Black Friday Sales Tick Up Amid ‘Uncertain Environment’

American consumers upped their spending slightly during Black Friday amid an uncertain economic landscape.

That’s according to preliminary insights from Mastercard SpendingPulse issued Saturday (Nov. 29), showing a 4.11% increase in retail spending on Black Friday (Nov. 28) compared to the same day in 2024. The figure is not adjusted for inflation, which currently stands at 3%,

“Consumers are showing incredible savviness this season. They’re navigating an uncertain environment by shopping early, leveraging promotions, and investing in wish-list items,” Michelle Meyer, chief economist at the Mastercard Economics Institute, said in a news release.

This year saw increased spending on categories such as apparel (6.1% online and 5.4% in-store) and jewelry 2.75%, as well as a 4.5% increase on restaurant meals. Overall, eCommerce sales jumped 10.4%, the report said, compared to just 1.7% for in-store sales.

“As online sales soar, so do opportunities for fraud,” the release added. “Mastercard research shows that 72% of consumers shop on unfamiliar websites, even though 1 in 4 claim to avoid them.”

The largest red flags, Mastercard said, include prices that seem too good to be true (52%), poor grammar or spelling (48%), and requests for unnecessary personal information (49%). The research found that close to 20% of shoppers have had items that never arrived, while 16% have received counterfeit goods in earlier seasons.

PYMNTS examined the threat of holiday-shopping related scams in a report last week, noting an alert from the Better Business Bureau that marketplace and eCommerce scams tend to spike ahead of the holidays.

Fraudsters create fake listings and seller profiles and depend on shoppers’ eagerness to buy before deals expire. This time of year also sees an increase in the impersonation of delivery companies and customer support, letting criminals blend into legitimate marketplace workflows.

“The combination of higher digital spending and heightened price sensitivity is ideal for scammers,” PYMNTS wrote. “Shoppers looking for lower prices often try unfamiliar sites, pursue last minute deals and move fast when inventory appears limited. Holiday expectations of quick replies and fast transaction resolution give fraudsters an opening to mimic legitimate sellers and accelerate the payment process.”

PYMNTS Intelligence research has shown that scammers increasingly tailor their approaches to individual vulnerabilities. The report, produced with Featurespace, found that 30% of American consumers, or roughly 77 million people, lost money to a scam in the previous five years, with most losing upwards of $500 and many losing thousands.