Black Friday Sales Accelerate With Online a Bright Spot

  • Retail sales grew 3.4% while in-store purchases were up 0.7%
  • US consumers are seeking bargains after the bite of inflation
A shopper carries a Target bag on Black Friday in the Union Square area of San Francisco on Nov. 29.Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg
Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

Black Friday sales grew at a faster pace in the US this year, underscoring that choosy consumers are still opening their wallets when they find the right products.

Retail sales, excluding automotive, grew 3.4% on the day after Thanksgiving, the traditional start of the holiday shopping season, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse. That figure outpaced growth last year and is not adjusted for inflation.