fbpx

BLACK FRIDAY + CYBER MONDAY

US figures show discount offers being spread over month or longer

By our News Team | 2021

Spending on Black Friday and Cyber Monday is reducing because retailers are now extending the discount deals over a longer period.

Adobe yesterday released the final online shopping figures for Cyber Monday and Cyber Week 2021 in the United States. Consumers spent a total of US$10.7-billion on Cyber Monday, which is down 1.4 percent year-on-year versus 2020.

Although this is about $100-million less than what shoppers spent last year, it still remains the biggest online shopping day of the year. In the peak hour (8pm-9pm on the west coast of the country), consumers were spending $12-million every minute.

And although both Black Friday (26 November) and Cyber Monday (29 November) reflected less shopper spend than in the recent past, this doesn’t mean that Americans are spending less overall during this important lead-up to Christmas. Instead, the spending was spread out over a longer period to create a Cyber Week or even a Cyber Month.

This is in line with similar trends being seen in Africa, where many retailers – whether online or offline – have created ‘Black Friday Week’ or even turned November into ‘Black Friday Month’.

Black Friday + Cyber Monday

Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

“With early deals in October, consumers were not waiting around for discounts on big shopping days like Cyber Monday and Black Friday,” said Taylor Schreiner, Director at Adobe Digital Insights. 

Spending spread over Oct and Nov

“This was further fuelled by growing awareness of supply chain challenges and product availability. It spread out e-commerce spending across the months of October and November, putting us on track for a season that still will break online shopping records.”

So far this season (1-29 November), consumers have already spent $109.8-billion online, growing significantly at 11.9 percent over last year. 

It means that 22 days have now exceeded $3-billion in online spend, a new milestone. In 2020, only 9 days topped $3-billion at this point. The season has smoothed out considerably, with e-commerce becoming a more ubiquitous daily activity. Adobe adds that it expects the full season (1 November to 31 December) to hit $207-billion in online spending. At 10 percent year-on-year growth, this would be a new record.

Interestingly, Adobe says that mobile phone-based shopping has slowed. On Cyber Monday, smartphones accounted for just 39.7 percent of online sales (vs desktop), rising by a modest 8.4 percent year-or-year.

“With many consumers working from home, smartphones are losing some of their potential as a major shopping channel,” the company states. “For years, the trajectory showed that mobile was on a course to surpass the 50 percent mark in share of online sales, which has since been derailed. Consumers are using their phones to browse instead (57 percent share of web visits).”

View all articles »

PUBLICATIONS

Strategic Marketing for Africa Magazine

CONTACT INFORMATION

info@africanmarketingconfederation.org

Upcoming Events

AMC CONFERENCE

Dr Kin Kariisa

Group CEO - Next Media

Dr. Kin Kariisa is an extraordinary force at the helm of Next Media Services, a conglomerate encompassing NBS TV, Nile Post, Sanyuka TV, Next Radio, Salam TV, Next Communication, Next Productions, and an array of other influential enterprises. His dynamic role as Chief Executive Officer exemplifies his unwavering commitment to shaping media, business, and community landscapes.
With an esteemed academic journey, Dr. Kariisa’s accolades include an Honorary PhD in exemplary community service from the United Graduate College inTexas, an MBA from United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya, a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Huazong University in China, and a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Makerere University.
Dr. Kariisa pursued PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands. As a dynamic educator, he has shared his expertise as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at both Makerere University and Radboud University.

Dr Kin did his PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radbond University in Nigmegen, Netherlands. He previously served as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and Radbond University in Netherlands.

Dr Kin did his postgraduate courses in Strategic Business Management, Strategic Leadership Communication and Strategies for Leading Successful Change Initiatives at Harvard University, Boston USA.

  • Other current and previous roles played by Dr Kin Kariisa:
  • Lecturer of e-Government and Information Security to graduate students at Makerere University, Kampala and Radbond University in the Netherlands
  • Director of Eco Bank Uganda Limited, one of the largest banks in Africa
  • Chairman of the National Association of Broadcasters, an umbrella industry association for all Television, Radio and online broadcasters in Uganda.
  • Chairman of Board of Directors of Nile Hotel International, that owns the leading hotel in Uganda, Kampala Serena Hotel.
  • Chairman of Board of Directors of Soliton Telmec Uganda, the leading telecom company in Optic fibre business managing over 80% of optic fibre in Uganda.