Cyber Monday sales hit record $12.4 billion even as savings dwindle

U.S. shoppers spent $12.4 billion on Cyber Monday, a robust result demonstrating the continued resilience of consumers despite dwindling pandemic-era savings and high interest rates.

Spending increased 9.6% from a year ago, making it the biggest online shopping day ever, according to Adobe Inc., which compiles the data. Adobe had earlier adjusted upward its online spending forecast for the day based on stronger-than-expected spending on Black Friday and the popularity of buy-now-pay-later offerings that let shoppers stretch their budgets with credit.

“The 2023 holiday shopping season began with a lot of uncertainty, as consumers shifted their spending to services, while dealing with rising costs across different facets of their lives,” said Vivek Pandya, a lead analyst at Adobe Digital Insights. “The record online spending across Cyber Week however, shows the impact that discounts can have on consumer demand.”

Cyber Week, the five days from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, generated $38 billion overall, up 7.8% from last year. Black Friday topped projections at $9.8 billion, up 7.5% from a year earlier. Thanksgiving spending of $5.6 billion was up 5.5%, Adobe said.

Big sale days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday have been gradually losing their cachet as shoppers spread their spending over longer periods. Still, with inflation-stung consumers watching their budgets, retailers increasingly count on these events to see what products shoppers are clicking on, then targeting them with bigger discounts as the clock counts down to Christmas.