Black Friday online sales top $1 billion milestone

26 November 2012 | 2586 views | 0 Fingers touching tablet computer 2

Black Friday online spending in the US topped the $1 billion mark for the first time ever, as US consumers switched on their PCs and mobile devices to shop from their armchairs at the traditional start of the seasonal spending binge.

E-commerce sales soared 26% on Friday, according to the latest data from comScore, representing $1.042 billion in online sales. The upsurge over 2011 figures would have been more pronounced but for a $633 million splurge in online spending on Thanksgiving, traditionally a lighter day for holiday shopping.

ComScore chairman, Gian Fulgoni, comments: "Despite the frenzy of media coverage surrounding the importance of Black Friday in the brick-and-mortar world, we continue to see this shopping day become more and more prominent in the e-commerce channel."

Black Friday was also a big day for mobile shopping. According to data from IBM, 24%t of consumers used a mobile device to visit a retailer's site, up from 14.3" in 2011. Mobile sales exceeded 16%, up from 9.8% in 2011, with sales from iPads and iPhones leading the way.

E-commerce merchants are now preparing for Cyber Monday as the return to work prompts another lift in consumer spending, with comScore forecasting sales approaching $1.5 billion.