Enticed by early holiday deals, U.S. consumers spent $88.7 billion online in October, up 8.2 percent year-over-year, according to Adobe’s latest Analytics e-commerce data for the month.

Mobile drove the majority of online spend, with a 51.4 percent share ($45.6 billion, up 11.6 percent year-over-year), compared to desktop shopping. Additionally, ‘Buy Now Pay Later’ drove $7.1 billion in spend (up 7.6 percent year-over-year), as consumers looked for greater flexibility in managing their budgets.

Online spending spiked on October 7 and 8 during Amazon’s Prime Day event, when discounts were offered broadly across U.S. retailers. During those two days, consumers spent $9.1 billion online, up 7.3 percent year-over-year, driven in part by competitive discounts that reached a peak of 18 percent off the listed price.

Outerwear was a popular category (up 38 percent compared to an average spend level in September) as consumers prepped for the upcoming winter season. Holiday décor was a popular purchase, with online sales rising 130 percent compared to the average spend level in September, as well as items for the home.

Online sales of hand tools rose 83 percent and power tools by 62 percent, indicating an increase in DIY projects. Sales of refrigerators &and freezers were up 55 percent. Other categories with strong growth included e-readers (up 81 percent), headphones & speakers (up 52 percent), phone accessories (up 51 percent), and video games (up 41 percent).

Other data found in Adobe’s report include:

  • In October, traffic from generative AI sources increased by 1,200% year-over-year. Once these consumers landed on a retail site, they were 16 percent more likely to convert compared to non-AI traffic sources such as paid search, affiliates & partners, email, organic search, and social media. This is the second month in a row where conversion has been higher for AI traffic (5 percent more likely in Sept). As a result of the shift in conversion, visits from generative AI sources now generate 8 percent more revenue per session.
  • Adobe forecasts advertising on social media platforms to be a significant growth driver this holiday season. Its share of online revenue (purchases attributed to social traffic) rose by 28 percent year-over-year in October—a significant increase from October 2024, when growth was at 5.6 percent year-over-year. In affiliates and partners (which includes social media influencers), growth is also notable at 15 percent year over year. While major channels, such as paid search and email, continue to be reliable drivers of traffic and sales online, Adobe said that consumers are increasingly turning to social media to discover and learn about new products.

Based on Adobe Analytics data, Adobe provides a view into U.S. e-commerce by analyzing online commerce transactions, covering over 1 trillion visits to U.S. retail sites, 100 million SKUs, and 18 product categories.

 Image courtesy Rockefeller Center