Salesforce noted that the integration of AI features in retail has facilitated smoother purchasing and returning processes, enhancing the overall shopping experience.

The data analyzed by Adobe was based on the activity of 1.5 billion consumers across more than 89 countries, providing a comprehensive view of e-commerce trends.

During the 2024 holiday season, online spending surged by 8.7% compared to the previous year, reaching a total of $241.4 billion from early November to the end of December, as reported by Adobe Analytics.

Key factors driving this increase included a shorter holiday shopping period, extensive discounts, and early promotions from major retailers like Walmart and Target.

Discounts played a significant role in influencing consumer behavior, with many shoppers drawn to electronics and toys, which saw reductions of up to 30%.

Electronics, apparel, and home goods made up over half of the online spending, with notable year-over-year growth in groceries and cosmetics as well.

The impact of AI tools was significant, contributing to 19% of global online orders by enhancing customer interactions through product recommendations and targeted offers.

Mobile shopping continued to dominate, with smartphones accounting for 54.5% of online transactions, a notable increase from 51.1% in 2023.

Despite a slowdown in the labor market, the unemployment rate remains low at 4.2%, indicating a resilient economy that supports consumer spending.

On Christmas Day alone, mobile orders peaked, making up 79% of all orders, which contributed to a staggering $842 billion in global sales.

Despite the rise in traffic from AI assistants, their overall contribution to consumer arrivals at retail sites remained modest, as shoppers primarily accessed links shared by chatbots.

However, high return rates emerged as a concern, with consumers returning $122 billion worth of merchandise, reflecting a 28% increase compared to the previous year.