Americans to spend more than $500 on Black Friday, Covid-19 pushes shoppers online

About 42% of Americans plan to spend over $500 during Black Friday shopping on November 27, as online spending will increase because of coronavirus restrictions.

The spending is spread across different categories, and electronics account for the most popular category, data presented by Stock Apps indicates.

Beyond the 42% of Americans, about 8% will spend over $2,000 on Black Friday shopping, while 10% will spend between $1501-$1500. About 14% will spend in the range of $501-1000.

Elsewhere, about 16% will spend between $301 and $500, while the remaining 25% have not decided yet.

The research also enquired about how this year’s Black Friday budget will vary compared to 2019.

A majority of 28% will retain their budget like last year, while 20% will scale down their spending compared to last year’s Black Friday shopping season. Another 20% of Americans plan to increase their budget from last year’s figures.

About 17% of Americans plan to significantly lower their budget from last year, while the remaining 15% have yet to decide.

In terms of product categories, 28% will be shopping for electronics like mobile phones, computers, music, and gaming. Another 16% will splash their money on appliances and 15% will go to clothes, fashion and accessories. Toys, games and books will account for 13%, while 9% will go to home and kitchen appliances.

The coronavirus pandemic is predicted to impact this year’s Black Friday shopping.

“The pandemic has led to the acceleration of online shopping, a deviation from the previous norm,” the research report said.

“Most shoppers used Black Friday for any in-person shopping experience: trying on clothes and seeing products in person before purchasing them. This year’s trend will highly change as e-commerce becomes a centre of focus.”

The new trend has forced many retailers to move their operations online.