According to a report by Adobe Analytics, U.S. consumers spent $14.25 billion on Cyber Monday, driving the total online sales during the Thanksgiving weekend to $44.2 billion. Shoppers eagerly snapped up discounted items ranging from electronics to household essentials during this period.

The report also noted that sales during the five-day "Cyber Week" from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday grew 7.7% year-over-year. Last year, sales for the same period reached $41.1 billion, marking an 8.2% increase.

At the start of the holiday season, Adobe had projected online sales for this period to hit $43.7 billion, up 6.3% year-over-year.

"This holiday season, U.S. retailers heavily relied on discounts to boost online demand. The fierce competition and continuous promotions during Cyber Week encouraged shoppers to buy early, creating a scenario where Black Friday now challenges Cyber Monday's dominance," said Vivek Pandya, lead analyst at Adobe Digital Insights.

Adobe's tracking of consumer visits to online retail sites revealed that U.S. online sales on Black Friday hit a record $11.8 billion.

Retailers such as Amazon.com, Walmart, and Target offered attractive discounts across all categories, appealing to both high-income shoppers eager to splurge and budget-conscious consumers looking for the best deals.

Many U.S. shoppers used AI-driven services like chatbots to browse and compare prices for items in categories such as appliances, toys, video games, and jewelry.

Adobe data showed that AI-related traffic to U.S. retail websites surged 670% year-over-year on Cyber Monday, while Black Friday saw an even higher increase of 805%.

The data also indicated that steep discounts this holiday season encouraged consumers to purchase big-ticket items like electronics, sporting goods, and appliances.

On Cyber Monday, the use of Buy Now, Pay Later services hit a record high, driving $1.03 billion in online sales—a 4.2% year-over-year increase. With rising household expenses, consumers turned to this option to ease budget pressures.

Although deep discounts led some shoppers to take on short-term debt for gift purchases, analysts noted that consumers remained rational this year, carefully scrutinizing price tags and avoiding impulse buys.