U.S. consumers drove a staggering $33.6 billion in online spending this Thanksgiving, with mobile devices accounting for 72% of all orders, according to the latest data from Salesforce.
Mobile Dominance in Holiday Spending
The shift toward smartphone shopping continues to accelerate. Salesforce reported that mobile orders grew by 3% compared to 2023, while mobile platforms commanded 80% of total online traffic. This trend aligns with broader industry data; Adobe noted that $3.6 billion of the total spend was generated specifically through mobile channels, marking a 10.5% year-over-year increase.
The Evolution of “Cyber Week”
The traditional Black Friday rush has evolved into a prolonged “Cyber Week,” effectively decoupling holiday shopping from the singular post-Thanksgiving event. With global sales events now appearing worldwide, the shopping season begins well before the holiday itself.
Salesforce identified last Tuesday as the official kickoff for Cyber Week, reporting a 7% increase in global sales and a 14% jump within the U.S. market compared to previous periods.
Generative AI Enters the Retail Fray
E-commerce innovation is seeing a resurgence driven by artificial intelligence. Retailers have ramped up the deployment of digital agents and GenAI tools, with usage climbing 32% over the past week.
While Salesforce highlights these figures as a sign of progress, the data remains preliminary. The industry has yet to confirm how many retailers have fully integrated these tools or whether they directly correlate to higher conversion rates or improved user experiences. Concrete metrics on AI performance will be critical as the season progresses.
“Holiday shopping momentum is building throughout Cyber Week with online traffic and sales on the rise. After waiting all year for the best deals of the season, shoppers are finally ready to make their holiday purchases and are flocking to their favorite sites via their mobile devices,” said Caila Schwartz, director of consumer insights at Salesforce.
Further updates on Black Friday performance are expected later today.
