Black Friday frenzy sees $1.5bn desktop spending
Black Friday sales may be gaining momentum in the UK but across the pond, where the event is already well established, the phenomenon is also going from strength to strength.
Figures compiled by comScore charting US desktop retail e-commerce retail spending, excluding auctions and large corporate purchases, saw a 26 per cent jump in spending to hit $1.5bn.
Over the first 28 days of the holiday period as a whole some $22.7bn has now been splashed out online, a 15 per cent increase on the equivalent period last year buoyed by a 32 per cent uptick in Thanksgiving sales to $1bn.
ComScore chairman emeritus Gian Fulgoni: "Thanksgiving and Black Friday both saw exceptionally strong online growth rates as each day surpassed $1 billion in desktop spending. The strength we saw in the early online buying rush likely reflects a few things, including overall health in consumer spending, responsiveness to the strong deals being offered online, and perhaps some shoppers opting to stay home on Thanksgiving rather than head out to the stores that opened their doors early.
"Regardless of the particular drivers, it's clear that the online holiday rush is getting off to a very good start and is reason for optimism as we get into the heart of the buying season."