Cyber Weekend 2025 performance continued to show significant evolution in retail, driven by robust online sales, the omnipresence of mobile devices, and the increasingly influential role of artificial intelligence, according to the latest numbers from Salesforce. Let’s take a closer look at some of the key numbers.
The Evolving Digital Commerce Landscape: Growth, Mobile, and Social
Cyber Weekend 2023 demonstrated continued strong consumer engagement in digital channels. Global online sales increased by 7% year-over-year (YoY), with order volumes rising by 3% YoY. In the U.S. specifically, online sales grew 5% YoY and order volumes increased by 1% YoY. This momentum is projected to continue, with Cyber Monday expected to generate $53.7 billion in global online sales (up 8% YoY) and $13.4 billion in the U.S. (up 4% YoY), according to Salesforce’s numbers. The Average Selling Price (ASP) also saw growth, up 4% globally and 5% in the U.S.
Mobile devices have solidified their position as the primary interface for digital commerce. Over Cyber Weekend, 72% of global orders and 81% of global traffic originated from a mobile device. U.S. figures were similar, with 72% of orders and 79% of traffic coming via mobile. This mobile dominance extends to payment methods; while Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) methods showed no growth this year, mobile wallets are becoming the default. 27% of all global digital orders were made using a mobile device, up from 25% in 2022, and accounted for 30% of orders in the U.S., up from 28% in 2022. Social media also contributed significantly, driving 14.3% of global digital traffic and 15% of U.S. digital traffic, representing an 8% YoY and 5% YoY increase respectively. Top performing categories globally included Art, Dining & Decor (+16% sales growth YoY), Health & Beauty (+13% sales growth YoY), and Active Footwear (+13% sales growth YoY). In the U.S., Active Apparel & Footwear led with an 18% sales growth YoY.
Key takeaway
Digital commerce growth remains robust, with mobile devices serving as the predominant consumer channel for both browsing and purchasing. While social media drives significant traffic, its conversion efficacy warrants comparison with emerging channels.
AI’s Transformative Role in Commerce and Customer Service
Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming a pivotal force in both customer acquisition and service delivery. The share of global and U.S. traffic originating from third-party AI agent channels, such as ChatGPT and Perplexity, tripled over Cyber Weekend compared to the previous year. More notably, this AI-referred traffic demonstrated significantly higher conversion rates, achieving 8x the conversion rate of traffic from social media platforms. This indicates that consumers engaging with AI-powered shopping channels possess a stronger buying intent. Retailers who deployed their own branded shopping agents on their e-commerce sites experienced 3x greater sales growth (8% versus 2.6%) during Cyber Weekend compared to sites without.
Beyond sales, AI agents are enhancing customer service operations. Agentic customer service conversations surged 86% week-over-week. These agents are also proving effective in completing tasks for consumers, such as updating addresses or initiating returns. The volume of agent-completed tasks doubled (100% increase) this Cyber Weekend compared to the previous year, highlighting AI’s role in improving operational efficiency and customer experience. As Caila Schwartz, Director of Consumer Insights at Salesforce, stated, “AI is the ultimate purchase accelerator, guiding consumers with clear intent straight to the buy button. Traffic from AI agent channels has tripled compared to last year and these shoppers come with strong buying signals, converting at a rate 8X higher than those coming from social media platforms.”
Key Takeaway
AI agents are emerging as high-intent customer acquisition channels with superior conversion rates compared to social media. Furthermore, AI is proving critical in automating and accelerating customer service tasks, improving efficiency.
Summary
Cyber Weekend 2025 served as a clear indicator of the forces shaping modern digital commerce: the unwavering dominance of mobile and the rapidly maturing impact of AI. For senior marketing and CX leaders, this data is a mandate for action. Strategic investment in proprietary AI agents, robust mobile-first experiences, and comprehensive AI governance are no longer optional. Enterprises that prioritize these areas, focusing on clear intent pathways and measurable outcomes, will be best positioned to capture market share, enhance customer satisfaction, and drive sustained growth in an increasingly AI-driven digital economy.
