categories Driving Online Sales
Electronics continue to pull the biggest crowds, with discounts hitting 29% off list prices. Toys, apparel, televisions, computers, appliances, furniture, and sporting goods have seen price cuts ranging from 18% to 28%. A November 2025 survey of over 1,000 U.S. consumers found that half planned to buy apparel and accessories online on Black Friday. Toys came in second at 40%, followed by computers and electronics at 36%. Books, digital content, and home appliances rounded out the most popular categories.
Hot items so far include televisions, Nintendo Switch 2 consoles, Apple AirPods 4, Oura Ring 4, e-readers, kitchen storage, jewelry, gift cards, Fisher-Price toys, plush toys, fragrance sets, KitchenAid stand mixers, washers and dryers, bicycles, and basketball hoops.
AI and BNPL Influence Holiday Shopping Trends
Generative AI has become a major player in holiday shopping. AI-driven traffic to U.S. retail sites is expected to spike 600% year-over-year on Black Friday. Nearly half of surveyed shoppers said they've used or plan to use AI this season, mostly to hunt deals, research products, and get recommendations.
Buy Now Pay Later has also carved out a bigger slice of spending. BNPL transactions reached an estimated $761.8 million on Black Friday, up 11% from last year. Mobile devices handled 82.4% of those transactions, with electronics, apparel, toys, and furniture leading BNPL purchases.
Mobile Shopping Continues to Dominate
Mobile devices remain the go-to channel for Black Friday buying. As of mid-afternoon, 58.6% of online sales came through smartphones or tablets, totaling $5.1 billion and climbing 11.3% year-over-year. That follows record mobile activity on Thanksgiving, which saw 61.6% of online sales completed on mobile.
Weekend and Cyber Monday Outlook
Strong online activity is expected to carry through the weekend. Saturday, November 29, should bring in $5.5 billion in sales, up 3.8% year-over-year, while Sunday, November 30, is projected to hit $5.9 billion, a 5.4% increase. Mobile shopping is forecast to account for 58% of weekend purchases, representing $6.6 billion total. Electronics, toys, apparel, computers, televisions, appliances, furniture, and sporting goods will likely stay the most discounted categories.
Cyber Monday is on track to be the biggest online shopping day of the season, with projected sales of $14.2 billion, up 6.3% from last year. The five-day Cyber Week stretch, covering Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, is expected to generate $43.7 billion—17.2% of total seasonal online spending and a 6.3% year-over-year increase.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How much have U.S. consumers spent online this Black Friday?
As of 3:30 p.m. Pacific Time, online spending hit $8.6 billion, up 9.4% from last year.
What categories are most popular for online shopping on Black Friday?
Electronics, toys, apparel, computers, televisions, appliances, furniture, and sporting goods lead the pack.
How is AI affecting online shopping this holiday season?
AI-driven traffic to retail sites is projected to jump 600% year-over-year, with nearly half of shoppers using AI to find deals, research products, and get recommendations.
What role does BNPL play in Black Friday online sales?
Buy Now Pay Later hit $761.8 million in spending, mostly for electronics, apparel, toys, and furniture. Most of those transactions happened on mobile devices.
How much of Black Friday shopping is happening on mobile devices?
Mobile purchases make up 58.6% of online sales as of mid-afternoon, showing smartphones and tablets still run the show for holiday shopping.
What are the expected sales for Cyber Monday and Cyber Week?
Cyber Monday should reach $14.2 billion in online sales, with the full Cyber Week period hitting $43.7 billion, up 6.3% year-over-year.
