Current:Home > ScamsConsumers spent $5.6 billion on Thanksgiving Day — but not on turkey -StockFocus
Consumers spent $5.6 billion on Thanksgiving Day — but not on turkey
View
Date:2025-04-19 00:16:51
Americans cracked open their wallet in a big way on Thanksgiving, spending $5.6 billion on things like clothes, electronics, jewelry and toys. That's a 5.5% increase from how much shoppers spent on turkey day last year.
Most of the shopping frenzy — about $3.3 billion worth — happened online with consumers using smartphones and tablets to make purchases late Thursday night, according to data from Adobe.
"Shoppers took to their smartphones to get the best deals during holiday gatherings, further solidifying mobile's growing importance in e-commerce." Vivek Pandya, lead analyst, Adobe Digital Insights, said in a statement Friday.
Check out CBS Essentials for information on the best Black Friday deals:
- 47 best Black Friday 2023 deals from today's top sales
- 25 best laptop deals of Black Friday 2023 to shop today
- 25 best Black Friday TV deals 2023 has to offer today
Among toy purchases, many consumers flocked to Barbie dolls, Disney Little People, Marvel-branded superhero action figures, stuffed animals and Uno Show No Mercy, Adobe said. The hottest video games purchased included Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, Hogwarts Legacy, Mortal Kombat 1, Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Super Mario RPG. Americans also bought Bluetooth speakers, holiday decor, robot vacuums, tablets and workout gear, according to Adobe.
Fewer shoppers used curbside pickup on Thanksgiving while more people turned to Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) options, according to Adobe. BNPL accounted for about $390 million in online shopping on Thanksgiving, up from 7.5% a year ago. That figure is expected to reach $782 million on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
The Thanksgiving spend syncs with what retail experts expect to be a record-high shopping season this year. Americans will spend between $957.3 billion and $966.6 billion during the Thanksgiving-Christmas-New Year's season, up at least 3% from last year, according to an estimate from the National Retail Federation. Between $273.7 billion and $278.8 billion of that spending is expected to come from online purchases, the federation said.
Americans have been dealing with higher-than-normal inflation throughout 2023, but are now faced with shopping for gifts for the holidays. In response, retailers this year started their holiday sales offers earlier to help shoppers spread out their spending. While many shoppers say they are tempted to spend impulsively during the holiday season, experts warn that impulsive gift-buying can lead to overspending.
- In:
- Thanksgiving
Khristopher J. Brooks is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch. He previously worked as a reporter for the Omaha World-Herald, Newsday and the Florida Times-Union. His reporting primarily focuses on the U.S. housing market, the business of sports and bankruptcy.
TwitterveryGood! (3)
Related
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Hi Hi!
- Montana voters reject so-called 'Born Alive' ballot measure
- Push to Burn Wood for Fuel Threatens Climate Goals, Scientists Warn
- Obama’s Climate Leaders Launch New Harvard Center on Health and Climate
- Buckingham Palace staff under investigation for 'bar brawl'
- The rate of alcohol-related deaths in the U.S. rose 30% in the first year of COVID
- Robert De Niro Speaks Out After Welcoming Baby No. 7
- Uganda ends school year early as it tries to contain growing Ebola outbreak
- Hackers hit Rhode Island benefits system in major cyberattack. Personal data could be released soon
- Hurricane Season 2018: Experts Warn of Super Storms, Call For New Category 6
Ranking
- Tree trimmer dead after getting caught in wood chipper at Florida town hall
- Hoda Kotb Recalls Moving Moment With Daughter Hope's Nurse Amid Recent Hospitalization
- Florida woman who fatally shot neighbor called victim's children the n-word and Black slave, arrest report says
- Fossil Fuel Allies in Congress Target Meteorologists’ Climate Science Training
- 2 killed, 3 injured in shooting at makeshift club in Houston
- Anxious while awaiting election results? Here are expert tips to help you cope
- A SCOTUS nursing home case could limit the rights of millions of patients
- RSV is surging. Here's what to watch for and answers about treatment options
Recommendation
Pregnant Kylie Kelce Shares Hilarious Question Her Daughter Asked Jason Kelce Amid Rising Fame
Michigan voters approve amendment adding reproductive rights to state constitution
Hurricane Season 2018: Experts Warn of Super Storms, Call For New Category 6
Science Couldn't Save Her, So She Became A Scientist
Louvre will undergo expansion and restoration project, Macron says
FDA gives safety nod to 'no kill' meat, bringing it closer to sale in the U.S.
Justice Department unseals Donald Trump indictment — and reveals the charges against him
Her miscarriage left her bleeding profusely. An Ohio ER sent her home to wait