Bumper Black Friday Sees Jump in Purchases via Mobiles
US shoppers were out in force following Thanksgiving, driving strong sales on ‘Black Friday’ which this year fell on 23 November, according to initial reports from retailers and payment companies.
IBM said that total online sales saw a 20.7% increase in spending from last year, while eBay-owned PayPal reported that Black Friday global mobile payments volume was up 193% from 2011. eBay also reported a major increase in transactions, with total mobile volume in the US up 153% and GSI Commerce saw a 198% jump in mobile sales.
PayPal spokesperson Anuj Nayar said that the group believed that this is year marks when holiday shopping on mobile devices has gone mainstream. Shoppers in Houston made the most purchases via PayPal using mobile phones, taking over the top position held by New York City for the previous three years.
For Thanksgiving, eBay recorded a 133% increase in mobile volume transacted; and PayPal saw a 173% rise. While more shoppers resorted to their phones and tablets for sales on Thanksgiving, the figures suggest that consumers may also have decided to forgo the malls and stores for mobile shopping on Black Friday also.
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