Adobe updated on Friday that it saw an uptick in large purchases for the home on Thanksgiving, as well as video games and electronics. Online sales rose by 740% in video game consoles in comparison to just average spending in October. Other high-ticket items that saw a pop included refrigerators and freezers (up 720%), exercise equipment (up 640%), washers and dryers (up 640%), headphones and speakers (up 630%), televisions (up 580%), home security products (up 570%), power tools (up 470%), smartwatches (up 450%), smart home items (up 400%), and vacuum cleaners (up 400%).
If the big-ticket purchasing trends hold through Cyber Monday, the holiday shopping season may go better than anticipated for many retailers.
The top-selling toys included Fisher-Price Little People, LEGO sets, Mini Brand Capsules, Hot Wheels playsets, Squishmallows, Paw Patrol toys and action figures, Ms. Rachel learning toys, Play-Doh activity sets, Pokémon trading cards, and Disney princess dolls and dress-up sets. Top selling gaming consoles included Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation Portal, while top-selling games included Donkey Kong Bananza, Elden Ring: Nightreign, Madden NFL 26, NBA 2k26, and MLB: The Show 25.
Discounting was heavier than a year ago, which could impact margins for consumer companies. However, the use of agentic AI by retailers to convert sales may have been a positive on the margin front.
Overall, consumers spent a record $6.4 billion online on Thanksgiving, according to Adobe. The 5.3% year-over-year pace was slightly ahead of Adobe’s initial forecast for 4.9% growth. For Black Friday, Adobe expects consumers will spend a record $11.7 billion online, up 8.3% from a year ago. This growth is expected to outpace Cyber Monday ($14.2 billion, up 6.3% Y/Y) as shoppers embrace early deals.