Black Friday trading in the US mirrored the trend in the UK with online sales increasing as shopping in stores fell.
Sales at US stores on Black Friday slipped 10.3% to $10.4bn (£6.9bn), according to research firm ShopperTrack. Thanksgiving sales in physical stores also dropped, from $2bn (£1.3bn) last year to $1.8bn (£1.2bn).
By contrast online sales on Black Friday jumped 21.5% year on year, according to IBM Watson Trend, which monitors millions of transactions from US retail websites.
The pattern closely matched that of the UK, where Black Friday online sales had healthy growth in contrast to falling footfall in stores.
The move online in sales is being attributed to shoppers becoming increasingly comfortable using their smartphones, tablets and computers. The length of the sales period around Black Friday has also been extended, partly to avoid consumers scrambling for deals in one short rush.
Overall it is predicted that US holiday season ecommerce sales – including November and December – will jump 11.7% to around $95bn (£63.3bn), according to consulting firm IHS. Around $1 (67p) in every $7 (£4.66) spent during the holiday season this year will happen online, IHS predicts.
Black Friday comes the day after Thanksgiving in the US and is regarded as the start of the Christmas shopping season.
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