Summer Black Friday Splurge Propels U.S. Online Sales to Record Heights

12 July 2025

photo: wix

Between July 8 and 11, U.S. shoppers delivered a jaw-dropping $24.1 billion in online purchases in what has been dubbed a “summer Black Friday,” smashing past Adobe’s predicted $23.8 billion and achieving 30.3 percent year-over-year growth compared to last year’s 11 percent increase. Mega-retailers including Amazon, Walmart, Target and Best Buy extended aggressive promotions, enticing consumers to stock up on back-to-school items and splurge on pricier electronics and apparel. Prime Day alone became a marathon of deals, stretched to a full 96 hours, powering the surge.

Average discounts spanned 11 to 24 percent across categories, with apparel commanding the steepest markdowns at 24 percent, up from 20 percent a year ago, and electronics close behind at 23 percent. These savings encouraged shoppers to trade up and treat themselves, turning planned purchases into upgraded splurges.

A defining shift in consumer habits emerged through mobile activity. Smartphones accounted for 53.2 percent of sales, exceeding the 52.5 percent Adobe forecast, signaling that mobile commerce has matured from convenience to cornerstone of big-ticket retail events.

Despite economic headwinds, tariff-driven uncertainty from U.S. trade policy and looming renegotiations set to wrap by August 1, retailers harnessed the power of timely discounts and smart scheduling to motivate hesitant consumers. Major promotions coincided with rising global trade tensions, providing a welcome nudge for buyers to spend while prices were at their lowest.

More than just staggering in scale, this surge redefined consumer behavior. The expanded sale window appeared to foreground strategy over spontaneity, shoppers researched, compared, and then committed to purchases during the final deal days. Analysts noted a breakdown of typical rush patterns and suggested this could set a new standard for how seasonal events are structured and consumed.

Retailers also benefitted from cross-platform momentum. The wave extended beyond Amazon, with advertisers like Walmart and Target capitalizing on heightened consumer interest to boost their own visibility and margins. Brands offering appliances, electronics and apparel benefited the most, leveraging the promotional buzz to push higher-margin, higher-value items.

This summer spectacle signals that seasonal shopping is evolving into multi-day, multi-platform experiences powered by savvy digital strategies and consumer psychology. Mobile-first interfaces, longer deal cycles, and aggressive pricing are blending to form a new blueprint for retail surges, even without traditional holiday calendars.