The 2024 Thanksgiving shopping weekend drew 197 million shoppers, marking the second-highest turnout in history, according to a new National Retail Federation (NRF) survey. The robust showing exceeded initial expectations of 183.4 million shoppers, though falling slightly short of last year’s record 200.4 million.
In-store shopping saw a notable uptick, with 126 million consumers visiting brick-and-mortar locations, up from 121.4 million in 2023. Black Friday led the charge with 81.7 million in-store shoppers, reaching its highest level since the pandemic. However, online shopping experienced a decline, with 124.3 million digital shoppers compared to last year’s 134.2 million.
“Thanksgiving weekend retains its prominence among holiday spending events,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay, noting the weekend’s success despite this year’s compressed shopping calendar.
The average shopper spent $235 on holiday gifts, an $8 increase from 2023. Department stores and online retailers tied as the top shopping destinations, each attracting 42% of shoppers. Clothing and accessories emerged as the most popular gift category, purchased by 49% of shoppers.
Mobile shopping showed significant growth during Cyber Monday, with 63% of online shoppers using their mobile devices, the highest percentage since NRF began tracking this metric.
Despite the strong weekend turnout, consumers still have substantial shopping ahead, with 52% of their holiday purchases remaining. The NRF forecasts total holiday spending to reach between $979.5 billion and $989 billion, representing a 2.5% to 3.5% increase over 2023.
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