Black Friday 2025 is set to break online sales records again this year, signaling a major shift in how people consume goods during the biggest sales period of the year. However, malls and physical stores have declined and reported decreased traffic.
According to estimates, the US Online sales are estimated to reach $11.7 billion on black friday 2025, an increase of nearly 9% from last year. This would mark this year’s Black Friday as the third straight online sales record.
At the same time, the traditional physical stores are losing their dominance and numbers. In 2024, Online sales during black Friday in the US grew about 15%, while in-store sales rose a modest 7%. According to analysts, this trend is set to continue in 2025. There is still growth in both markets, but the real growth is happening online.
Across the whole holiday season, online spending is predicted to reach about $253 billion in 2025. Last year, global online black Friday sales were about $74.4 billion. This year’s predictions show that this trend is not slowing down.
However, such an increase in online sales does not mean that the physical stores are empty. In 2024, Black Friday was still the most popular day for even the physical stores. The growth of the online sales just simply reflects a change of balance.
A significant reason for this shift is convenience, which has become one of the cornerstones of modern consumer behavior. Online shopping is available 24/7, and consumers no longer need to plan out their physical visits and compete with the crowd. Instead, with a couple clicks, they can browse items wherever, whenever they want. This is supported by the fact that, in 2024, 64% of all traffic during Cyber Five came from mobile devices. The accessibility has made online shopping extremely convenient, an effortless experience.
There are also social and psychological reasons for this trend. It is human nature to avoid the stress, noise, and chaos associated with events, especially those that are very competitive and demanding, such as Black Friday. According to one survey, 58% said they find holiday gift shopping stressful. Shopping, however, has evolved to ease their stress and boost the overall shopping experience.
In addition, online shopping has also evolved and gotten better due to new technologies. The rise of AI has influenced online shopping greatly. AI helps compare prices, track discounts, find coupons and personalized products, and generate gift ideas. In short, the AI algorithm has made the online shopping experience ever more personalised and appealing, contributing to the shift in the shopping trend.
Despite the convenience, the growth of online shopping brings several drawbacks that affect both consumers and businesses.
Online shopping has led to overspending, as the online experience has desensitized consumers into buying on impulse. Online shopping also hurts small local businesses, as local physical stores and small businesses now struggle to compete with online accessibility and discount rates. Some now even say that the online trend has led to a reduced sense of urgency and competition that once characterized black friday. Online shopping has turned once lively tradition into a mindless shopping experience, similar to that of doomscrolling on social media for short hits of dopamine.
Still, online shopping offers clear advantages of a wider product variety, easier comparison, no travel time, and accessibility. For consumers, online shopping is more efficient and less stressful. On the other hand, it contributes to impulse buying, reduced social interaction, and a decline in tradition. Overall, the record-breaking online sales this year’s black friday reflect a shift in our society. Shopping is becoming digital and ever more consumer-driven. The momentum is shifting towards the world of screens.
By. Daniel Song
Works cited
https://queue-it.com/blog/black-friday-statistics/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
https://statistics.blackfriday/2025-forecast/
https://useorigin.com/resources/blog/black-friday-spending-set-to-break-records-once-again
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