What’s News with Datafy: Retail / Black Friday edition

America hit a record in online Black Friday spending, but the bigger story is how differently shoppers behaved. Consumers bought fewer items, paid more per item, and were far more intentional about where every dollar went. It’s another clear sign of the K-shaped economy: higher-income households spent confidently - especially on big-ticket and luxury goods - while middle- and lower-income shoppers hunted for deals on essentials and leaned on ‘buy now, pay later’ (BNPL) to make holiday budgets work. At the same time, AI surged, with traffic from AI tools jumping eightfold and chat-based assistants influencing nearly a fifth of Cyber Week orders.¹ ² ³

Let’s break down what the Black Friday data showed, and what it means for retailers:

Online (not in-store) is driving the growth 

Black Friday’s record online performance underscored where consumer attention truly lives. With digital spending surging past $11.8 billion and online sales up 9% year over year, shoppers made it clear that the browser (not the store) is their first stop.⁴ ⁵ In-store sales grew only 1.7%, reinforcing that research, comparison and confidence-building now happen online long before anyone considers walking in. And with AI tools elevating discovery and surfacing promotions instantly, the digital storefront has become the primary battleground for conversion.⁶

What this means for retailers: Small moments of friction with your website - slow pages, unclear promos, poor mobile performance - now directly cost revenue. Speed, clarity and mobile strength are now baseline expectations, and AI-friendly product info is increasingly essential. Retailers who understand how digital engagement translates into in-store visits will spend far more effectively in 2026.

Shoppers bought fewer items… but paid more for them 

Consumers spent more, but they didn’t buy more. Average units per order slipped from 2.9 to 2.7 even as selling prices rose about 7%.⁶ In other words: Higher prices - not broader purchasing - drove much of the year’s growth. Meanwhile, budget-sensitive shoppers relied more heavily on promotions and BNPL to manage holiday spending, choosing only products that felt truly worth it.⁵

What this means for retailers: Value communication has never mattered more. Customers want durability, usefulness, and real savings, not hype. Clear product pages, transparent promotions and messaging that reinforces why a product is worth the price will outperform broad discounting. The more intentional your shopper becomes, the more intentional your value story must be.

The K-shaped consumer economy is impossible to ignore

The economic split was stark. Wealthier households drove strong performance in premium categories, while budget-conscious shoppers focused tightly on essentials and deep discounts. These groups behaved differently from the moment they entered the funnel to the moment they checked out, and retailers felt that divide.⁶ ⁵

What this means for retailers: One-size-fits-all campaigns won’t work. Premium shoppers respond to quality cues; value-driven shoppers respond to justification and savings. Tailoring offers and creative to these very different realities is key. Lean on your Datafy dashboard to identify and segment these audiences, then use those insights to ensure that you’re serving the right message, promotion, and product mix to the right shopper - rather than forcing everyone into the same campaign.

AI is shaping how consumers decide what to buy 

AI didn’t just show up this year — it exploded. Traffic driven by AI tools surged eightfold, and chat-based assistants influenced close to a fifth of Cyber Week orders.³ ⁷ Shoppers aren’t turning to AI to change what they buy; they’re using it to decide how to buy. AI helps them compare prices instantly, evaluate which promotions are real, check inventory, and narrow choices quickly.

What this means for retailers: Your content must be structured for AI. Clear titles, consistent details, and transparent pricing help ensure your products surface during AI-assisted searches. Retailers who adapt early will show up faster in the customer journey.

It also means: Assume your shopper is comparing you in real time. Promotions must be simple, pricing must be consistent, and product information must be structured for AI tools to interpret easily.

What this means heading into 2026 

Black Friday showed us a shopper who’s still willing to spend, but only when the value is clear and the experience feels effortless. They’re guided by AI, selective, more deal-aware than before. This is where Datafy comes in. By bringing together customer behavior, store performance, and campaign results in one place, we give retailers a clear view of who their shoppers are and what’s driving their decisions. Those insights make it easier to tailor messaging, refine promotions, and focus efforts on the right audiences… And that’s the kind of clarity that will help retailers stay a step ahead in 2026. 

Want clarity on your shoppers heading into 2026? Learn how Datafy helps retailers move faster and smarter. Let's talk today!

_Citations

_{1. Reuters – Black Friday paradox: more shoppers, fewer dollars
https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/black-friday-paradox-more-shoppers-fewer-dollars-2025-11-28
AP News – Black Friday shopping and spending trends
https://apnews.com/article/black-friday-shopping-spending-7f8b8e9244171333bfa6a7e8a91bffd0}

_{2. Business Insider – AI holiday sales: Black Friday + Cyber Monday 2025
https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-holiday-sales-black-friday-cyber-monday-2025-12
Reuters – U.S. consumers spent $11.8 billion online on Black Friday, Adobe Analytics says
https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/us-consumers-spent-118-billion-black-friday-says-adobe-analytics-2025-11-29}

_{3. AP News – Black Friday shopping spending report
https://apnews.com/article/black-friday-shopping-spending-7f8b8e9244171333bfa6a7e8a91bffd0}

_{4. Reuters – Black Friday paradox: more shoppers, fewer dollars
https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/black-friday-paradox-more-shoppers-fewer-dollars-2025-11-28}

_{5. Reuters – Cyber Monday spending in U.S. to hit $14.2 billion, Adobe forecasts
https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/cyber-monday-spending-us-hit-142-billion-adobe-analytics-forecasts-2025-12-01}