Consumers in the United States scoured the internet for online deals as they looked to take advantage of the post-Thanksgiving shopping marathon with Cyber Monday. Even though e-commerce is now part and parcel of many people's regular routines and the holiday shopping season, Cyber Monday — a term coined in 2005 by the National Retail Federation — has become the biggest online shopping day of the year, thanks to the deals and the hype the industry has created to fuel it. Adobe Analytics, which tracks online shopping, expected consumers to spend $13.2 billion Monday — a record, and 6.1% more than last year. That would make it the biggest shopping day for e-commerce for the season — and the year. Online spending was expected to peak between the hours of 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Monday night, per Adobe — reaching an estimated $15.7 million spent every minute. For several major retailers, a Cyber Monday sale is a dayslong event that began over the Thanksgiving weekend. An Amazon Prime delivery person lifts packages while making a stop Nov. 28, 2023, in Denver. Amazon kicked off its sales event right after midnight Pacific time on Saturday. Target's two days of discount offers on its website and app began overnight Sunday. Walmart rolled out its Cyber Monday offers for Walmart+ members Sunday afternoon and opened it up to all customers three hours later, at 8 p.m. Eastern time. Consumer spending for Cyber Week — the five major shopping days between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday — provides a strong indication of how much shoppers are willing to spend for the holidays. Many U.S. consumers continue to experience sticker shock after the period of post-pandemic inflation, which left prices for many goods and services higher than they were three years ago. But retail sales nonetheless remain strong, and the economy kept growing at a healthy pace. At the same time, credit card debt and delinquencies are rising. More shoppers than ever are also on track to use "buy now, pay later" plans this holiday season, which allows them to delay payments on holiday decor, gifts and other items. Many economists also warned that President-elect Donald Trump's plan to impose tariffs next year on foreign goods coming into the United States would lead to higher prices on everything from food to clothing to automobiles. A FedEx delivery person carries a package from a truck Nov. 17, 2022, in Denver. The National Retail Federation expects holiday shoppers to spend more this year both in stores and online than last year. But the pace of spending growth will slow slightly, the trade group said, growing 2.5% to 3.5% — compared to 3.9% in 2023. A clear sense of consumer spending patterns during the holiday season won't emerge until the government releases sales data for the period, but some preliminary data from other sources shows some encouraging signs for retailers. Vivek Pandya, lead analyst at Adobe Digital Insights, noted that discounts from Thanksgiving onward "exceeded expectations" and online spending throughout Cyber Week is on track to cross a record $40 billion mark combined. U.S. shoppers spent $10.8 billion online on Black Friday, a 10.2% increase over last year, according to Adobe Analytics. That's also more than double what consumers spent in 2017, when Black Friday pulled in about $5 billion in online sales. Consumers also spent a record $6.1 billion online on Thanksgiving Day, Adobe said. Meanwhile, software company Salesforce, which also tracks online shopping, estimated that Black Friday online sales totaled $17.5 billion in the U.S. and $74.4 billion globally. Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks in-person and online spending, reported that overall Black Friday sales excluding automotive rose 3.4% from a year ago. A United Parcel Service driver sorts deliveries July 15, 2023, on New York's Upper West Side. E-commerce platform Shopify said its merchants raked in a record $5 billion in sales worldwide on Black Friday. At its peak, sales reached $4.6 million per minute — with top categories by volume including clothing, cosmetics and fitness products, according to the Canadian company. Toys, electronics, home goods, self-care and beauty categories were among the key drivers of holiday spending on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, according to Adobe. "Hot products" included Lego sets, espresso machines, fitness trackers, makeup and skin care. Other data showed physical stores saw fewer customers on Black Friday, underscoring how the huge crowds that were once synonymous with the day after Thanksgiving are now more than happy to shop from the comfort of their homes. RetailNext, which measures real-time foot traffic in stores, said its early data showed store traffic on Friday was down 3.2% in the U.S. compared to last year, with the biggest dip happening in the Midwest. Sensormatic Solutions, which also tracks store traffic, said its preliminary analysis showed retail store traffic on Black Friday was down 8.2% compared to 2023. Grant Gustafson, head of retail consulting and analytics at Sensormatic Solutions, noted that in-store traffic was getting spread across multiple days since many retailers offered generous discounts before and after Black Friday. "Some of the extended Black Friday promotions really ended up leading to a little bit of a softer day-of traffic than expected," Gustafson said. In 2024, staying small on purpose seems to be paying off big for small businesses. They're keeping operations small and targeting niche, highly specialized customers. And some business owners find this strategy results in more time, energy, and money to intentionally capitalize on unique, small cap opportunities. The data tells the story of growth in small businesses for the year. According to NEXT , the Small Business Administration (SBA) reports awarding 38,000 SBA 7(a) loans under $150,000: double the amount they awarded in 2020. Here are the related small-business trends paying off in 2024. Commercial real estate agent Ryan Beckenhauer of Market Real Estate in Boulder, Colorado, has noticed that small businesses are growing smaller, and that their office and warehouse spaces are starting to reflect that as they shop for business space. In commercial real estate, many small business owners gravitate toward industrial condos and other flexible spaces. These are small-scale industrial spaces with a 90:10 or 80:20 split of warehouse to office. "More individuals are leveraging skills acquired at larger organizations to venture out on their own," explains Beckenhauer. And he goes on to say that they don't need a large commercial space as they make that leap to start a business. His clients include engineers, consultants, builders and other tradespeople. Beckenhauer's clients like the flexibility of being out of an office and being close to their inventory and workshop space. "The clients want to see and touch the finishes," he says. Small business owners both rent or buy these spaces. But he's seeing his clients opt to own industrial condos to stabilize costs due to rent increases in Boulder. And because these spaces are smaller, it can be easier for new buyers to qualify for financing. Mariana Alvarez, owner of Controller Works , an online bookkeeping and advisory firm, has noticed that small business owners outsource financial support services because they don't want to increase headcount. "Outsourcing gives them the possibility of having access to the knowledge and the skills of a CFO without having to pay for the salary," she says. "They don't have to manage or deal with the workload, employment taxes , and all that comes with it," says Alvarez. Additionally, many small business owners in fields like construction are family-owned, and this makes it easier for business owners to hand off delicate financial work to a trusted person with financial experience. Every small business has recurring tasks that can benefit from some level of artificial intelligence automation . And Alvarez sees a lot of value in using AI for small business bookkeeping. She explains that you can automate the data entry on Quickbooks. "When you create rules, as long as you create the rules correctly, it pretty much does itself," says Alvarez. From there, you can lean on financial experts to help you analyze the data and make more informed decisions. She uses AI as a background resource when guiding her accounting clients. "I believe that we still need the human-to-human interaction that comes with more perspective for financial analysis," she explains. According to the SBA , 77% of consumers feel that human interaction is still required for a positive customer experience. People turn to small businesses every day for a human experience. According to Arvind Rongala, CEO of Edstellar , small business workers can show up for their customers but still use AI for routine tasks like customer queries. "This balance allows companies to scale their operations without losing the personal touch that makes them unique. It's important to remember that AI isn't there to replace the human element—it's there to enhance it," he says. "By really focusing on one very small weakness that Amazon has, I've been able to carve out a successful business by offering something different," says Lou Harvey owner of Tank Retailer , a retailer of commercial water and fuel tanks. "When you read our customer reviews, many of them actually mention me by name because of how much we focus on customer service and go the extra mile." One of Harvey's most successful business strategies this year has been to lean into his small, niche market and offer the kind of customer experience that large retailers like Amazon don't. "Any small weaknesses that Amazon has (however small those weaknesses may be) needs to become a strength of a smaller business focusing on a niche market," says Harvey. Harvey has his company's customer service phone number front and center on the website to help earn customer trust. "I prominently feature our phone number, and a real person always answers the phone (usually it's me)," says Harvey. Lucie Voves, CEO and founder of Church Hill Classics , an online, woman-owned diploma framing company that uses sustainable materials, has noticed an uptick in customers seeking services from a business on a mission. "This year, we've seen a growing inclination for consumers to actively seek out and support small businesses owned by women and minorities," says Voves. When consumers shop small, they choose to make their dollars count. "Customers are fueled by a desire to promote social impact through purchasing power," says Voves. Long gone are the days of online retailers "building it and they will come." In 2024 we've seen more small businesses than ever turn to social commerce to sell directly on social media platforms like Instagram Shopping , Facebook Marketplace , and TikTok . Small business owners are turning toward influencers, social media ads, and organic content to target their customers. Mike Vannelli of Envy Creative creates online ads for businesses, and he has seen his clients succeed on TikTok of late. "I've seen businesses, especially in retail, use TikTok's short-form video format to make their products go viral. Think of it as word-of-mouth marketing on steroids," says Vannelli. He uses the platform's algorithm to push a company's content to the right audiences, and it works because TikTok loves storytelling. "I know small brands that use behind-the-scenes videos, customer testimonials, and even playful challenges that tap into trends to humanize their products and build trust," explains Vannelli. To stand out on TikTok, he says, smaller brands need to embrace authenticity and emotional connection. Show your team, share your journey, and involve your community in content creation. This story was produced by NEXT and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola admitted his players' confidence is at a low ebb after they threw away a three-goal lead with just 15 minutes to go to draw 3-3 at home with Feyenoord in the Champions League. City had appeared set for a confidence-boosting victory after racing into a three-goal lead just eight minutes into the second half, with Erling Haaland scoring either side of half-time after being guilty of squandering several openings in Saturday's 4-0 loss to Tottenham in the Premier League. However, the visitors stunned City by scoring three times in the final quarter of an hour - the first time they have thrown away such an advantage under Guardiola - to leave the 2023 Champions League winners languishing in 15th place in the new format after a sixth match run in all competitions without a win, including five defeats. Guardiola said the team's recent losing run was affecting their confidence. "We lost a lot of games lately, we are fragile and of course, we need a victory," he told Amazon Prime after the match. Trending Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player "The game was good for the confidence, we were playing at a good level and then for the first time something happened, we have problems. "Everybody knows the situation, we don't have to adapt anything. Tomorrow [Wednesday] we have to train, recovery then prepare the next game. We have two or three days to prepare for that and go for it. We will learn for the future. Also See: Man City fixtures Get Sky Sports or stream with NOW Download the Sky Sports App Get Sky Sports on WhatsApp! "It has been a really difficult season for us for many circumstances and today, unfortunately, the game was well done, we punished them in the right moments. The team was so committed to so many things. But unfortunately, something happened and we were not strong enough. We have to avoid these mistakes." The City boss was at a loss to explain why the Premier League champions, who have now conceded 17 goals in last six matches, were finding it so hard to get back to winning ways, adding: "We are not able to win games, as a team always we found a way to win games. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player "Right now after situations, we can't get another one. After 3-0, nothing happened. We couldn't score a fourth, we couldn't score a fifth. Nothing happened. We were in control but now something happened." Guardiola was also quick to defend Josko Gvardiol after the Croatian endured another difficult night at the back. "He's so young, he will learn," said Guardiola. "It will be a good experience. With the way he played, he was the best player on the pitch. I will be so wrong to point a specific thing in our defeat. "He's a fantastic player, a fantastic boy, now more than ever he must be helped." Liverpool Manchester City Ake: It feels like a defeat - maybe we have mentality issue Manchester City defender Nathan Ake speaking to Amazon Prime: "Difficult - 3-0 up and we played quite well and were under control, but then it all changed. "You just have to stay strong mentally. At 3-1, they then push on, but I think we need to go for it a bit earlier so we could keep the pressure on them, but we stayed playing at the back and maybe invited more pressure on us. "Then when you concede the second one there is even more pressure, and then we have to stay stronger mentally." On if City gave the game away: "Yes, I think we did. If you are 3-0 up at home, you can never give it away like this. It is what it is at the moment. The only thing we can do is fight back and stay strong." Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player On if the draw feels like a defeat: "When you are three goals up, it feels like a defeat when you give up three goals at home. It is tough now, a tough night, but the only thing we can do is look forward to the next one. Liverpool is a big game and it is another challenge to overcome." On if problems are a mentality issue: "Maybe it is. It is difficult to say. Obviously we have not been in this situation many times, but this is where we have to show our character. When everything seems to go against us and everyone is writing us off, we have to stay strong mentally, believe in ourselves and stick together. "Every season there is a period when they write us off. We have to make sure we stay strong as a team and staff and make sure we get out of it." Tom from Southampton became a millionaire for free with Super 6! Could you be the next jackpot winner? Play for free!
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The 26-year-old South African has pedigree, finishing the 2017 World Under-20s Championship as the top try-scorer before claiming Player of the Year honours that same season. With the Saints, he has been their anchor since 2021 and capped it with that League title. A devastating yet athletic ball-carrier at the back of the scrum, it is easy to see why Ulster wanted him so badly and he is an outstanding signing. At the same time, it’s also not incorrect to question why Ulster wanted him so badly. While Augustus may be a top-quality player, head coach Richie Murphy already has three top options at his disposal in the back-row in the shape of recent Ireland debutant Cormac Izuchukwu, long-time Ireland squad member Nick Timoney and their current Player of the Season David McCann. For Augustus to come in, one of them has to go out. While Izuchukwu could move into the second-row, the consensus is that he is better utilised on the blindside flank, meaning four into three doesn’t go and making Augustus a somewhat confusing acquisition. But Murphy has clarified that not only did they want Augustus to join them in the 2025/26 season on a three-year deal, they specifically went looking for a player that fitted his exact mould. “We consciously went looking for that type of player. That type of player was what we wanted to bring into the squad. A focal point, a big ball-carrying back-row with high involvements that gets you on the front foot and allows other players to play off the back of him,” explains the head coach. “If you look at the game, the game is about power and speed, and he has both of those things, which will allow other big, powerful speed players like Nick, like Izzy to come into the game more as well. “It gives us another string to our bow that, when you’re playing at the very top end of Europe, you need players of that calibre. “It’s a statement of where we want to get to. He’s a top-class player, he’s 26-years-old, he’s in his prime. He’s been a very effective ball-carrier in the Premiership the last few seasons, so we’re really delighted to get him here.” What that means for Ulster’s back-row stocks moving forward is yet to be seen, but it certainly is a statement of intent from the province and a welcome boost coming into a busy month of December that will be pivotal in Ulster’s fortunes for the rest of the 2024/25 season. Inter-provincial rivals and perennial pacesetters Leinster are first up on Friday night at Ravenhill on their return to United Rugby Championship action, and things don’t get any easier from there, with back-to-back games against Toulouse and Bordeaux-Begles in the Champions Cup to follow. A brutal loss to Cardiff in their final game before the international break, where Ulster blew a 19-0 lead in Wales to lose 21-19, will have stung during their four weeks off, but there’s no time for feeling sorry for themselves with the schedule ahead of them. “We gave the guys eight days off and encouraged them to go away and take a break. Since they’ve come back in, they’ve worked hard for that period to prepare for what’s coming in the next couple of weeks. We’ve worked on tidying up the areas of our game that we feel have been letting us down a little bit,” adds Murphy. “The guys are chomping at the bit to get back out there, but we’re also going into a block of games which are not only incredibly difficult, but the way the fixtures fall makes it even tougher. “Nine days to Toulouse, six days to Bordeaux and six days to Munster, it’s a pretty tough schedule, and it’s a schedule that’s going to need as many bodies on deck as possible. “That has an impact on our squad and the freshness of our players, not only because they have to play more but, in order to get the work done during the week, we have to train more. It puts more pressure on the squad.” Still, despite what is to come, Murphy insists they are excited by what they have managed to achieve during the break and what could lie ahead in this second block of the season. “Back end of the second-half of that Cardiff match, we probably let our standard drop and couldn’t regain control, which was disappointing on our behalf given how we played in the first-half. We know there will be ups and downs this season, we just didn’t expect them in the same game,” he laments. “But it hasn’t changed what we were going into this training window about, we’ve still gone after the same things that we would have before that. Trying to finish off those games and see them out is something that we’re going to be tested on in the next few weeks. “We’re very excited, we’ve worked hard over the last few weeks. We feel that areas of our game that we’ve focused on have improved, so no better test than Leinster to test that out.” There were also a couple of positives in Ireland’s clash with Fiji, not just seeing Izuchukwu make his Ireland debut but also seeing tighthead prop Tom O’Toole make his first appearance at loosehead for the side. While not ruling out the potential of the prop doing likewise in provincial colours, though, Murphy poured cold water on a permanent switch for the Ireland star. “Tom is our tighthead at the moment. At this time, we see him as a tighthead,” he maintains. “Am I saying you won’t see him at loosehead? No, I’m not, depending on what happens with the squad. But where he sits in our thinking at this moment in time is on the tighthead side.”Broadridge Tailored Shareholder Report Solution Wins Nicsa NOVA Innovation in Operations Award
