Khaberni - Americans seeking the lowest price deals on Thanksgiving spent more, by 5%, online than they did last year.
This came with a shift of more consumers using laptops and phones instead of braving the cold weather and standing in lines outside stores.
While early online sales figures showed a promising trend in spending, the turnout for deals at major retail stores on Black Friday appeared weak compared to past years when crowds of people would line up the morning after Thanksgiving.
Limited budget
Many who braved going to the stores said they were sticking to a limited budget, fearing overspending at a time when inflation is still higher than usual and the job market is weak.
Grace Corbello (67 years old) from New Rochelle, New York said, "I'm being more cautious... I'm not sure about the direction of the economy, and I don't want to drown myself in debt." Corbello was speaking at Woodbury Common in Central Valley, New York this Friday morning.
Data from Adobe Analytics showed that total online spending on Thanksgiving Thursday increased by 5.3% year-over-year to reach $6.4 billion. The company examines online e-commerce transactions and covers more than a trillion visits to retail sites in the United States.
Adobe said this was better than expected, as online shopping reduced the significance of Black Friday, with promotional offers for this event spread over weeks.
The shadow of rising prices loomed over the day, as the non-profit Tax Foundation stated that retail sales in the United States rose less than expected in September due to reasons including price hikes, and tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump contributed to this trend with a 4.9% increase in retail prices.
Calm at sunrise
About an hour before sunrise today in extremely cold temperatures, Quantavious Shorter, 40 years old, was among approximately ten people waiting in line around 6 AM at a local store in an Atlanta neighborhood.
Shorter bought a smart TV for $298, a perfect discount for his limited budget.
Shorter said, "This device usually costs $500.. I arrived early because I expected stock to run out."
