U.S. Thanksgiving Online Sales Set to Rise 6% as Shoppers Chase Big Discounts

Post by : Saif Nasser

Online shopping in the United States is off to a strong start this Thanksgiving, even as many families and businesses face economic uncertainty. New data from Salesforce shows that Thanksgiving Day online sales are expected to rise by 6% compared with last year, hitting a total of $8.6 billion. This suggests that American shoppers are still ready to spend, especially when retailers offer large discounts.

By 2 p.m. Eastern Time, shoppers had already spent $2.6 billion online, which is 5.8% more than they had spent at the same time last year. Many people appear to be taking advantage of early holiday deals, especially since prices of imported goods have gone up because of President Donald Trump’s tariffs. These tariffs have created extra pressure on both consumers and retailers, making discounts even more attractive.

Thanksgiving and Black Friday are important days in the U.S. retail calendar. Together, they mark the start of the holiday shopping season, a period that brings in nearly one-third of many retailers’ yearly profits. Despite economic concerns, shoppers are showing strong interest in buying electronics, clothing, and gifts when the prices are reduced.

Retailers across the country are reporting good demand. Best Buy said its discounted laptops, computers, and smartphones are selling well. Clothing brands like Gap and Abercrombie & Fitch also said customers are responding positively to holiday offers. Even though many forecasts predicted a weaker holiday season, promotions are proving to be a major factor in keeping sales stable.

Salesforce’s global figures show that online shopping is not just strong in the U.S. but also worldwide. By Thursday, global spending had already reached $13.1 billion. Total online sales around the world are expected to reach $36 billion by the end of Thanksgiving Day.

Black Friday, which follows Thanksgiving, is traditionally the biggest day for online shopping each year. Salesforce expects global online sales on Black Friday to hit $78 billion, with $18 billion coming from the United States alone. Retailers are preparing for heavy website traffic as millions of shoppers search for the best deals.

Even though Thanksgiving Day sales are rising, overall holiday spending growth for the season is expected to be slower. Salesforce predicted in September that U.S. online holiday sales between November 1 and December 31 would grow by only 2.1%, reaching $288 billion. This is lower than last year’s growth of 4%. The slowdown reflects wider economic challenges, but the strong Thanksgiving sales show that discounts still have power to motivate buyers.

This year’s early numbers suggest that Americans continue to adapt their shopping habits. Even when economic confidence is low, shoppers are waiting for holidays to grab the best possible deals. Retailers, aware of this trend, are offering deeper discounts in hopes of keeping sales high during a difficult economic period.

Thanksgiving 2025 has made it clear that the digital marketplace remains strong, and as Black Friday approaches, retailers expect even higher levels of spending.