Black Friday 2025: U.S. Shoppers Spend Record $11.8 Billion Online as AI and BNPL Reshape Holiday Spending
U.S. shoppers just delivered the biggest digital Black Friday on record, spending $11.8 billion online in a single day, even as high prices, weak consumer sentiment and a soft labor market weigh on household budgets. Reuters+1 Early data from Adobe Analytics, Mastercard, Salesforce and the National Retail Federation (NRF) shows a holiday season that looks strong on the surface — but is increasingly powered by AI shopping tools, higher prices, and “buy now, pay later” (BNPL) financing, rather than a broad-based spending boom. AP News+3Reuters+3AP News+3 Below is a breakdown of what we know as of November 30, 2025, and what it signals for Cyber