Online grocery sales surge for Black Friday

U.S. consumers spent a record USD 9 billion (EUR 7.5 billion) online for Black Friday this year, pushed higher by grocery e-commerce sales.

Many grocers encouraged shoppers to order online for the Thanksgiving holiday week to manage the high influx of shoppers stores typically see during the holiday, according to 210 Analytics Principal Anne-Marie Roerink.

“The big increase in grocery e-commerce is no surprise and likely very little related to Black Friday as a major retail sales holiday, but all the more related to the high and rising number of new [COVID-19] cases across many states,” Roerink told SeafoodSource.

Online grocery shopping on Black Friday surged 397 percent, according to Adobe Analytics, CNBC reported. Overall Black Friday sales surged 21.6 percent surge from a record USD 7.4 billion (EUR 6.2 billion) in 2019.

“New consoles, phones, smart devices, and TVs that are traditional Black Friday purchases are sharing online shopping cart space this year with unorthodox Black Friday purchases such as groceries, clothes, and alcohol, that would previously have been purchased in-store,” Taylor Schreiner, a director at Adobe Digital Insights said.

Sales at large retailers such as Walmart and Target soared 403 percent on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, compared to the October daily average, according to Adobe Analytics. Sales at smaller retailers also surged 349 percent. However, traffic to physical stores fell by 52 percent on Black Friday, Sensormatic Solutions said.

Adobe Analytics expects Cyber Monday to become the largest e-commerce sales day in U.S. history. It expects spending of between USD 10.8 billion (EUR 9 billion) and USD 12.7 billion (EUR 10.6 billion) for the day, an uptick of 15 to 35 percent compared to 2019.

Seafood brands like Red Lobster also got involved with Black Friday promotions. Red Lobster promoted free delivery for Black Friday (27 November) and Cyber Monday (30 November) on to-go orders over USD 30 (EUR 25) as well as 10 percent off online gift card purchases of USD 100 (EUR 84) or more on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

The Thai Union-owned seafood restaurant chain also unveiled holiday seafood platters that consumers can order on its website throughout the holiday season. The platters include: Shrimp Lover’s; Chilled Seafood, which includes cocktail shrimp, Maine lobster tails, and jumbo lump crabmeat; and chilled maine lobster tail.

Several online seafood sellers are also running Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotions. Great-Alaska-Seafood.com is offering discounts on several of its products from 27 November through 30 November. Discounted items include a USD 50 (EUR 42) savings on 10 pounds of Super Colossal King Crab Legs, and a USD 60 (EUR 50) discount on eight pounds of North Atlantic lobster meat.

Vital Choice Seafood and Organics is offering 15 percent off sitewide on Black Friday “and beyond,” the retailer said. Its offerings include wild salmon roe, fresh wild fish boxes, and sockeye nova lox.

Photo courtesy of mangpor2004/Shutterstock

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