AI powers record $11.8 billion Black Friday online spree despite rising prices and cautious shoppers

Artificial intelligence reshaped this year’s Black Friday shopping frenzy, helping US consumers spend a record $11.8 billion online — a 9.1% jump from 2024—even as inflation and tariffs pushed prices higher and budgets tightened.

AI-powered shopping assistants and chatbots emerged as game changers, enabling savvy buyers to quickly compare prices, hunt down deals, and avoid crowded stores. According to Adobe Analytics, which monitors a trillion shopper visits across retail websites, AI-driven traffic to US retail sites skyrocketed by 805% compared to last year, fueled by tools like Walmart’s Sparky and Amazon’s Rufus.

“Consumers are using new tools to get to what they need faster,” said Suzy Davidkhanian, analyst at eMarketer. “Gift giving can be stressful, and large language models make the discovery process feel quicker and more guided.”

Globally, AI and its virtual agents influenced a staggering $14.2 billion in online sales on Black Friday, with $3 billion of that coming from the U.S. alone, per software giant Salesforce. The firm’s data, which includes essential items like groceries, reported total US Black Friday online spending of $18 billion, a 3% rise year-over-year, led by strong sales in luxury apparel and accessories.

Yet, higher price tags driven by tariffs and inflation tempered demand: shoppers bought fewer items per transaction, and discounts remained flat compared to last year. “Promotions may not feel as sharp as before,” Davidkhanian explained, “because deeper discounts are harder when costs are up.”

Michael Ashley Schulman, Chief Investment Officer at Running Point, noted, “The real value of Black Friday bargains has slipped for consumers.” Order volumes dropped 1% even as average selling prices climbed 7%, with units per transaction falling 2%.

The spending pattern reflects a widening gap between higher-income buyers fueling luxury sales and average consumers grappling with rising costs. “Tariffs hit discretionary categories hard,” said Caila Schwartz, director of consumer insights at Salesforce. “Meanwhile, higher-income earners are driving strength in luxury segments.”

Mastercard SpendingPulse confirmed the shift in consumer behavior, reporting a 10.4% growth in e-commerce sales on Black Friday compared to a mere 1.7% rise in-store sales in 2024.

Top sellers ranged from LEGO sets and gaming consoles to Apple AirPods and KitchenAid mixers, showcasing diverse shopper priorities in a complex economic climate.

Looking ahead, Cyber on December 1 is poised to eclipse Black Friday with projected online sales of $14.2 billion — a 6.3% increase — led by deep discounts of up to 30% on electronics, apparel, and computers, Adobe forecasts.

Meanwhile, foot traffic at physical stores remained subdued, as lingering inflation fears, tariff-driven uncertainties, and a soft labor market kept bargain hunters cautious.

This Black Friday underlines a pivotal moment in retail: AI’s surge is transforming how consumers shop, balancing a quest for value against an inflationary backdrop—signaling that smart, tech-enabled shopping will dominate the holiday season now and beyond.