Turns out consumers still love a good deal, even when economic headlines suggest they should be nervous. Global shoppers pushed online spending up 7.9% on Thanksgiving to an estimated $13.1 billion by Thursday afternoon, according to Salesforce data. By day's end, digital sales worldwide were expected to hit $36 billion, delivering a surprisingly strong start to the 2025 holiday shopping season.

American Shoppers Show Up Despite the Worry

U.S. consumers proved resilient, with online spending running 5.8% higher than last year by 2 p.m. ET on Thanksgiving, reaching $2.6 billion. Salesforce projected full-day domestic sales would climb 6% to $8.6 billion, fueled by aggressive promotions designed to combat tariff-driven cost pressures and shaky consumer confidence.

The story here is about value hunting. Despite economic uncertainty and elevated import costs tied to U.S. trade policy, cash-strapped shoppers are still chasing deals to maximize their budgets, particularly in electronics, apparel, and seasonal gifts.

But don't mistake one strong day for a roaring season. Forecasters expect a more subdued holiday period overall, with value-seeking behavior dominating. Salesforce's September outlook called for U.S. online holiday sales from November 1 through December 31 to rise just 2.1%, down from last year's 4% growth rate.

Now all eyes shift to Black Friday, where Salesforce expects $78 billion in global online sales and $18 billion domestically, positioning it as the year's biggest digital shopping day.