Black Friday is getting longer and online is winning. Over 6 out of 10 purchases are made on the web and this year Italians will spend more than 2 billion euros, with some sellers making even 10 times the turnover of an average day, double compared to 2023. Estimates from the eCommerce Observatory B2c Netcomm – School of Management of the Polytechnic of Milan add that all this happens over a period that has slowly expanded from year to year. Purchases for Black Friday and Cyber Monday (this year November 29th and December 2nd) now last 10 days, including the weekend before the actual one. Help for the shopping boom.
Almost two out of three Italians (67.2%) will participate in Black Friday 2024. An increase compared to 60% in 2023. The average budget per person is 261 euros, a figure increasing compared to previous years, with a strong participation of women and adults under 50, especially in Northern Italy. The best sales performances are expected for clothing, cosmetics, food and wine, toys and IT. The travel and experiences sector is also seeing growing participation. However, there is a decline in electronics sales (-14% compared to 2023), a figure that reflects the change in consumption priorities.
Physical stores, while maintaining a significant share, are increasingly giving up ground to online purchases, which represent over 60% of total sales. Many highlight the risk of “cannibalization” of sales in physical stores, even if many traditional retailers manage to benefit from the general increase in consumption.
The hyperconsumerism linked to Black Friday also raises increasing concerns on the environmental front. It is estimated that 38 million parcels will be in circulation in Italy in the next few days, an increase of 13% compared to last year. The impact of packaging and returns raises a sustainability issue for the sector.
Globally, Black Friday generates more than $900 billion in revenue, with e-commerce driving the growth. In the United States, online purchases reach $9 billion in a single day, plus sales in physical stores total over $30 billion over the weekend. In Europe, the United Kingdom tops the list with sales of more than £9 billion. Germany follows with 4 billion euros
