Adobe: U.S. Holiday Shopping Season to Cross $250 Billion Online, Rising 5.3% YoY
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Cyber Week is expected to drive 17.2% of overall spend this season (
$43.7 billion , up 6.3% YoY) with competitive discounts across major categories, and Black Friday growth is set to outpace Cyber Monday. -
Buy Now Pay Later is expected to drive an additional
$2 billion in online spend this season, as consumers seek greater flexibility in managing their budgets. - Online shopping behaviors are being reshaped by generative AI, as consumers embrace AI-powered chat services and browsers to research products and find the best deals.
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2025 holiday season to surpass
Adobe expects
Cyber Monday will remain the biggest online shopping day of the season—and year—at
Mobile devices will cement its position as the dominant shopping platform this season, set to drive a record 56.1% share of online spend (vs. desktop shopping). This represents
Buy Now Pay Later to drive an additional
Consumers are looking for greater flexibility in managing their budgets this holiday season, with Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) expected to drive
Competitive discounts expected this season as retailers compete for dollars
Adobe expects significant discounts this holiday season–up to 28% off listed price–that are on par with the 2024 season. Discounts for electronics are expected to peak at 28% off listed price (vs. 30.1% in 2024), while discounts for toys are set to hit 27% (vs. 28%). Competitive discounts are also expected in apparel at 25% (vs. 23.2%), TVs at 23% (vs. 24.2%), computers at 23% (vs. 22.8%), sporting goods at 19% (vs. 19.5%), appliances at 18% (vs. 19.2%) and furniture at 18% (vs. 19%).
The deepest discounts are expected to land throughout Cyber Week, with Cyber Monday being ‘last call’ for the best deals.
Consumers are not simply looking for the lowest price this season. Competitive discounts will drive shoppers to ‘trade up’ to higher-ticket items in certain categories—allowing individuals to get more value out of their dollar. The share-of-units-sold for the most expensive goods is set to rise by 56% in sporting goods, 52% in electronics, 39% in appliances, 32% in personal care, and 26% in tools/home improvement. The trend reverses in groceries (down 3%) and furniture (down 8%), as shoppers embrace lower priced items in these categories.
Electronics, apparel, and home goods set to drive growth online
Over half (53.7%) of online spend this season will be driven by three categories including electronics (
Adobe expects an uptick in purchases for the home this season, as consumers take advantage of deals to upgrade their living spaces. Online sales are expected to rise by 1,060% in power tools (vs. average spend levels from Jan-
Hot sellers this season are expected to include gaming consoles such as Nintendo Switch 2, Sony PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X, along with games such as Donkey Kong Bananza,
Online shopping behaviors influenced by generative AI and social media
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AI-powered shopping: Generative AI-powered chat services and browsers are changing how consumers act online, becoming a helpful assistant for compiling research before making a purchase. Adobe observed the first material surge in AI traffic to
U.S. retail sites (measured by shoppers clicking on a link) during the 2024 season, with traffic increasing 1,300% YoY. For the 2025 season, Adobe expects AI traffic to rise by 520% YoY, peaking in the 10 days leading up toThanksgiving . Additionally, AI services are expected to be used most for categories including toys, electronics, jewelry, and personal care. In an Adobe survey of 5,000U.S. consumers**, over one-third report having used an AI-powered service for online shopping, with top use cases including research (per 53% of respondents), product recommendations (40%), finding deals (36%), and gift inspiration (30%).
- Social influence: Advertising across social media platforms is expected to be a substantial growth driver this holiday season. Its share of online revenue (purchases attributed to social traffic) is expected to rise by 51% YoY—a significant increase from the 2024 season where growth was at 5% YoY. In affiliates and partners—which includes social media influencers—the growth is also notable at 14% YoY. While major channels such as paid search and email continue to be reliable drivers of traffic and sales online, consumers are increasingly turning to social media to discover and learn about new products.
About Adobe
Adobe is changing the world through digital experiences. For more information, visit www.adobe.com.
© 2025 Adobe. All rights reserved. Adobe and the Adobe logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe in
*Per the Digital Commerce 360 Top 500 report (2024)
**Consumer survey fielded from
Disclaimer: The information and analysis in this release have been prepared by
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251006964384/en/
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Source: Adobe