This year’s Black Friday didn’t just break records—it reshaped how shoppers behave. In this week’s newsletter, we’re looking at two major shifts: the explosive rise of live-shopping apps and the record-setting surge in Buy Now, Pay Later spending.
And on top of that, we’re releasing our own Trakwell Black Friday analysis, breaking down exactly how furniture and mattress retailers performed when the doors opened and the crowds rolled in.
Today's Rundown
Here's a quick glimpse of what is in this week's newsletter.
- The High-Traffic Playbook: How to Convert Chaos into Sales: Download our latest guidebook and turn every rushed interaction into a calm, confident close.
- Repeat Strength: At Home exited bankruptcy with a $500 M financing deal and reopened 229 stores after closing 31.
- Compare your store: Download the Q3 Home Furnishing Benchmark Report while it is fresh off the press.
Notable News
Live-Shopping Apps Just Had Their Biggest Black Friday Yet
Black Friday wasn’t just big for retailers—it was a massive win for live-shopping platforms. Whatnot, the livestream marketplace, pulled in more than $75 million in a single day, more than triple what it did last year. At one point, shoppers were buying 40 items every second. Yes, every second.
Some of the numbers barely feel real. One small business selling sports cards cleared over $1 million during a single live show. And the priciest item sold? An $80,000 box of cards. That’s not a typo.
If you’re wondering why livestream shopping is exploding, here’s the simple version: people want more than a “click and check out” moment. They want to hang out, see products up close, chat with sellers, and feel like they’re part of something. Whatnot says users now watch about 20 million minutes of live content every week, and the number of first-time buyers this Black Friday was roughly four times higher than last year.
The takeaway? Holiday shopping is starting to look a lot less like browsing a website and a lot more like watching a show with a “buy” button. Live-shopping isn’t just a trend anymore—it’s becoming part of the main event.
Notable News
🎁Buy Now, Pay Later Hit an All-Time High This Black Friday
If you thought BNPL was already everywhere, this Black Friday took it to another level. According to Adobe Analytics, Buy Now, Pay Later usage surged 19% year-over-year and hit a new record for holiday shopping. In dollar terms, BNPL drove an estimated $1.8 billion in online purchases on Black Friday alone—the biggest day ever recorded.
What’s driving the surge? Two things:
1. Shoppers are feeling the squeeze.
Higher living costs and lingering inflation didn’t stop people from spending—but it did change how they spent. BNPL has quietly become the pressure valve for budget-conscious shoppers who want to stretch payments without relying on credit cards.
2. Retailers leaned into it—hard.
From electronics to apparel to home goods, nearly every major retailer promoted BNPL options in their Black Friday offers. Why? Because customers using BNPL tend to spend more per order—Adobe found the average BNPL cart is significantly larger than non-BNPL carts.
The bigger picture: BNPL is no longer a “millennial thing.” It’s become a mainstream retail engine, shaping how consumers approach big-ticket purchases, holiday budgeting, and impulse buys. For categories like furniture and mattress—where price sensitivity is high—expect BNPL to keep playing a major role through the entire holiday season.
Retail Snippets
Profit Push: Walmart announced stronger-than-expected Q3 earnings, with its e-commerce growth outpacing in-store sales as customers continue shifting toward online convenience.
Store Shuffle: Kohl’s is accelerating its rollout of Sephora shop-ins after reporting higher traffic and improved basket size in locations that already feature the beauty partnership.
Home Revival: The home furnishings category saw a surprise uptick in September as consumers resumed spending on décor and accessories despite broader retail softness
Random Irrelevance
Light Plants: Chinese scientists create multicolored glow-in-the-dark succulents that recharge in sunlight.
Evolutionary makeover: Two big steps that influenced the evolution of human bipedality.
Acidic Oceans: Toothless sharks? Ocean acidification could erode predator’s vital weapon, study finds.
