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Cyber Week 2025 didn\u2019t feel frantic \u2014 it felt unusually focused. Shoppers arrived confident, prepared and clear about what they wanted because promotions were more transparent, discovery was cleaner and deal visibility began earlier than ever. That clarity rewarded brands that offered frictionless experiences \u2014 and penalized those that didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
According to Adobe Analytics, U.S. shoppers spent $11.8 billion on Black Friday, up 9.1% year over year. Average order values climbed to $117.93, a sign that consumers were buying with intention rather than chasing the steepest discounts. It wasn\u2019t an exuberant season, but it was a decisive one \u2014 and that decisiveness is the clearest signal for the year ahead.<\/p>\n
Experience, Not Economics, Drove Growth<\/strong><\/h3>\nDespite inflation pressures, tariff uncertainty and mixed macroeconomic indicators, consumers spent more than expected. NRF projected holiday retail growth of 3.7%\u20134.2%, yet Cyber Week online sales delivered closer to 7.7% growth year over year, bringing in $44.2 billion.<\/p>\n
What changed wasn\u2019t consumers\u2019 financial reality \u2014 it was the shopping experience<\/em>. Retailers made it easier for shoppers to feel confident in their choices: promotions were clearer, product discovery was cleaner and checkout felt more trustworthy. Those improvements reduced the hesitation that typically accompanies economic uncertainty.<\/p>\nSalesforce data shows retailers sold 1% fewer units<\/strong>, yet saw a 4.5% increase in AOV<\/strong>, with categories like footwear, furniture and luxury leading growth. This shift reflects a more intentional mindset: when shoppers clearly understand the value and trust the experience, they are willing to spend more on fewer, better-quality items.<\/p>\nPut simply, shoppers didn\u2019t ignore the economy \u2014 the improved experience helped them overcome it.<\/p>\n
Cyber Week Became a Full-Week Event<\/strong><\/h3>\nOne of the most defining shifts this year was that shoppers didn\u2019t wait for Friday. They spent steadily across the entire week because promotions were clear, consistent and visible early.<\/p>\n
Salesforce reported that Tuesday (+7%), Wednesday (+8%), Saturday (+7%), and Sunday (+8%) all outpaced Black Friday\u2019s 6% growth. Social channels also amplified early demand: TikTok referrals rose 62% and Instagram referrals rose 60% as shoppers acted on early content rather than waiting for traditional milestones.<\/p>\n
Brands that maintained that early momentum saw the strongest results. Anthropologie, for example, performed consistently across all seven days by keeping promotions predictable, inventory signals accurate and personalization steady. Urban Outfitters benefited in a similar way by using curated drops and early recommendations that reduced uncertainty before the weekend even began.<\/p>\n
Cyber Week is no longer a flash sale \u2014 it\u2019s a full-week strategy.<\/p>\n
AI Reshaped How Shoppers Discover and Decide<\/strong><\/h3>\nIf 2024 was the year retailers talked about AI, 2025 was the year shoppers fully embraced it. AI became a core part of how consumers compared options, validated choices and moved from interest to purchase with greater confidence. Industry analyses reflected this shift, with Adobe noting AI-driven traffic rose more than 805% year over year and Salesforce estimating that AI-powered shopping journeys influenced roughly $14.2 billion in global online sales during Cyber Week.<\/p>\n
This acceleration pushed the buying journey from traditional navigation into natural-language conversational discovery. Shoppers increasingly articulated intent directly \u2014 I need waterproof trail shoes for winter<\/em> or Show me gifts under $50<\/em> \u2014 and expected curated, high-confidence answers rather than pages of filters. Retailers that could interpret that intent and return precise results saw a meaningful lift.<\/p>\nFeedonomics \u2014 Commerce\u2019s product feed optimization platform \u2014 saw this trend play out across its customer base. On Running benefitted from agents that understood terrain- and fit-specific queries, guiding shoppers instantly to the right products. Patagonia experienced similar momentum as sustainability-focused questions outperformed generic search, elevating items built with recycled or repairable materials.<\/p>\n
Brands already are preparing for the next phase of this shift. Brompton, for example, is designing prompt-style recommendations that factor terrain, route type and rider profile \u2014 delivering the kind of conversational guidance shoppers now expect.<\/p>\n
AI is no longer an add-on. It is actively redefining how shoppers discover, evaluate and choose \u2014 and in 2026, the brands that optimize their product data and experiences for AI-led interactions, not traditional navigation, will pull ahead.<\/p>\n
Checkout, Not Traffic, Determined Winners<\/strong><\/h3>\nWhile AI shaped discovery, checkout determined who captured demand. Mobile dominated traffic, social accounted for 14% of visits and wallet-led checkout (Apple Pay, Google Wallet, PayPal Fastlane, among others) remained the highest-converting pathway across Salesforce\u2019s data.<\/p>\n
Coldwater Creek, a women\u2019s apparel and lifestyle brand, improved completion rates simply by leading with digital wallets and removing unnecessary friction \u2014 a small decision with a major impact.<\/p>\n
Commerce merchants outperformed broader market averages because of two strengths: discoverability and frictionless buying. Rich product feeds helped their items surface across AI-driven environments, while unified inventory and wallet-ready checkout removed barriers once shoppers decided to buy.<\/p>\n
Saddleback Leather is a strong example. Its detailed product data \u2014 from materials to craftsmanship \u2014 helped both AI agents and human shoppers trust what they were seeing, improving both visibility and conversion.<\/p>\n
Five Things Merchants Must Do Differently Next Year<\/strong><\/h3>\nShoppers didn\u2019t just shop differently this year \u2014 they decided differently. That shift reveals where retailers must focus in 2026.<\/p>\n
1. Add prompt-style calls to action \u2014 and begin testing them now.<\/strong><\/p>\nShoppers and AI assistants communicate in natural language. CTAs like find my fit<\/em>, recommend similar items<\/em>, and show me gifts under $50<\/em> align with how intent is expressed today.
Start now:<\/strong> Test conversational CTAs on high-intent pages to identify which formats reduce decision-making friction.<\/p>\n2. Lead with wallets \u2014 and turn on every major option.<\/strong><\/p>\nWith 80% of traffic on mobile, trust and speed depend on Apple Pay, Google Wallet, PayPal Fastlane and other leading digital wallet options.
Start now:<\/strong> Enable every major mobile wallet and measure its impact on conversion.<\/p>\n3. Enrich product data for agentic commerce \u2014 starting with your feed.<\/strong><\/p>\nAI can only recommend what it understands. Attributes such as materials, fit, certifications, sustainability details and compatibility determine your visibility across AI-driven discovery.
Start now: <\/strong>Leverage platforms like Feedonomics to clean and enrich product feeds so AI agents can interpret your catalog accurately.<\/p>\n4. Rewrite product descriptions for intent using natural language today.<\/strong><\/p>\nGeneric copy won\u2019t perform in an AI-first world. Descriptions should reflect the way shoppers phrase needs: best for cold-weather runs<\/em>, ideal for sensitive skin<\/em>, perfect for small spaces<\/em>.
Start now:<\/strong> Update PDPs with use-case-driven language to improve both AI interpretation and shopper confidence.<\/p>\n5. Build for a full-week strategy \u2014 supported by stronger recommendations.<\/strong><\/p>\nCyber Week outperformed Black Friday across multiple days. Promotions, inventory planning and on-site experiences must span all seven days.
Start now:<\/strong> Optimize recommendation engines for intent-based discovery so early-week visitors immediately see relevant products.<\/p>\nThe Road to 2026<\/strong><\/h3>\nThe retailers that prepare their data, their language and their checkout experience for how shoppers behave today \u2014 not how they behaved five years ago \u2014 will define the winners of Cyber Week 2026. The brands that succeed won\u2019t be the ones with the deepest discounts, but the ones that create the clearest, most confident path from discovery to purchase in an AI-powered world.<\/p>\n
\nAl Williams, General Manager of B2C at <\/em>Commerce<\/em>, is a seasoned ecommerce executive with over a decade of experience driving growth in the B2C space, supporting both leading brands and SaaS platforms. A recognized industry veteran, she has partnered with hundreds of brands and retailers across diverse verticals, delivering complex digital architectures and impactful site experiences that accelerate business performance and growth. Williams specializes in crafting and executing go-to-market strategies that optimize customer engagement and drive sustainable growth, leveraging her deep expertise to align technology solutions with strategic business objectives.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Salesforce data shows retailers sold 1% fewer units<\/strong>, yet saw a 4.5% increase in AOV<\/strong>, with categories like footwear, furniture and luxury leading growth. This shift reflects a more intentional mindset: when shoppers clearly understand the value and trust the experience, they are willing to spend more on fewer, better-quality items.<\/p>\n Put simply, shoppers didn\u2019t ignore the economy \u2014 the improved experience helped them overcome it.<\/p>\n One of the most defining shifts this year was that shoppers didn\u2019t wait for Friday. They spent steadily across the entire week because promotions were clear, consistent and visible early.<\/p>\n Salesforce reported that Tuesday (+7%), Wednesday (+8%), Saturday (+7%), and Sunday (+8%) all outpaced Black Friday\u2019s 6% growth. Social channels also amplified early demand: TikTok referrals rose 62% and Instagram referrals rose 60% as shoppers acted on early content rather than waiting for traditional milestones.<\/p>\n Brands that maintained that early momentum saw the strongest results. Anthropologie, for example, performed consistently across all seven days by keeping promotions predictable, inventory signals accurate and personalization steady. Urban Outfitters benefited in a similar way by using curated drops and early recommendations that reduced uncertainty before the weekend even began.<\/p>\n Cyber Week is no longer a flash sale \u2014 it\u2019s a full-week strategy.<\/p>\n If 2024 was the year retailers talked about AI, 2025 was the year shoppers fully embraced it. AI became a core part of how consumers compared options, validated choices and moved from interest to purchase with greater confidence. Industry analyses reflected this shift, with Adobe noting AI-driven traffic rose more than 805% year over year and Salesforce estimating that AI-powered shopping journeys influenced roughly $14.2 billion in global online sales during Cyber Week.<\/p>\n This acceleration pushed the buying journey from traditional navigation into natural-language conversational discovery. Shoppers increasingly articulated intent directly \u2014 I need waterproof trail shoes for winter<\/em> or Show me gifts under $50<\/em> \u2014 and expected curated, high-confidence answers rather than pages of filters. Retailers that could interpret that intent and return precise results saw a meaningful lift.<\/p>\n Feedonomics \u2014 Commerce\u2019s product feed optimization platform \u2014 saw this trend play out across its customer base. On Running benefitted from agents that understood terrain- and fit-specific queries, guiding shoppers instantly to the right products. Patagonia experienced similar momentum as sustainability-focused questions outperformed generic search, elevating items built with recycled or repairable materials.<\/p>\n Brands already are preparing for the next phase of this shift. Brompton, for example, is designing prompt-style recommendations that factor terrain, route type and rider profile \u2014 delivering the kind of conversational guidance shoppers now expect.<\/p>\n AI is no longer an add-on. It is actively redefining how shoppers discover, evaluate and choose \u2014 and in 2026, the brands that optimize their product data and experiences for AI-led interactions, not traditional navigation, will pull ahead.<\/p>\n While AI shaped discovery, checkout determined who captured demand. Mobile dominated traffic, social accounted for 14% of visits and wallet-led checkout (Apple Pay, Google Wallet, PayPal Fastlane, among others) remained the highest-converting pathway across Salesforce\u2019s data.<\/p>\n Coldwater Creek, a women\u2019s apparel and lifestyle brand, improved completion rates simply by leading with digital wallets and removing unnecessary friction \u2014 a small decision with a major impact.<\/p>\n Commerce merchants outperformed broader market averages because of two strengths: discoverability and frictionless buying. Rich product feeds helped their items surface across AI-driven environments, while unified inventory and wallet-ready checkout removed barriers once shoppers decided to buy.<\/p>\n Saddleback Leather is a strong example. Its detailed product data \u2014 from materials to craftsmanship \u2014 helped both AI agents and human shoppers trust what they were seeing, improving both visibility and conversion.<\/p>\n Shoppers didn\u2019t just shop differently this year \u2014 they decided differently. That shift reveals where retailers must focus in 2026.<\/p>\n 1. Add prompt-style calls to action \u2014 and begin testing them now.<\/strong><\/p>\n Shoppers and AI assistants communicate in natural language. CTAs like find my fit<\/em>, recommend similar items<\/em>, and show me gifts under $50<\/em> align with how intent is expressed today. 2. Lead with wallets \u2014 and turn on every major option.<\/strong><\/p>\n With 80% of traffic on mobile, trust and speed depend on Apple Pay, Google Wallet, PayPal Fastlane and other leading digital wallet options. 3. Enrich product data for agentic commerce \u2014 starting with your feed.<\/strong><\/p>\n AI can only recommend what it understands. Attributes such as materials, fit, certifications, sustainability details and compatibility determine your visibility across AI-driven discovery. 4. Rewrite product descriptions for intent using natural language today.<\/strong><\/p>\n Generic copy won\u2019t perform in an AI-first world. Descriptions should reflect the way shoppers phrase needs: best for cold-weather runs<\/em>, ideal for sensitive skin<\/em>, perfect for small spaces<\/em>. 5. Build for a full-week strategy \u2014 supported by stronger recommendations.<\/strong><\/p>\n Cyber Week outperformed Black Friday across multiple days. Promotions, inventory planning and on-site experiences must span all seven days. The retailers that prepare their data, their language and their checkout experience for how shoppers behave today \u2014 not how they behaved five years ago \u2014 will define the winners of Cyber Week 2026. The brands that succeed won\u2019t be the ones with the deepest discounts, but the ones that create the clearest, most confident path from discovery to purchase in an AI-powered world.<\/p>\n Al Williams, General Manager of B2C at <\/em>Commerce<\/em>, is a seasoned ecommerce executive with over a decade of experience driving growth in the B2C space, supporting both leading brands and SaaS platforms. A recognized industry veteran, she has partnered with hundreds of brands and retailers across diverse verticals, delivering complex digital architectures and impactful site experiences that accelerate business performance and growth. Williams specializes in crafting and executing go-to-market strategies that optimize customer engagement and drive sustainable growth, leveraging her deep expertise to align technology solutions with strategic business objectives.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nCyber Week Became a Full-Week Event<\/strong><\/h3>\n
AI Reshaped How Shoppers Discover and Decide<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Checkout, Not Traffic, Determined Winners<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Five Things Merchants Must Do Differently Next Year<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Start now:<\/strong> Test conversational CTAs on high-intent pages to identify which formats reduce decision-making friction.<\/p>\n
Start now:<\/strong> Enable every major mobile wallet and measure its impact on conversion.<\/p>\n
Start now: <\/strong>Leverage platforms like Feedonomics to clean and enrich product feeds so AI agents can interpret your catalog accurately.<\/p>\n
Start now:<\/strong> Update PDPs with use-case-driven language to improve both AI interpretation and shopper confidence.<\/p>\n
Start now:<\/strong> Optimize recommendation engines for intent-based discovery so early-week visitors immediately see relevant products.<\/p>\nThe Road to 2026<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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