**Black Friday Shatters Online Sales Records with $11.8 Billion, E-commerce Dominates Holiday Shopping**

**United States –** Black Friday 2023 marked an unprecedented milestone for online retail in the United States, with consumers spending a record $11.8 billion, according to comprehensive data from Adobe Analytics. This significant achievement represents a substantial increase from last year’s $10.8 billion, clearly indicating a growing consumer preference for convenient, home-based shopping experiences during the holiday season.

The substantial rise in online transactions, reflecting a 9.3% increase year-over-year, underscores the continued strength and appeal of digital platforms. Adobe Analytics’ figures firmly establish Black Friday as a pivotal event for e-commerce, largely driven by extensive online discounts and targeted promotions.

Looking ahead, industry analysts are projecting that Cyber Monday will surpass these impressive figures. Forecasts suggest Cyber Monday online sales could reach an unprecedented $14.2 billion, further solidifying the dominance of online channels in holiday retail.

While Salesforce also reported a global increase in consumer spending, its data suggests that this growth might be more attributable to rising prices than an outright surge in demand. Both Adobe and Salesforce, however, emphasized the escalating influence of artificial intelligence (AI) in shaping holiday purchasing behaviors. AI’s role is becoming increasingly pivotal, from personalized product recommendations to optimized inventory management, significantly enhancing the overall online shopping journey.

In contrast to the clear upward trend in online sales, data concerning physical store traffic remains inconsistent. Various sources have presented conflicting reports, with some indicating declines and others showing modest increases. This divergence makes it challenging to establish a definitive trend for brick-and-mortar retail performance when compared to the flourishing online sector.