Share of U.S. consumers shopping on Black Friday 2015-2020

Thirty six percent of surveyed U.S. consumers planned to do most of their holiday shopping on Black Friday in 2020. This is a significant decrease compared to 2015, when some 60 percent of respondents were planning to do the majority of their shopping during that time.

Reasons for not going

Not all consumers in the United States are excited about Black Friday: in 2019, the most common reason for not going to physical stores during the Black Friday period, was the fact that stores are simply too busy. Many consumers that were not willing to go also stated that online shopping was easier.

Impulse purchases and budget

During Black Friday, many products are at a reduced price and, as a result, bought on impulse. In 2018, impulse purchases in the United States were made most frequently for clothing, footwear, and consumer electronics. When asked how much consumers were likely to spend during that year’s Black Friday, compared to the previous year, almost half of U.S. consumers stated they were likely to spend the same amount.