Greg Sterling says, “Black Friday ain’t what it used to be. The cultural ritual (if I can call it that) appears to have lost some of its mojo, as many retailers, seeking attention and competitive advantage, make Black Friday-style deals available before Thanksgiving. There has also been a shift of some in-store shopping to online (and mobile).

According to in-store analytics provider ShopperTrak, brick-and-mortar retail sales on Thanksgiving and Black Friday this year came in at roughly $12.1 billion, which is lower than in 2014. Specifically, Black Friday brought in $10.4 this year versus $11.6 billion in 2014.

By comparison, Adobe estimated that on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, consumers spent approximately $4.45 billion online. That comparison lends itself to the simplistic narrative now being pushed by some: online soars while stores struggle.

The reality is that many of the beneficiaries of the growth in online sales were traditional retail brands. According to Channel Advisor, Amazon and eBay did well, but so did so-called omnichannel retailers“.

Black Friday Weekend: E-Commerce Thinned Crowds, Mobile Devices Drove Traffic

Marketing Land

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