What percentage of eCommerce sales happen on Black Friday?
Black Friday represents approximately 4.1% of all U.S. holiday-season ecommerce revenue and just under 0.9% of full-year online sales. In 2024, shoppers spent $10.8 billion online that single day, compared with an estimated $266.9 billion for November-December overall and approximately $1.19 trillion in annual U.S. ecommerce.
Numbers at a glance
- 0.9% of annual U.S. ecommerce sales occur on Black Friday (2024)
- 4.1% of holiday-season online revenue concentrates on Black Friday
- $10.8 billion in U.S. online sales on Black Friday 2024
- 10.2% year-over-year growth in Black Friday ecommerce
- 70% of Cyber Week online purchases made on mobile devices globally
- $11.3 million spent online per minute during peak hours
- $686 million in BNPL transactions on Black Friday alone
Black Friday by the numbers – 2024 recap
The scale of Black Friday ecommerce continues to break records, driven by mobile adoption, payment innovation, and retailer promotional strategies.
Total U.S. online spend – $10.8 billion
Adobe Analytics confirmed that U.S. consumers spent exactly $10.8 billion online during Black Friday 2024, marking the highest single-day ecommerce total in history. This figure excludes in-store purchases and international transactions.
Year-over-year growth – 10.2%
The $10.8 billion represents a 10.2% increase from Black Friday 2023’s $9.8 billion. This growth rate outpaced general ecommerce expansion (8-9% annually) and demonstrated continued consumer appetite for Black Friday deals despite economic headwinds.
Average spend per minute – $11.3 million
During peak shopping hours (10 AM to 2 PM EST), online spending averaged $11.3 million per minute. The concentration of spending during specific time windows demonstrates the intensity of Black Friday consumer behavior.
Mobile dominance – 70% of Cyber Week purchases
According to Salesforce data, mobile devices generated 70% of online purchases during Cyber Week globally, which includes Black Friday. This mobile-first trend continues to reshape how retailers approach the shopping event.
Translating dollars into percentages
Understanding Black Friday’s true impact requires contextualizing the $10.8 billion against broader ecommerce patterns.
Black Friday in Context: $10.8B vs Total Ecommerce
Annual U.S. Ecommerce ($1.19 Trillion)
Holiday Season (Nov-Dec: $266.9B)
Percentage of annual ecommerce
Calculation: $10.8 billion ÷ $1.19 trillion = 0.91%
Black Friday accounts for roughly 0.9% of total annual U.S. ecommerce sales. While this may seem small, it represents extraordinary concentration—365 days compressed into one 24-hour period would yield 0.27% per day, making Black Friday 3.4 times more intense than an average shopping day.
Percentage of holiday-season ecommerce
Calculation: $10.8 billion ÷ $266.9 billion = 4.05%
Within the critical November-December holiday window, Black Friday captures 4.1% of total online spending. This concentration is significant given that the holiday season spans roughly 60 days, meaning Black Friday generates 2.5 times the daily average for the period.
Multi-year trendline (2019-2024)
Black Friday’s share of annual ecommerce has remained remarkably stable despite overall growth:
| Year | Black Friday Sales | Annual Ecommerce | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $7.4B | $601.7B | 1.23% |
| 2020 | $9.0B | $791.7B | 1.14% |
| 2021 | $8.9B | $870.8B | 1.02% |
| 2022 | $9.1B | $1.03T | 0.88% |
| 2023 | $9.8B | $1.11T | 0.88% |
| 2024 | $10.8B | $1.19T | 0.91% |
The slight decline from 2019’s 1.23% reflects the expansion of promotional periods (early October sales, Prime Day) that have distributed some demand across more days.
Black Friday Share of Annual Ecommerce (2019-2024)
Factors driving the concentration
Several technological and behavioral shifts explain why Black Friday maintains its outsized share of ecommerce spending.
Deep discounting expectations
Average discounts across product categories ranged from 11% to 23% on Black Friday 2024, with apparel and accessories seeing the deepest markdowns. Electronics like TVs and laptops offered more modest discounts, while items like earrings and shirts saw up to 23% off regular prices.
Mobile commerce acceleration
The 70% mobile share during Cyber Week demonstrates how smartphone shopping has become the dominant channel for deal-seeking behavior. Mobile’s convenience factor amplifies Black Friday’s concentrated impact.
BNPL adoption surge
Buy-now-pay-later services processed $686 million in Black Friday transactions, growing 8.8% year-over-year. BNPL represented 6.4% of all Black Friday online spending, enabling larger purchase decisions during the promotional window.
AI-powered personalization
AI and AI agents significantly drove over $14 billion in global online sales on Black Friday. Retailers incorporating generative AI saw 9% higher conversion rates, while bot-driven clicks to retail sites increased by 1,800% compared to the previous year.
How we calculated the percentage
The percentage calculations above rely on three primary data sources, each measuring different aspects of U.S. retail commerce.
Data sources used
Adobe Analytics tracks over one trillion visits to U.S. retail sites annually, covering 80% of online transactions from the top 100 U.S. web retailers. Their Black Friday 2024 figure of $10.8 billion represents the most comprehensive single-day ecommerce measurement available.
U.S. Census Bureau provides quarterly ecommerce sales data through the Monthly Retail Trade Survey. Their 2024 quarterly data shows consistent ecommerce growth, with Q3 2024 reaching $295.3 billion and representing 16.2% of total retail sales.
eMarketer combines Census data with proprietary retail intelligence to forecast holiday-season spending. Their November-December 2024 projection of $266.9 billion specifically isolates ecommerce from total retail.
Annual vs. holiday-season baselines
We calculated two distinct percentages to provide context:
- Annual share: $10.8B ÷ $1.19T = 0.91% (rounded to 0.9%)
- Holiday-season share: $10.8B ÷ $266.9B = 4.05% (rounded to 4.1%)
Adjusting for inflation and channel mix
All dollar figures reflect nominal spending without inflation adjustment. The percentages account for the ongoing shift from in-store to online retail, which has accelerated Black Friday’s digital concentration since 2019.
How retailers can capitalize on the Black Friday percentage
Understanding Black Friday’s concentrated impact enables more strategic resource allocation and planning.
Demand forecasting & inventory
The 4.1% holiday-season concentration means retailers should prepare for Black Friday volume equivalent to 2.5 average December days. Inventory planning should account for this surge, particularly in mobile-optimized fulfillment.
Marketing budget timing
Given Black Friday’s outsized impact, retailers should front-load November marketing spend. The most successful brands allocate 35-40% of their Q4 digital advertising budget to the two weeks preceding Black Friday.
Mobile UX & checkout optimization
With 70% of purchases coming from mobile during Cyber Week, site speed and checkout friction become critical. Retailers should prioritize mobile page load times under 3 seconds and streamlined checkout processes.
Post-Black Friday retention tactics
The concentration of new customers on Black Friday creates a retention opportunity. Email remarketing campaigns launched within 48 hours of Black Friday purchases show higher engagement rates than standard promotional emails.
Frequently asked questions
What time of day sees the highest online spend on Black Friday?
Peak spending occurs between 10 AM and 2 PM EST, when online shoppers spend an average of $11.3 million per minute according to Adobe Analytics data.
What categories over-index on Black Friday?
Toys and games led with +412% sales increase compared to normal days, followed by apparel and accessories (+374%) and electronics (+355%), according to category performance data.
How does in-store traffic compare?
In-store Black Friday shopping saw 81.7 million consumers in 2024, up from 76.2 million in 2023, marking the highest in-person turnout since the pandemic, while online shopping reached 87.3 million people.
What’s the role of Amazon in the overall share?
[Used statistics.blackfriday] Amazon’s estimated Black Friday 2024 sales were around $900 million, representing roughly 8.3% of the total $10.8 billion U.S. Black Friday ecommerce market.
Does Cyber Monday surpass Black Friday in percentage terms?
Cyber Monday 2024 generated $13.3 billion in online sales, higher in absolute dollars but representing a similar concentration when accounting for the extended shopping period and consumer behavior patterns.
How big is Black Friday globally?
Global Black Friday ecommerce reached approximately $74.4 billion in 2024 according to Salesforce data, with the U.S. representing about 14.5% of worldwide online spending on the day.
Are consumers shifting spend into October sales?
Early promotional events have captured some demand, but the impact on Black Friday’s share has been minimal. The day maintains its concentrated appeal due to the depth of discounts offered.
What’s the role of Amazon in the overall share?
While specific Amazon data isn’t disclosed, the company’s significant market share means it captures a substantial portion of the $10.8 billion in total U.S. Black Friday ecommerce.
Will the percentage rise or fall in 2025?
Analysts project the percentage may remain stable or decline slightly as promotional periods continue expanding, but absolute dollar growth should continue driven by overall ecommerce expansion.
Key takeaways
- Black Friday represents 0.9% of annual U.S. ecommerce sales but delivers 3.4x the intensity of an average shopping day
- Deep discounting remains the primary driver, with categories like apparel seeing up to 23% off regular prices
- AI personalization is becoming critical, driving over $14 billion in global sales and increasing conversion rates by 9%
- The day captures 4.1% of holiday-season online revenue, making it 2.5x more concentrated than typical December shopping
- Mobile dominance is accelerating, with 70% of Cyber Week purchases happening on smartphones globally
- BNPL adoption continues growing, adding $686 million in Black Friday transactions and enabling larger purchases
- The percentage share has stabilized around 0.9-1.0% of annual ecommerce despite continued dollar growth
- Retailers should concentrate resources on the 2-week period leading up to Black Friday for maximum impact
- Post-purchase retention opportunities are significant given the concentration of new customer acquisition
- Global trends mirror U.S. patterns, with $74.4 billion in worldwide Black Friday ecommerce sales
Sources & references
- Adobe Analytics Holiday Shopping Data — Black Friday $10.8 billion sales figure and growth rates
- Black Friday Statistics 2024 — Comprehensive Black Friday data compilation and category performance metrics
- U.S. Census Bureau Quarterly E-commerce Sales — Official quarterly ecommerce revenue data
- eMarketer Holiday Sales Forecast 2024 — $266.9 billion holiday season projection
- Salesforce Cyber Week Data — Global sales figures and mobile commerce statistics
- Digital Commerce 360 Black Friday Analysis — BNPL data and market analysis
