• Concerns over inflation and potential tariffs drove shoppers to seek Black Friday deals.
• Online shopping saw a significant boost, with Americans spending $7.9 billion online.
• Despite the increase in online shopping, approximately 85.6 million shoppers visited stores this year.
• Retailers offered attractive deals to entice shoppers, with both online and in-store shopping seeing significant activity.

As the snowflakes fell, Teagan Hickson, a mother of two, entered a Walmart Supercenter in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with the hope of finding some holiday deals. The first item that caught her eye was a pallet stacked high with Gourmia digital air fryer ovens, priced at $50 each. Hickson's sister, Jordan, had expressed a desire for one, but with finances being tight for everyone in the family, Hickson was cautious about her spending. She was particularly concerned about the potential price hikes next year, a topic she had seen discussed on Facebook in relation to President-elect Donald Trump's proposed tariffs.

As U.S. retailers reopened their stores following the American Thanksgiving holiday, clusters of shoppers were drawn to the locations. Many were keen to compare the Black Friday discounts offered in-store with the prices of similar merchandise online. The looming threat of price increases in 2025, as a result of Trump's new tariffs on some U.S. imports, weighed heavily on the minds of many Americans.

Hickson, like many others, could feel the impact of these tariffs at grocery stores and restaurants, potentially driving up their living costs. To mitigate this, she called her husband, Josh, who was at home ready to compare the in-store prices with those online. Upon finding a similar model on Amazon for double the price, Hickson quickly added the air fryer to her cart and continued her shopping.

Online Shopping Sees Significant Boost

Online shopping also saw a significant boost, with Americans spending $7.9 billion online through 6:30 p.m. ET, an 8.2% increase compared to the previous year. This data was provided by Adobe Analytics, which tracks devices using Adobe's software to power more than 1 trillion visits to U.S. retail sites.

Despite the increase in online shopping, the National Retail Federation reported that approximately 85.6 million shoppers visited stores this year, up from 76 million the previous year. However, the pressure was on for retailers, as inflation-fatigued shoppers were reluctant to splurge unless they found good deals.

Marshal Cohen, chief retail adviser at Circana, a research firm, noted that with fewer days to shop, consumers were more likely to make spontaneous purchases, contributing to retail growth during the holiday season.

Retailers Offer Attractive Deals to Entice Shoppers

Evelyn Contre, another shopper, waited in a 20-person line at a Lululemon store with her two daughters. She had already browsed the websites of Abercrombie and Lululemon for Black Friday deals before heading to Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Meanwhile, at a Macy's store in Santa Barbara, California, crowds were sparse despite discounts reaching 50% for home goods and clothing. Retiree John Dillard was shopping for Levi's 504 jeans, which Macy's offered at 40% off their usual $60 price. Bargains were important to him, he said.

Target was selling a new Taylor Swift Eras Tour book and exclusive Wicked-related products, including Wicked soundtrack CDs for $39.99, with a buy two, get one free offer for Target Circle members. The retailer also cut prices by $100 on products such as a 75-inch Westinghouse TV and Nintendo Switch gaming console, and took more than 50% off Barbie dolls, Keurig coffee machines, and KitchenAid mixers.