NOVI, Mich. – This year’s Black Friday shopping season is shaping up to shatter records, with nearly 187 million Americans expected to shop between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday.
Retail consultant Cindy Ciura said sales could reach an unprecedented trillion dollars during this period.
“Compared to the last several years, this year is supposed to be just a blockbuster,” Ciura said. “We may reach a $1 trillion in Black Friday sales, which is from beginning on Friday up until Cyber Monday.”
While online shopping continues to grow, about 16% of retail sales still happen in physical stores.
Ciura explained that many shoppers value the in-person experience during the holidays.
“You want to go out, especially during the holidays. It’s fun to go out, hang out with other people, go with your friends,” she said.
Shoppers can expect major discounts on popular tech like TVs, laptops, phones and appliances.
Major retailers, such as Best Buy, started their sales early to spread out the shopping rush and give customers more time to save.
Technology is playing a bigger role in deal hunting this year.
Artificial intelligence tools can now help shoppers find the best bargains and even suggest the best store locations to visit.
“If you ask AI, ‘What are the hottest deals,’ it will give you a whole list of stores,” Ciura said. “It can also tell you geographically where you want to go.”
Despite the convenience of online shopping, it has a high return rate -- about one-third of online purchases are returned because items don’t meet expectations. Shopping in-store reduces that risk and offers immediate gratification.
Financial pressures from inflation and tariffs are adding challenges for holiday shoppers. Finance journalist Roben Farzad noted that rising costs leave less room for luxury purchases.
Experts recommend budgeting strategies like the “one percent rule,” which suggests limiting holiday spending to one percent of annual income.
Nicole Lapin, host of Money Rehab, advised shoppers to limit the number of transactions to avoid overspending.
“The number of swipes or purchases is one of the easiest ways to avoid that quiet buildup of all the micro spending,” she said.
Despite these challenges, experts agree Black Friday and Cyber Monday remain the best times to find genuine deals.
“Black Friday and Cyber Monday is definitely the best time to get deals,” said Tamara Kraus of CNN Underscored. “It’s not a scam.”