Amazon wins Black Friday for second consecutive year, reports Numerator

Amazon has done it again — but no thanks to Gen Z.

Amazon captured the highest share — 17.5% — of Black Friday 2021 spending for the second year in a row, according to Numerator. This reflects all retailer banners across fast-moving consumer goods channels, eCommerce, apparel and specialty stores.

In addition, Numerator’s Cyber Weekend survey showed that consumers were back in-store. While shoppers had lower concerns about crowds and COVID, some were spending less due to concerns about inflation. By generation, younger consumers were more likely to shop in-store, especially at Walmart.

The survey revealed Amazon was the top retailer for all generations except Gen Z, who spent more of their Black Friday dollars at Walmart (12.7%). The e-commerce giant gained share for all generations except Gen Z, who lost 1.3 points versus last year. Walmart and Target both gained share with Gen Z versus. 2020, particularly with their in-store divisions. Younger generations (Gen Z and millennials) have higher shares at Target than older generations (Gen X and boomers).

Other highlights from the Numerator survey are below.

• Online share accounted for 38.1% of overall sales on Black Friday, up 11.5 points from last year.

• By ethnicity: Amazon tied with Costco for share of Asian spend, tied with Walmart for share of Hispanic/Latino spend and drove the largest growth in African American spend.

Black/African Americans were the only group showing growth at BestBuy.com (up 3.5 points versus a year ago).

• By income: High-income shoppers drove the largest growth in online share – but Amazon share grew more with low income than high income.

Walmart was the top retailer among low-income shoppers (<$40k), while middle income ($40k-80k) and high income (>$80k) shoppers spent more at Amazon. Amazon grew share with all income groups, but most significantly with middle-income consumers.

Costco and Best Buy in-store locations saw the largest share declines across income groups and in total, with online gains not large enough to offset losses.

• Half of Cyber Weekend buyers also shopped on Amazon Prime Day. Despite Prime Day shifting from October (2020) to June (2021), the percentage of consumers shopping both retail events did not change (56% in 2021, 55% in 2020).
• Retailers attracted new Cyber Weekend shoppers this year. Almost 3 in 10 (29%) Cyber Weekend 2021 shoppers did not shop Cyber Weekend last year. In 2020, 17% said the same about Cyber Weekend 2019.
• Early Black Friday Deals pulled in more people this year. Nearly two-thirds (63%) said they shopped early deals before Thanksgiving in 2021, compared to 52% in 2020.