Retailers have plenty to be grateful for this holiday season: Cyber Weekend online sales exceeded Black Friday ecommerce sales, according to Adobe Analytics. 

U.S. consumers spent $10.3 billion on the Saturday and Sunday following Thanksgiving this year, an increase of 7.7% year over year. Shopping was split nearly evenly across the two days, with $5 billion spent on Saturday, Nov. 25, and $5.3 billion on Sunday, Nov. 26, increases of 8.1% and 6.4% year over year, respectively. 

That puts Cyber Weekend slightly ahead of Black Friday’s single day total of $9.8 billion. And the shopping is far from over. Adobe predicts Cyber Monday sales to top Black Friday’s numbers. The firm projects between $12.0 billion and $12.4 billion in online spending on Cyber Monday, which would make it the largest online shopping day of all time.

“An uncertain demand environment pushed retailers to deliver big discounts this season, while also fortifying their ecommerce services with flexible payment methods, better personalization, and enhanced mobile functionality,” said Vivek Pandya, lead analyst at Adobe Digital Insights, in a statement. “Consumers have taken note and spent at record rates during the big shopping days, despite dealing with rising costs in other parts of their lives.” 

Online sales and discounts by category

Consumer electronics recorded the highest increase in sales over the weekend, according to Adobe. Electronics sales were up 171% over the weekend compared to average daily sales in October. 

Apparel (154% growth), appliances (129%), toys (122%), jewelry (113%), personal care products (90%) and furniture (84%) also recorded significant sales compared to a typical day. Toys were a popular purchase over the weekend, alongside sneakers, activity trackers, smart watches, and TVs, Adobe found. Matthew Katz, managing partner at global management consulting firm SSA & Company, says the beauty category is poised to take off this holiday season.

“There’s some concern that there doesn’t seem to be an ‘It’ product this year—even fashion seems a bit subdued. With Target and Kohl’s heavily invested in beauty, I think the beauty category is going to be a big winner this holiday season. It’s a gift both for others as well as for oneself: a genuinely no-guilt category,” Katz says.

The average discount over the weekend was 29% off retail price, according to ecommerce software vendor Salesforce. General apparel had the highest discounts, averaging 38% off, followed by healthy and beauty at 35% off and activewear (26% off).

However, Adobe says the best deals will likely appear on Cyber Monday for certain categories. Electronics are projected to peak at 30% off on the major sales day, and furniture will also be heavily discounted. Appliances and sporting goods will most likely see even lower prices later in the week.

Consumers embrace BNPL and mobile shopping

Sales from mobile devices continue to rule online shopping so far this Cyber 5 period (the five days from Thanksgiving through Black Friday). 54% of online sales over Cyber weekend were made via mobile, up from 52% last year, Adobe found. They represented $5.6 billion in online spending over the weekend, an increase of 12.7% year over year. Mobile traffic represented 82% of of total retail traffic over the weekend, Salesforce says.

Mobile shopping will likely play a lesser role on Cyber Monday, though, Adobe says. Typically, many consumers are back at work and using laptops by Monday, making that their shopping device of choice.

Buy now, pay later (BNPL) usage was also high over the weekend. Consumers used BNPL to pay for $760 million in online orders on Saturday and Sunday. That’s an increase of 20% over the same period in 2022. It’s a continuation of a trend documented throughout the year, particularly throughout this gift-buying season. BNPL usage since Nov. 1 is up 7% year over year to $96.6 billion in online spending, Adobe says.

Adobe predicts BNPL will drive $782 million in spending on Cyber Monday, an 18.8% increase year over year.

Consumers avoid stores, but they’re open to omnichannel shopping

So far, online growth is exceeding sales growth at brick-and-mortar stores. On Black Friday, online sales grew 8.5% compared to just 2.5% growth in overall retail, according to MasterCard SpendingPulse index. The growth in online shopping may have contributed to slower traffic in stores. “Overall, last Friday was not as frenzied as pre-COVID Black Fridays, but part of that was offset by the increase in digital shopping,” Katz says.

Consumers are willing to leave their homes for a good deal, though. 13.3% of online orders over the weekend used curbside pickup. That’s a slight decline from 15.6% last year, Adobe says. The vendor projects curbside pickup will peak in the days leading up to Christmas Eve, accounting for 35% to 40% of orders on Dec. 22 and Dec. 23.

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