Black Friday 2020: eCommerce Sites Can Expect a 28% Increase in Online Shopping from 2019

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Emily Carroll Last updated: January 3, 2023

As with most events and gatherings in 2020, Black Friday shopping is predicted to look a little different this year. A recent survey was conducted with 2,000 U.S. consumers to compare changes from the 2019 holiday shopping season to 2020.

These findings can help eCommerce and brick and mortar stores understand what to expect for the busiest shopping day of the year.

Key findings from the Black Friday 2020 Survey included:

Only 16% of U.S. shoppers plan to shop in-person for Black Friday 2020.
There will be a 28% increase in 2020 online Black Friday shopping from 2019.
57% of U.S. shoppers will avoid Black Friday shopping due to health and safety concerns.
For those planning to shop in-person, Walmart, Best Buy, and Target are among the top stores.

In 2019, 1:3 Americans Shopped In-Person for Black Friday

In 2020, 1:6 U.S. Shoppers Plan to Shop In-Person for Black Friday

Comparing Holiday Shopping from 2019 to 2020

Black Friday is possibly the busiest shopping day each year – but with the convenience of online shopping, many have steered away from visiting brick and mortar locations.

In 2019, 93.2 million people made a purchase online during Black Friday. This is larger than the 83.3 million people who shopped online for Cyber Monday.

2020 seems to be no different, as our survey results show a 28% increase in online Black Friday shopping from 2019. Cyber Monday 2020 is also predicted to see increasing revenue with an 18% increase from the previous year.

Comparing 2019 & 2020 U.S. Holiday Shopping

Reasons for Not Going Black Friday Shopping In-Person

Over the past few years, in-person Black Friday shopping has seen a steady decline. Most people would rather do their shopping online from the comfort of their own homes and not have to deal with the mass crowds and long lines.

An added component for the 2020 holiday shopping period is undoubtfully the shifts in consumer behavior due to COVID-19.

Unsurprisingly, health and safety concerns were one of the top reasons why people will avoid in-person Black Friday shopping.

Reasons for Not Going Black Friday Shopping In-Person in 2020

Other reasons U.S. shoppers will stay home on Black Friday 2020 include:

Parking issues: 344 responses (21%)
Financial reasons: 284 responses (17%)
Not enough time: 156 responses (9%)

Top Stores for In-Person 2020 Black Friday Shopping

While only 16% of U.S. shoppers reported they would be participating in Black Friday in-person this year, what brick-and-mortar stores are likely to be the most popular?

The top responses included Walmart, Best Buy, and Target.