Core Insights - Despite an uncertain economic outlook in the U.S., consumer enthusiasm for discounts led to a record number of shoppers during the Thanksgiving weekend [1][2] Group 1: Shopping Trends - Approximately 202.9 million U.S. consumers shopped from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday, surpassing the NRF's previous forecast of 186.9 million and setting a new record since tracking began in 2017 [2][3] - The strong consumer turnout is seen as a positive indicator for the holiday shopping season, with 202.9 million shoppers exceeding the previous record of 200.4 million set in 2023 [3] Group 2: Consumer Behavior - Promotions and discounts were key drivers for consumer shopping, with incentives such as free shipping and limited-time offers motivating purchases [4] - Even financially constrained households prioritize holiday spending by cutting back on other areas like entertainment and travel [5] Group 3: Shopping Channels - Both online and in-store shopping saw growth, with 129.5 million consumers shopping in physical stores (up 3%) and 134.9 million shopping online (up 9%) during the five-day period [6] - Adobe Analytics reported that online sales on Cyber Monday reached $14.25 billion, a 7.1% increase, with total online sales from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday amounting to $44.2 billion, up 7.7% [7] Group 4: Retail Outlook - The strong start to the holiday shopping season has led retailers to maintain an optimistic outlook for overall sales, with NRF predicting holiday sales between $1.1 trillion and $1.2 trillion, a year-over-year increase of 3.7% to 4.2% [8] - As of Cyber Monday, consumers indicated that approximately 53% of their holiday shopping was still pending, suggesting potential for continued spending [8]