U.S. Thanksgiving Online Sales Surge 6% to $8.6 Billion Amid Heavy Discounts

Online shopping in the United States is off to a strong start this holiday season, with Thanksgiving Day sales projected to rise 6% from last year to $8.6 billion, according to data released by Salesforce on Thursday. By 2 p.m. ET, shoppers had already spent $2.6 billion online — a 5.8% increase compared to the same period in 2024 — as consumers took advantage of deep discounts despite broader economic uncertainty driven by U.S. tariff policies.

Thanksgiving and Black Friday mark the beginning of the crucial holiday shopping season, which generates nearly one-third of annual revenue for American retailers. This year’s kickoff comes amid volatile conditions stemming from President Donald Trump’s tariffs on imported goods, pushing retailers to offer aggressive promotions. The strategy appears to be paying off, with retailers like Best Buy reporting strong demand for discounted electronics, while apparel brands such as Gap and Abercrombie & Fitch also expressed optimism about early holiday sales trends.

Globally, shoppers have spent $13.1 billion so far on Thanksgiving, with digital sales expected to reach $36 billion by the end of the day. Salesforce forecasts that Black Friday will bring in $78 billion in global online sales and $18 billion from U.S. shoppers alone. Despite the strong early numbers, broader seasonal projections remain muted, with Salesforce estimating U.S. online holiday sales growth of just 2.1% this year — a slowdown from the 4% growth recorded in 2024.

Pic Courtesy: google/ images are subject to copyright