Artificial intelligence-based shopping tools helped achieve a sharp increase in online spending in the US on Black Friday, as shoppers bypassed crowded stores and turned to chatbots to compare prices and get discounts amid concerns about price increases due to tariffs. This is reported by Reuters.
According to Adobe Analytics, which tracks 1 trillion visits by online shoppers, US shoppers spent a record $ 11.8 billion on the biggest shopping day of the year, up 9.1% from 2024.
The holiday shopping season comes against the backdrop of budget cuts, unemployment nearing a four-year high, US consumer confidence at a seven-month low, and prices forcing shoppers to watch every dollar.
Demand for online shopping has increased as consumers have been savvy about the holiday season, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse, which saw a 10.4% increase in e-commerce sales on Black Friday, compared to a 1.7% increase in in-store sales in 2024.
According to Adobe, traffic to US retail sites powered by artificial intelligence grew 805% compared to last year, when AI tools like Walmart’s Sparky or Amazon’s Rufus had not yet launched.
Among the most popular items on Black Friday were LEGO sets, Pokémon cards, game consoles like the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5, and products ranging from Apple AirPods to KitchenAid mixers.