According to data released by Adobe recently, American consumers are expected to spend $253.4 billion online in November and December, a 5.3% increase from the same period in 2024 but lower than the 8.7% growth seen last year.
The company estimates that around one-quarter of holiday sales will come from online transactions.
By monitoring website traffic and sales data of millions of products, the implementation of “Buy Now, Pay Later” checkout options is projected to drive $20.2 billion in festive spending, an 11% increase from the same period last year.
Online retailers such as Amazon and Walmart are partnering with financial technology companies like Affirm Holdings and Klarna Group to offer such payment services to consumers.
These financing services are particularly favored by young consumers with lower credit scores, especially during the enticing deals of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, when consumers are more prone to impulsive shopping for discounted items.
Furthermore, influencers on platforms like TikTok and Instagram are becoming increasingly influential in helping consumers discover new products and direct traffic to brand websites.
Adobe also indicates that consumers will increasingly utilize AI chatbots and browser searches for product discovery, particularly in the toy, electronics, and jewelry sectors. Compared to traditional ads, consumers driven to websites via AI tend to spend more time browsing various pages.
Adobe predicts a 520% annual increase in AI-related traffic, with a peak expected on the eve of Thanksgiving.
Vivek Pandya, Director of Digital Insights at Adobe, mentioned that despite uncertain economic prospects in the United States, consumers are still eager to take advantage of promotional periods to support spending on essential decorations and gifts, celebrating the holidays.
(This article was referenced from Bloomberg’s report)