While Black Friday was originally conceived by brick-and-mortar retailers who tried to lure turkey-fed holiday shoppers in with the best offers, this year’s Thanksgiving weekend will likely look much different to previous ones. As the coronavirus continues to spread across the nation, millions of Americans are all but certain to skip the crowds this year and instead hunt for the best deals in the safety of their homes.
According to Deloitte’s annual Holiday Retail Survey, the pandemic will likely accelerate a broader trend towards online shopping during the holiday season, as consumers expect to spend only 28 percent of their holiday budget on brick-and-mortar stores this year. That’s down from 36 percent last year and 46 percent in 2015, all while the online share of holiday spending has risen from 28 to 46 percent since 2015.
This chart shows how Americans expect to spend their holiday budget across different channels.
