According to Bloomberg News website on November 25th, Odoobie Analytics said that U.S. shoppers spent a record $9.8 billion online on "Black Friday". This is a positive sign for retailers facing dismal sales expectations for the holiday shopping season.

　　Consumer demand for electronics, smartwatches, televisions and audio equipment led to a 7.5 percent increase in online sales on the day compared to last year, according to the report. Consumers expanded their budgets by opting for "buy now, pay later," which was up 72 percent from the week before Thanksgiving.

　　According to the report, the increase in sales marks the recovery of this year's U.S. holiday shopping season compared with last year's. Last year, high inflation hit consumers. Last year, hyperinflation hit consumers' wallets, and retailers got rid of backlogged inventory by heavily discounting. This year, holiday shopping is a bellwether for the resilience of the U.S. consumer, as money saved during the new crown epidemic begins to dwindle and interest rates remain at more than 20-year highs.

　　Separate data provided by Safeco showed that U.S. online sales were up 9 percent year-over-year, driven by footwear, sporting goods, and health and beauty products. Apparel, home and beauty products saw the biggest discounts.

　　According to the report, online sales in the run-up to Cyber Monday (Nov. 27) allow companies to predict how the holiday selling season will perform.

　　However, preliminary forecasts made for November and December show sluggish sales growth. Safeco expects U.S. online sales in November and December to grow 1% over the same period in 2022, the lowest rate of growth in at least five years. Ordoby's expects revenues to grow 4.8% in the period, well below the 13% average growth rate seen before the outbreak. The reason for the discrepancy between the two companies' figures is that they are analyzing different areas of transactions.

　　Canadian e-commerce company Choppifil said global sales rose 22 percent on Black Friday, with apparel, personal care products and jewelry growing the fastest.