Important Black Friday Statistics to Know
Meaghan has provided content and guidance for indie retailers as the editor for a number of retail publications and a speaker at trade shows. She is Fit Small Business’s authority on retail and ecommerce.
Brigitte is a retail specialist and staff writer with brick and mortar management experience. She is versed in retail sales analysis, merchandising, and buying with an emphasis in retail sales and marketing across platforms. She has a BA in writing from Washington University, St. Louis.
This article is part of a larger series on Retail Management.
In the News: Black Friday 2022 Results
According to the National Retail Federation, this Black Friday:
- 72.9 million people shopped in-store (up from 66.5 million in 2021)
- 87.2 million people shopped online (more than during Cyber Monday)
Adobe Analytics reports shoppers spend $9.12 billion on Black Friday 2022. Overall, it was a busy day for in-store and online shopping, with in-store shopping levels in particular exceeding expectations. And, over 42% of shoppers said the deals were better than they expected.
Black Friday weekend is just around the corner, and we have rounded up the top Black Friday statistics that business owners should know. We review top Black Friday trends from 2021 and take a look at projections for 2022. From consumer behaviors, to shopping preferences, to expected traffic—we have it all covered.
Black Friday 2021 in Review
1. In-store shopping made a comeback with 66.5 million in-store shoppers on Black Friday
Black Friday saw over 66.5 million in-store shoppers. According to data from RetailNext, this was a 61% increase in foot traffic compared to the same day in 2020. While this boost is a great sign, in-store traffic was still 27% below pre-pandemic rates in 2019.
As tensions surrounding COVID-19 begin to wane, shoppers returned to stores to shop the Black Friday deals. (Source: USA Today)
2. Nearly 155 million Americans shopped during Black Friday 2021
A study from the National Retail Federation found that 154.5 million Americans shopped in-store and online on Black Friday.
3. People spent an average of $301.27 on Black Friday 2021
On Black Friday, consumers spent an average of $301.27 on holiday-related purchases, contributing to $179.8 million spent over the weekend as a whole. Clothing and accessories was the top purchase category, followed by toys, gift cards, and then books and media. See the graphic below for a full breakdown of the weekend’s most popular shopping categories.
4. Retailers that offered a pickup option grew their revenue by 50% more than retailers that did not
Driving home the importance of in-store pickup options, a report from Salesforce found that retailers providing curbside or in-store pickup options increased their year-over-year Black Friday revenue an average of 50% more than retailers that did not provide these services.
Pickup options offer your customers more ways to shop and can be the factor that leads to a conversion. (Source: Vend)
Want to set up click-and-collect services in your business? Check out our guide to setting up click and collect to get started.
5. 42% of 2021 Black Friday ecommerce revenue came from mobile sales
Research from Adobe found that 42.4% of Black Friday ecommerce revenue came from mobile sales. This translates to about $3.7 billion—a 2% increase over the previous year and a record for Black Friday.
Interested in learning more about emerging online shopping trends, including mobile commerce? Check out our article on 2022 ecommerce trends and statistics.
6. Cyber Week 2021’s average discounts were 26%
According to Salesforce data, Cyber Week saw an increase in average selling price (ASP) by 11% in the US. Meanwhile, average discounts fell 8% year-over-year to 26%.
Consumer Perspective
With 2021 Black Friday in the rearview, what are customer expectations and perceptions around 2022’s Black Friday? Read on to learn just that.
7. More shoppers think brands are prepared for Black Friday in 2022 compared to 2021
While the supply chain issues that have plagued retailers over the past several years are no fault of their own, the subsequent stock-outs and low inventory caused many shoppers to perceive businesses as being ill-prepared or poorly run.
There is, however, a change in the tide, as the supply chain is regaining momentum and retailers are better navigating the new buying and fulfillment landscape.
In fact, in 2021, 59% of shoppers thought brands did not do enough to prepare for the influx of Black Friday sales. But this number has dropped significantly this year—down to 44%—showing that consumer trust is returning and expectations are rising again.
You can exceed expectations and preserve your bottom line by adopting a smart pricing strategy. Learn more with our guide to Pricing Strategies (+ Examples).
8. 54% of shoppers predict that Black Friday discounts won’t be as good as they expect
More than half of consumers anticipate that discounts for Black Friday 2022 will be lower than expected. Not only that, but 50% of shoppers anticipate that the items they actually want to buy will be full-priced.
9. 48% of consumers believe that brands push low-quality products during Black Friday
Nearly half of consumers believe that retailers sell lower-quality goods during Black Friday to offer great deals. While this is not a great public perception, it has improved since 2021, when 56% of consumers carried this belief.
10. 36% of shoppers feel pressure to make purchases on Black Friday
Over a third of people feel pressured to shop and buy over Black Friday. While this represents great buying potential that you should capitalize on, 36% actually is a drop from 2021 when 57% felt this pressure.
Use retail marketing techniques to create buying pressure and entice people to shop. Learn how you can create a compelling Black Friday marketing campaign with our guide to Retail Marketing Strategies That Drive Sales.
11. 37% of consumers say Black Friday deals impact their trust in a brand
In 2021, 58% of consumers stated that when a brand offered a Black Friday deal, they felt less trusting of that brand and the quality of its products. This year, that number has dropped to 37%, meaning that fewer customers will become skeptical of a brand for offering Black Friday discounts.
12. 46% of consumers believe brands prioritize new customers over existing customers during Black Friday
Almost half of customers believe that brands prioritize capturing new shoppers over the Black Friday weekend. This number is down from 2021 when 59% of consumers felt this way. With more and more businesses relying on customer loyalty to stay afloat, it is good to see a decline in this belief.
One way that your business can show shoppers that you prioritize loyalty over novelty is with a loyalty program. Check out our guides to learn more:
How to Create a Customer Loyalty Program
Best Customer Loyalty Program Software
13. 58% of consumers won’t shop in person during Black Friday due to large crowds
A lingering effect of the pandemic is fear of large crowds. In fact, even this year, 58% of shoppers who are not planning to partake in Black Friday shopping cite large crowds of shoppers as their reason.
Black Friday crowds still create anxiety for many shoppers. (Source: Vox)
14. 67% of consumers are more interested in Black Friday deals due to rising inflation rates on everyday goods
While many consumers have low expectations for Black Friday discounts, that doesn’t mean they won’t be shopping. In fact, over two-thirds of shoppers are interested in shopping on Black Friday and taking advantage of deals due to the rising cost of living.
15. 79% of consumers agree retail locations should be closed on Thanksgiving
According to Drive Research, 79% of consumers believe that stores should be closed on Thanksgiving. Women are slightly more likely to agree that retail locations should be closed on Thanksgiving than men (80% vs 75%). Generationally, the Silent Generation and Baby Boomers are the most likely to strongly agree retail locations should be closed on Thanksgiving.
Closing your store on Thanksgiving will improve your public perception among the vast majority of the population. (Source: Unsplash)
Learn how to navigate the holidays and keep your staff happy with our guide to holiday pay.
Shopping Trends
Learn how customers are planning on shopping this Black Friday—from what they are buying to where they are doing it. We have it all here.
16. Black Friday shopping is starting early with 31% of consumers shopping on Thursday
Over the last several years, holiday shopping has started earlier and earlier, and Black Friday is no exception. In 2022, it is predicted that 31% of consumers will start their Black Friday shopping Thursday, 25% will start in-person shopping Friday between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m., and 15% will start their gift buying Friday between midnight and 5 a.m.
17. Millennials/Gen Y/Gen Z will shop online the most
The divide between in-store and online shoppers is highly generational, with younger generations using online shopping at a much higher rate than older ones. In fact, 86% of millennials/Gen Y/Gen Z say they will be doing their Black Friday shopping online instead of in-store.
18. Women are more likely to shop online for Black Friday than men
Not only is the in-store versus online shopping divide generational, but it is also gendered. In fact, 73% of female shoppers are planning to do their Black Friday shopping online, compared to 65% of men.
Women are more likely to do their shopping online than men. (Source: Curvearro)
19. 62% of shoppers will visit Walmart on Black Friday
Walmart and Target will be the most popular places to shop in person on Black Friday. Of the 32% of consumers who will shop in person on Black Friday 2022, 62% will visit Walmart, 58% will visit Target, and 34% will visit shopping malls.
20. 46% of people will not wait more than 30 minutes to enter a store on Black Friday
As convenience is becoming more and more important to consumers, Black Friday lines are becoming less tolerable and are actually deterring sales. In fact, nearly half of Black Friday shoppers say they are not willing to wait 30 minutes to enter a store; only 38% indicated they are willing to wait between 30 minutes and an hour.
21. Compared to 2021, online shopping will see a 17% increase, and in-person shopping will see a 3% decrease
While there was a great return to in-store shopping between the Black Fridays of 2020 and 2021, it looks like there will be a slight reversal in this trend come 2022. A study from Drive Research found that in 2022, 69% of people plan to shop online and 32% in person. While in-store numbers are solid, especially when compared to 2020, this actually represents a 17% increase in online shoppers and a 3% decrease in in-store buying compared to 2021.
22. 54% of shoppers are more likely to shop at stores that offer BOPIS
As we learned in 2021, offering pickup options is important for getting people to buy from your store on Black Friday. 2022 is no different, with 54% of shoppers stating that they are more likely to shop at stores that offer buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS) options.
23. Clothing, electronics, and toys will be the biggest shopping categories during Black Friday
Of all the things that people can buy on Black Friday, clothes, electronics, and toys will be the most frequent purchases. In fact, a study from Drive Research found that on Black Friday, 78% of men plan to shop for electronics, while 77% of women plan to shop for clothing and accessories.
Bottom Line
Black Friday is one of the biggest shopping days of the year, and you want to be prepared. Use the Black Friday stats and figures above to learn from last year, get insights into what consumers expect, and help anticipate shopping trends for this year.
Follow up with our guide to Black Friday marketing strategies to put this data into action.
