In fact, Adobe Digital Economy Index said
that it was the first time online sales on
Thanksgiving and Black Friday hadn’t grown,
and Cyber Monday could likewise see a decline
compared with a year ago. Adobe, which
tracks more than one trillion visits to U.S. retail
sites, had previously recorded healthy online
sales gains since it first began reporting on
e-commerce in 2012.
Still, Cyber Monday should remain the biggest
online spending day of the year. For the overall
holiday season, online sales should increase
10% from a year ago, compared with a 33%
increase last year, according to Adobe.
A possible game changer is the omicron variant
of the coronavirus, which could put a damper
on shopping behavior and stores’ businesses.
The World Health Organization warned
Monday that the global risk from the omicron
variant is “very high” based on early evidence,
saying the mutated coronavirus could lead to
surges with “severe consequences.”
Jon Abt, co-president and a grandson of the
founder of Abt Electronics, said that holiday
shopping has been robust and so far overall
sales are up 10% compared to a year ago. But
he thinks Cyber Monday sales will be down
at the Glenview, Illinois-based consumer
electronics retailer after such robust growth
from a year ago, and he worries about how the
rest of the season will fare given the
new variant.
“There are so many variables,” Abt said. “It’s a
little too murky.”
Here is how the season is shaping up: