Google’s Black Friday Mobile Data

The holiday shopping season has finally kicked into high gear — in online stores and brick-and-mortar alike.

Recent data from Google show that, though customer foot traffic may be on a downward trend the rest of the year, Black Friday brings them back into stores — especially if the store sells electronics, clothing or toys.

Compared to an average weekend day in November, foot traffic into physical stores rose 65 percent on Black Friday. Google’s data found that electronics stores were particularly popular. Their foot traffic increased over 200 percent on Thanksgiving Day and more than tripled on Black Friday.

Shoppers also spent more time than average in-store. Google found that shoppers in electronics stores spent an average between between 35 minutes and one-and-a-half hours on Black Friday compared to 25 minutes on an average weekend day in November. Shopping malls showed a similar increase in visit duration.

In terms of online shopping, Google’s data show that Black Friday had the highest number mobile shopping searches of any day during Thanksgiving week, with Thanksgiving Day coming in a close second with searches peaking at 8 p.m.

Shoppers turned to mobile not only to find the best deals online but also to discover the best deals in-store. Consumers in Rhode Island and Delaware were top in the nation in local shopping searches on Black Friday — searches that contained “near me,” hours and stores. Google’s data found that shoppers continue to turn to mobile devices for gifting ideas and as a “door-to-the-store,” as it were.

Black Friday sales blew past the $3 billion benchmark for the first in history this year. An estimated 56 percent of consumer visits to retail websites during Black Friday were made via mobile devices, and 40 percent of Black Friday sales were completed via mobile. Still, Google’s data goes to show that the physical store isn’t a relic just yet, even if only for a few days each year.