With many people choosing not to venture out to physical stores to buy gifts, this past holiday season saw a record-breaking $188.2 billion in U.S. online purchases, which represents more than 32% growth from the year before.
According to Adobe Analytics, average daily online revenue exceeded $3.1 billion during the holiday season from November through December, up from $2.3 billion in 2019.
For the first time, every day of the holiday-shopping season exceeded $1 billion in online sales, fulfilling expectations that the coronavirus pandemic would push consumers to spend a record amount of holiday items from the safety of their homes.
"Online and curbside sales have kept many Minnesota retailers in a position to keep their operations going during the pandemic, and never more so than during the holidays," said Bruce Nustad, president of the Minnesota Retailers Association.
Online sales, whether they are delivered to consumers' door or picked up curbside at stores, will likely continue to play a large part of the retail experience in Minnesota throughout this year, Nustad said.
Online-revenue levels increased over Thanksgiving week and then set records Black Friday and Cyber Monday at $9 billion and $10.8 billion, respectively, according to Adobe.
"In light of the pandemic, digital has become the primary way for people to connect, work, be entertained and shop, helping set online spending records for the holiday season," said Taylor Schreiner, director of Adobe Digital Insights, in a statement.
Schreiner predicted online spending will stay high at least for the early part of this year.
![Gas was $2.39 at the BP gas station ay 46th Street at Lyndale in South Minneapolis. ] GLEN STUBBE * gstubbe@startribune.com Friday September 4, 2015 Pre-Labor Day gas prices in the U.S. are the lowest in 11 years, and under $2 per gallon in many states, though Minnesota's average is nearly 40 cents higher. Just one station, in Brainerd, was selling at $1.99. Checking on whether that is a promotion. Costco and Sams Clubs, usually the low price leaders, were 15 cents more. With some motorists' tho](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/4U372WPXFGGQGQHPL2CTC4SFUY.jpg?&w=252&ar=3:2&fit=crop)