A record number of U.S. adults (57 percent) shopped online or planned to last week to catch Black Friday week sales. The number of mobile (smartphone and tablet) users quickly approached the number who used a desktop or laptop computer.
Nearly 62 million people bought or planned to buy tech and many will do so in brick-and-mortar stores, according to data released by the Consumer Technology Association. CTA Economist Shawn DuBravac calls the 2016 holiday season a “tipping point” for mobile shopping.
“Consumers are shifting increasingly to mobile shopping, due to higher ownership rates of mobile devices and increasing ease, comfort and convenience,” says DuBravac. Yet shopping in-store for tech remains important as consumers still want to touch and feel a product, he says.
Nearly 136 million American adults shopped or planned to last week, a six percent increase over last year. The top three tech purchases were: televisions, tablets and smartphones.
Emerging tech, like drones, had a breakout year. These nascent devices, “including digital assistant devices, virtual reality and drones, landed on the front page of retailers’ Black Friday ads — and shoppers’ baskets — for the first time this year,” says DuBravac.
CTA predicts overall holiday tech spending will increase just over three percent to reach over $36 billion in 2016 sales.
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