Black Friday 2017 Statistics

On Black Friday 2017, shoppers hit the stores and their keyboards in record numbers as retailers pulled out all the stops to attract them with irresistible deals. This blog will look at how this unprecedented day of shopping unfolded through a statistical lens, revealing what it tells us about consumer behavior and trends for future years.

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Online Sales

In 2017 Black Friday generated record-breaking sales across all platforms, online sales soared to unprecedented levels, with consumers spending a remarkable $5.03 billion, an impressive 16.9% increase from the prior year. Shopping at home proved incredibly attractive due to convenience and mobile technology, while retailers added fuel to the fire by offering more deals than ever before on their websites.

Black Friday 2017 was a huge success for mobile shopping, with over 64% of total online traffic coming from smartphones and 41%, or $2.0 billion, of all sales being made via this platform. This emphasizes just how crucial it is for retailers to ensure their websites are optimized for mobile shoppers - after all, more people than ever before have embraced using their phones to make purchases these days.

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In-Store Sales

Despite the growing popularity of online shopping in 2017, in-store sales experienced a surge over the Thanksgiving weekend! Nearly 174 million shoppers visited stores and made purchases both on their computer screens and at counters. According to the National Retail Federation, they collectively spent an average of $335.47 per person—4.2% more than the previous year's winter holiday season.

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Consumer Behavior

Black Friday 2017 saw a marked increase in early holiday shopping, with 18% more shoppers hitting the stores on Thanksgiving Day compared to 2016. This trend was further evidenced by many retailers starting their promotions earlier than usual—some even opened as soon as 6 p.m.! It looks like savvy consumers are stocking up sooner and grabbing those sweet deals before they disappear.