Americans Defy Pessimistic Sentiment With A 9% Surge In Online Holiday Shopping, Offering A Clearer Picture Of Real Economic Confidence Heading Into December

Sunday, November 30, 2025, 9:00 A.M. ET. 3 Minute Read, Op-Ed, By Jennifer Hodges, Political Editor: Englebrook Independent News,

WASHINGTON, DC.- While many Americans remain pessimistic about the nation’s economic direction heading into the holidays, the numbers from this year’s Black Friday tell a very different story. With online spending shattering records at $11.8 billion, up 9.1% from 2024, this year’s shopping surge reveals an economy that may be far stronger than polls and headlines suggest.

     According to Adobe Analytics, Black Friday 2025 marked the highest online spending day in U.S. history. That growth comes despite predictions that inflation, high interest rates, and lingering economic uncertainty would keep wallets closed. Instead, U.S. consumers defied expectations and poured billions into holiday deals, a sign of confidence rooted in action rather than sentiment.

     Adding to the momentum is a record-setting projection from the National Retail Federation: 186.9 million Americans are expected to shop between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, the highest number ever recorded. These are not marginal increases; they reflect millions more shoppers entering the marketplace with real spending power.

A Marketplace Sending A Message: The Economy Is Not As Weak As Voters Believe;

     Recent polls have portrayed Americans as anxious or skeptical about the economy. But the Black Friday data tells a different story, one based on actual purchasing behavior, not emotional perception.

Here’s what this year’s surge reveals:

• Behavior outweighs sentiment. Even amid inflation, Americans chose to spend rather than sit on the sidelines.
• A strong holiday season is likely ahead. NRF projects holiday retail sales for November and December may surpass $1 trillion, potentially a conservative estimate based on the Black Friday trajectory.
• Online and mobile shopping continue to reshape the consumer landscape. Mobile purchases are expected to make up more than half of all holiday online sales this year.

     These trends point toward an economy with more underlying strength than typical polling data reflects. Consumers may say they’re worried, but what they do shows continued resilience.

Context Matters: Higher Prices But Still Higher Spending;

     Analysts caution that some of the increased spending totals are influenced by higher prices. Inflation means shoppers may have purchased fewer individual items even as they spent more overall. Surveys also show some Americans plan to keep holiday budgets flat or reduced compared to 2024.

     Yet even with these pressures, the willingness of millions to spend billions underscores a key point: people feel secure enough, or determined enough, to buy despite inflation, not because prices have eased.

     This is not a picture of a collapsing economy. It is one of adaptation, participation, and forward movement.

The Broader Meaning: A Reality Check For Political Narratives;

     As the 2026 election cycle approaches, economic messaging has become increasingly polarized. Critics warn of stagnation and hardship, while others claim growth and stability. But the Black Friday numbers provide something rare: undisputed, real-time evidence of consumer behavior.

     Tens of millions of Americans casting votes with their wallets, and doing so at record levels, paints a more nuanced picture of the economy’s trajectory. It suggests that pessimistic narratives may be overstated and that economic strength may be more widespread than polls imply.

Editor’s Note:

This op-ed was written by Jennifer Hodges, Political Editor at Englebrook Independent News, for publication on Sunday, November 30, 2025. All economic figures cited are sourced from Adobe Analytics and the National Retail Federation, with spending data publicly released November 28–29, 2025.