Cyber Monday Was the Biggest U.S. E-Commerce Day Ever — and Still Fell Short of Predictions
At $10.8 billion USD, consumer spending was below the $12.7 billion USD Adobe Analytics predicted, but noteworthy trends did emerge.
According to Adobe Analytics data, Cyber Monday spending rose by 15.1 percent this year to a record-setting $10.8 billion USD; last year’s Cyber Monday previously held the record for the biggest U.S. online shopping day to date. Adobe reported the figure through an analysis of web store transactions from 80 of the top 100 state-side retailers. Though it had originally forecasted $12.7 billion in consumer purchases, Adobe had been lowering its estimate in the lead-up to the shopping holiday.
Other notable findings include a 30 percent increase in curbside pickups (likely in a bid to avoid crowds and shopping delays) and 37 percent of online transactions were placed over a mobile device. Last minute shopping also appeared to be popular — and lucrative — as sales between 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. PST accounted for about 25 percent of the days revenue at $2.7 billion. Favorite Cyber Monday purchases included Hot Wheels, Legos and Apple AirPods.
2020’s Black Friday and Thanksgiving itself also set records of their own; both rose by 22 percent to $9 billion and $5.1 billion respectively. Adobe has amended its prediction for online sales over the entire course of this holiday season to $184 billion USD: a 30 percent rise from last year but again lower than the original forecast of $189 billion USD.
Some retailers have also tried to lessen the environmental footprint of online shopping or use the season to spotlight charitable initiatives. Read up on how eight companies, including Shopify and Dover Street Market, tried to make super-shopping more sustainable and less consumeristic this year.
