Report: ‘Cyber Five’ sales not just for gift buying

The kickoff to the holiday shopping season is a week away, and the five-day online sales spree could be the biggest on record—with grocery store purchases likely to see a bump, according to a new report from data analytics firm Numerator. 

The report, which refers to the period running from Black Friday through Cyber Monday as the “Cyber Five,” noted that in 2023, 52% of shoppers made online purchases during the five-day shopping period, marking the first year more than half of shoppers bought something online. 

“Online spending skyrocketed in 2023, up 23% compared to 2022, while in-store spend took a slight dip, down 1% in key categories. The average Cyber Five shopper spent $234, made five separate trips/orders, and shopped at two or more different stores/websites,” Numerator reported.

While electronics captured the majority of the spend at 22%, home & garden was the second-biggest category at 19%. Health and beauty came in at 14%, apparel 10%, party and occasions 8%, tools and home improvement 7%, and toys 6%. 

Those purchases made up a whopping 56% of all the dollars spent. That’s because online shoppers typically spend more than at brick-and-mortar locations, according to Numerator, which noted that “the average spend per unit online during this period is three times higher than in-store, and the total buy rate for these shoppers is nearly twice as much as in-store shoppers.”

Outside of 2020, when shoppers pulled back on spending due to the pandemic, the average spend per unit has steadily increased, growing the most rapidly between 2021 and 2022, when the average spend jumped 10%. Since then, Cyber Five spending has increased 6%. While shoppers are purchasing fewer items, the items they do purchase are increasing in price, Numerator explained. 

And the spending is going beyond holiday gift purchases.

Almost one in every three (32%) survey respondents told Numerator that they purchased items exclusively or primarily for themselves, and that trend is expected to continue, according to economists. 

“With many economists predicting future price hikes due to tariffs and other government policies, shoppers may also use this year’s holiday sales as a way to safeguard against future increases, shifting up major purchases or stocking up on sale items,” the report noted. 

Some consumers have already gotten a head start on holiday spending, which could detract from Cyber Five shopping, Numerator said. 

Amazon is expected to dominate again on the Cyber Five shopping days. The online retail giant captured nearly a third of all Cyber Five spending at 31% in 2023, when 44% of U.S. households made at least one purchase on the platform. 

That represents a three-point share increase from 2022, which resulted in declines by most other major retailers, except Costco, which saw a 0.2 point increase.

“Amazon’s propensity for capturing multiple orders from single households also drives up its share of occasions. Last Cyber Weekend, a third (33%) of all purchase occasions—including in-store trips and online orders—took place on Amazon,” the report added.