NEW YORK (AP) — As the holiday season unfolds amidst a backdrop of economic uncertainty, consumers defied expectations by turning out in droves for Black Friday, spending billions both on the high street and from the comfort of their homes.

According to Adobe Analytics, a leader in tracking e-commerce trends, U.S. shoppers spent an unprecedented $11.8 billion online this Black Friday, representing a notable 9.1% increase from last year’s figures. The online shopping frenzy peaked nationwide between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. local time, with consumers pushing $12.5 million through digital shopping carts every minute during this window.

The online shopping momentum continued from Thanksgiving Day, where U.S. consumers also broke records by spending $6.4 billion online, according to Adobe. Popular categories that saw significant sales spikes over these two days included video game consoles, electronics, and home appliances. Adobe noted that artificial intelligence-driven shopping services and strategic social media advertising played crucial roles in shaping consumer purchasing decisions.

In a broader analysis, Salesforce, a software company, estimated that Black Friday online sales reached $18 billion domestically in the U.S., with a staggering $79 billion recorded globally. Meanwhile, Shopify revealed that its merchants achieved a record-breaking $6.2 billion in global sales on Black Friday. The Canadian e-commerce platform highlighted cosmetics and clothing as the top-selling categories, with sales peaking at a remarkable $5.1 million per minute.

Mastercard SpendingPulse, which monitors both in-store and online transactions, reported a 4.1% increase in overall Black Friday sales, excluding the automotive sector. This indicator, while not adjusted for inflation, showed a robust 10.4% growth in online purchases, contrasted with a modest 1.7% rise in physical store sales.

Michelle Meyer, chief economist at the Mastercard Economics Institute, said consumers are “navigating an uncertain environment” this holiday season “by shopping early, leveraging promotions, and investing in wish-list items.”

Black Friday is far from the sales event that created midnight mall crowds or doorbuster mayhem just decades ago. More and more consumers have instead turned to online deals to make post-Thanksgiving purchases from the comfort of their own homes — or opt to stretch out spending across longer promotions now offered by retailers.

In-store traffic has dwindled over the years. Initial data from RetailNext, which measures real-time foot traffic in physical stores, found that U.S. Black Friday traffic fell 3.6% compared to 2024. Still, the firm noted that was “notably better” than a sharper 6.2% decline it saw in the days leading up to Thanksgiving.

Sensormatic Solutions, which also tracks store traffic, found that in-store retail visits dipped 2.1% — but said that was in line with expectations and trends already seen this year. Traffic over the week of Black Friday was up nearly 57% compared to the week prior, per Sensormatic.

“Black Friday has really turned into like a full week event, or even further,” said Grant Gustafson, head of retail consulting and analytics at Sensormatic Solutions. And “Black Friday is really the start of just a really and critical stretch for retailers,” he added — noting that the weekend following Thanksgiving, as well as the days leading up to Christmas next month, will also be some of the busiest in terms of in-store traffic.

Meanwhile, in terms of e-commerce, Adobe expects U.S. shoppers to spend another $5.5 billion Saturday and $5.9 billion on Sunday — before reaching an estimated $14.2 billion peak on Cyber Monday, which would mark yet another record.

Still, rising prices could be contributing to some of those numbers. U.S. President Donald Trump’s barrage of tariffs on foreign imports have strained businesses and households alike over the last year. And despite spending more overall, Salesforce found U.S. shoppers purchased fewer items at checkout on Black Friday (down 2% from last year). Order volumes also slipped 1%, the firm noted, as average selling prices climbed 7%.

This year’s holiday spending rush arrives amid heightened economic uncertainty for consumers. Beyond tariffs, workers across public and private sectors are also struggling with anxieties over job security — amid both corporate layoffs and the after-effects of the 43-day government shutdown.

An uptick in budget-conscious behavior can also be seen in store traffic. While Sensormatic doesn’t track spending, “we do track consumer footsteps,” Gustafson notes — and “consumers are thinking a little bit harder about their purchases” this year, he explains, “to make sure that they’re getting their very best deals.”

For the November-December holiday season overall, the National Retail Federation estimates U.S. shoppers will spend more than $1 trillion for the first time this year. But the rate of growth is slowing — with an anticipated increase of 3.7% to 4.2% year over year, compared to 4.3% in 2024’s holiday season.

At the same time, credit card debt and delinquencies on other short-term loans have been rising. And more and more shoppers are turning to “buy now, pay later” plans, which allows them to delay payments on holiday decor, gifts and other items.