Black Friday By the Numbers, 2024–In Store vs. Online-And Regret?

A number of years ago, when the internet was really exploding with online shopping, some retail experts predicted the brick-and-mortar stores would eventually see an end to Black Friday. Has that happened?

  Black Friday in-store shopping has rebounded

Sadly, we measure a lot of activity in the US by pre-and-post COVID. But that aside, in-store shopping on Black Friday has rebounded over the last five years. While the numbers are not near what they were, there are still a lot of folks who go out.

In 2019, the National Retail Foundation estimated 151 million Americans would make at least one purchase in a store on Black Friday.  This year, 2024, that number is expected to be around 130 million.

As for online purchases, retailers are seeing a lot more online purchases on Friday, the National Retail Foundation says about 52 million are expected to make at least one online purchase on November 29th this year.

However, we've seen the last few years that Black Friday deals are not confined to just that Friday. Stores have been running Black Friday specials since the first week of November. But some of the biggest savings are still reserved for Friday events.

  Is Cyber Monday bigger?

What was once believed to eventually eclipse Black Friday, Cyber Monday still sees millions of online shoppers. However, the Retail Foundation says while 131 million will shop on Black Friday, the Cyber Monday numbers are expected to 'only' be about 72 million.

Like Black Friday, Cyber Monday specials are now doled out over much of November and December, so it's diluted the big day. But overall, we are spending more and more each year on the Christmas holiday, even if totals are not rising rapidly. Our spending is just spread out more.

As for consumer regret, according to the website WiserNotify.com, studies show that 2 in 5 Black Friday shoppers, or a sizeable 42 percent, later regret what they bought on that day.