The amount that consumers spent on purchases via social media more than doubled year-on-year across the Black Friday sales period. New data from Rithum, a leading global commerce solutions provider, shows a global +152% surge in total sales on Black Friday and +140% on Thanksgiving via social channels.
Rithum’s data indicates that shoppers are using social not just for discovery but as a primary checkout destination for everyday essentials and big-ticket purchases, rather than only impulse ‘viral’ buys.
The top-selling categories demonstrate this as home and garden both outperformed traditional social selling stars, health and beauty. The surprising rise of business and industrial and parts and accessories coming in close behind the traditionally top-selling health and beauty sector indicates a shift in consumer interest and buying behavior — and underscores how social selling is becoming a mainstream channel, resonating with shoppers across generations, and fitting seamlessly into a wide range of purchasing habits, from household essentials to specialized goods.
Top selling categories via social selling:
- Clothing, Shoes & Accessories
- Home & Garden
- Health & Beauty
- Business & Industrial
- Sporting Goods
- Music
- Toys and hobbies
- Parts & Accessories
- Musical instruments and gears
- Books
“Social selling was the breakout story of Cyber Week. Creator-led selling pages are increasingly becoming mainstream, building credibility and a sense of familiarity,” said Lou Keyes, CEO of Rithum. “Through interactive posts, livestreams, and personalized content, creators showcase products in real-world settings, giving shoppers confidence in their purchasing decisions. Combined with convenience, speed, and accessible pricing through integrated discovery tools and seamless checkout, these pages make it easier for shoppers to buy online rather than visit stores in person.”
“Across the Rithum network, social selling GMV surged with triple-digit year-over-year growth. Shoppers aren’t just discovering products in their feeds anymore—they’re completing the entire journey there, especially in highly competitive categories like fashion, home, beauty, and electronics. Rithum is powering that shift behind the scenes, helping retailers and brands turn social into a scaled, measurable revenue channel rather than a pilot initiative,” Keyes added.
As consumer behavior evolves, Black Friday has shifted from a single shopping day to a month-long retail moment, with shoppers beginning their purchasing earlier and spreading spend over a longer window. Rithum’s data reflects this shift, with retailers who promoted early Black Friday events pulling in 1.5X the sales value during those early events, compared to their Black Friday solo event. This further confirms how Black Friday has expanded into a sustained period of discovery, deal-hunting, and conversion across social and online channels — a trend commerce must plan for in the years to come, as shopping patterns move beyond peak days and into always-on, multi-week cycles.
