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Thanksgiving generates $5.3 billion in revenue, and Black Friday 2022 saw record-breaking e-commerce sales of $9.12 billion

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This year’s online holiday shopping season is expected to be subdued, according to analysts and e-commerce leaders. Sales in the first three weeks of November were essentially flat compared to the same period last year because of a weaker economy, inflation, and an increase in people returning to traditional in-store shopping in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, on the surface, the long Thanksgiving weekend appears to be more prosperous than anticipated, even though development has undoubtedly slowed this year after the spike during the pandemic.

According to data from Adobe Analytics, Black Friday sales surpassed $9 billion for the first time yesterday, with online sales totaling $9.12 billion. This represents a record for the day, an increase of 2.3% over sales from a year ago, and is also somewhat higher than what Adobe had anticipated before the day. Adobe doesn’t break out volumes in its report, making it difficult to determine whether the higher numbers are attributable to more purchases or simply higher prices this year owing to inflation.

For those assessing how the e-commerce market and consumer confidence are faring during what is the most significant and significant time for shopping in the year, Black Friday is a primary focus.

Salesforce releases its own statistics based on 1.5 billion shoppers, and it said that at 5 p.m. ET on Black Friday, online sales had hit $8 billion in the United States and $40 billion globally, with the most heavily discounted products being luxury handbags, clothing, and home appliances.

According to Rob Garf, VP & GM of retail at Salesforce, “Our data shows such a strong association between discount rates and online sales as buyers hung on for the biggest and best offers.” “Consumers on a tight budget are looking for value and pricing. And on Black Friday, stores responded by offering the biggest holiday discounts.

According to Adobe, the most popular categories for customers looking for deals and discounts on Black Friday were toys, video games, and consumer electronics.

Thanksgiving Day’s results were also better than expected: On Thursday, consumers spent $5.29 billion online. This is higher than the $5.1 billion that Adobe had originally predicted for the day and is up 2.9% from a year ago. According to Salesforce, worldwide online sales increased 1% on Thanksgiving to $31 billion, while domestically they increased 9% to $7.5 billion. Furthermore, according to Salesforce, mobile devices accounted for 78% of sales traffic. It claimed that the average order value was $105 globally and $120 for sales in the United States.

With the growth of e-commerce, “Christmas shopping” has undergone a significant change. Online shopping has expanded not only the days and hours that people can shop, but it has also expanded and muddled the idea of seasonality in “holiday” shopping. Black Friday, the day following Thanksgiving, used to be the “first day” of holiday shopping, but that tradition was abandoned years ago when deals began on Thursday.

Of course, it has also had an effect on how people shop. An ever-increasing part of that is being played by mobile devices. On Black Friday, smartphones accounted for a record 48% of total e-commerce transactions (up from 44% in 2021). Thanksgiving remains a stronger day for mobile sales, in part due to the fact that customers are not in stores or at their computers (they are spending time with friends and family, not at their offices!). Thursday saw a 5.5% increase in online transactions made through mobile devices compared to a year ago.

According to Vivek Pandya, chief analyst at Adobe Digital Insights, “mobile shopping had struggled to develop for many years as customers found the experience insufficient compared to desktop.” Thanksgiving this year marked an important turning point, demonstrating how much these encounters have advanced thanks to smartphones.

Additionally, the use of buy-now-pay-later services is increasing, a sign that both customers need to utilize this method and that it is becoming a more common alternative to credit. BNPL orders increased 78% on Black Friday, and according to sales data, they are up 81% from the same day a week prior. Notably, there is a significant increase over the day before as well. Buy-now-pay-later sales and orders increased by 1.3% and 0.7%, respectively, on Thanksgiving (indicating more of it being used for bigger-ticket items). Everything is great as long as there are no longer manageable bills down the road.

According to Adobe, it tracks sales for about 100 million SKUs and 18 different product categories across approximately 1 trillion visits to U.S. retail websites. It claims that 85% of the largest online retailers in the United States utilize it, and its analytics will contain anonymised data from some of its consumers. It stated that since November 1st, around $77.74 billion has been spent online.

The bigger question may actually be whether the increase in activity seen on Thanksgiving will be sustained through the rest of Cyber Week, which includes today’s Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the weekend in between, as well as the rest of the days and weeks leading up to the New Year. Salesforce and Adobe may have different numbers and measurement parameters, but both are seeing growth. Overall, Adobe forecasts that this year’s Cyber Week will bring in $34.8 billion in online purchases, up 2.8% from the $33.9 billion the previous year.

The Cyber Week of 2021 was actually 1.4% lower than the Cyber Week of 2020, therefore this is a change.

In order to put those numbers into perspective, the National Retail Federation forecasts holiday sales growth of 6% to 8%, while Digital Commerce 360 predicts growth of 6.1% for the time period.

Whatever the case, it’s possible that sales won’t continue in full or even in the near future. According to Adobe, sales for today, often known as Black Friday, are likely to reach $9 billion, an increase of just 1% from 2021 figures.

For a few reasons, it’s crucial to monitor the holiday shopping season. First off, it is typically the busiest sales time of the year for retailers, with the potential to make or break the entire year. (For this reason, Amazon’s stock fell by about 20% following its most recent earnings, which saw the company slash its sales guidance and issue a warning about lower-than-expected holiday spending.)

Due to their disproportionate significance, Christmas sales data from online retailers can be used to predict the health of the e-commerce sector as a whole.

But there are some signs that choppy waters lie ahead if growth is what we’re chasing. According to Adobe, online sales in the first three weeks of November were steady at $64.59 billion, representing a 0.1% increase over 2021.

This is in contrast to physical retailers becoming more assertive in regaining their audience. The U.S. National Retail Federation predicted that 166.3 million people will shop over the long weekend.

Although there is a lot of speculation over how inflation will affect consumer behavior, our research indicates that this Thanksgiving holiday weekend will see strong store visitation and a record number of customers taking advantage of value pricing, according to NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. “Retailers are ready to meet consumers wherever they want to shop with great products at prices they want to pay, and we are optimistic that retail sales will remain robust in the weeks ahead.”

More sales statistics updates will be posted when they become available.

As Editor here at GeekReply, I'm a big fan of all things Geeky. Most of my contributions to the site are technology related, but I'm also a big fan of video games. My genres of choice include RPGs, MMOs, Grand Strategy, and Simulation. If I'm not chasing after the latest gear on my MMO of choice, I'm here at GeekReply reporting on the latest in Geek culture.

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The Matter standard is now supported by Google’s smart home appliances

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Only if goods truly support it can the Matter standard facilitate the use of smart home appliances from different brands. You don’t even need to download or install any updates because Google has just announced that it has enabled Matter compatibility for its Nest and Android devices. This means that Matter can now be controlled by the Google Home speaker, Google Home Mini, Nest Mini, Nest Audio, Nest Hub (1st and 2nd gen), Nest Hub Max, and the new Nest WiFi Pro.

Additionally, Google has made Matter compatibility available for Fast Pair on Android, which will let you to connect Matter-enabled devices to your home network “as rapidly as you can pair a set of headphones.” This functionality will make it simple to integrate your devices with apps and smart home ecosystems once they are linked. The tech behemoth has also upgraded the Nest Wi Pro, Nest Hub Max, and Nest Hub (2nd gen) to include Thread border router functionality. In this manner, you can utilize them to link items that support Thread, the networking standard for low-power gadgets like smart locks.

Since 2019, the Connectivity Standards Alliance, of which Google is a member, has been working on the Matter standard to address the fragmentation issue in the smart home market and make it simpler to use products from various manufacturers. It had to postpone Matter’s release a few times before it was eventually able to roll out the standard’s version 1.0 definition and product certification program this October. It had originally planned to introduce the standard in 2021. Soon after Matter was released, Samsung said that it is collaborating with Google to make it simple to add devices that are already configured with SmartThings to Google Home and vice versa. One of the other founders of the Alliance, Amazon, also provided a list of the 17 Echo devices that will support the standard as of this month.

The number of products that are Matter-enabled is now somewhat small, but according to Google, this holiday season and early 2023 will witness an increase. With the exception of the aforementioned Google items, all devices that implement the standard will be identified by the Matter badge and will function with all other Matter devices right out of the box.

 

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CES 2023 :Learn the latest information from the greatest technology event of the year

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Although the CES doesn’t start until tomorrow, we’re back in Vegas for the event, and several exhibitors have already shown their new items at numerous press conferences and media events. In addition to more news from TV manufacturers, gaming laptop manufacturers, smart home firms, and other companies, we are starting to see some of the early automotive news that typically headlines CES today. Here is a summary of the top news from Day 1 of CES 2023 in case you haven’t caught up yet.

Since last night
But first, even though we covered the most of yesterday’s launches in a different video, more things were announced last night after we had finished filming that. For instance, Withings demonstrated the $500 pee-scanning U-Scan toilet computer.

It’s a 90mm block that you install inside your toilet bowl as a deodorizer and employs a microfluidic device that functions like a litmus test to identify the components in your pee. Although Withings is developing a consumer-focused version that will evaluate your nutrition and hydration levels and forecast your ovulation and period cycles, you will need to decide the precise tests you wish to run in your module. Prior to launching in the US, it is still awaiting regulatory approval from the European Union.

We also witnessed the Fufuly pulsing cushion by Yukai Engineering, which was less… gross news. Although a vibrating cushion may sound like something out of an anime, the concept is that cuddling something that might simulate real-life pulsation may have calming effects. Another thing that could calm anxiety? watching a video of adorable birds! Additionally, Bird Buddy unveiled a brand-new intelligent feeder with a built-in camera so you can watch your feathered friends while they build nests. The most recent version, which is intended for hummingbirds, uses AI to recognize the different breeds that are in the area and, in conjunction with a motion sensor, determines when they are ready for a feast.

Speaking of nibbles, there was a ton of food-related technology news last night, like as the $1,000 stand mixer from GE Profile that has a digital scale and voice controls. We also observed OneThird’s freshness scanners, which determine the freshness of produce using near-infrared lasers and secret algorithms. Even the shelf life of an avocado can be determined instantly, preventing food waste!

We also witnessed the Wisear neural earbuds that let you control playback by clenching your jaw, the blood pressure monitor that hooks onto your finger from Valencell, and Loreal’s robotic lipstick applicator for people with limited hand or arm mobility. Smart speakers, smart pressure cookers, smart VR gloves, smart lights, and more were available.

Let’s move on to the recent news. Prior to the onslaught that is set to happen tomorrow, there was only a little trickle of auto news. Volkswagen debuted the ID.7 EV sedan, tempting us with only the name and a rough body form. BMW, meanwhile, revealed the I Vision Dee, or “Digital Emotional Experience,” to provide additional information about its futuristic I Vision concept vehicle development. It’s a simplified design with a heads-up display that spans the entire front windshield. Many of the Dee’s characteristics are anticipated to be incorporated into production vehicles starting in 2025, notably BMW’s new NEUE KLASSE (new class) EV platform. BMW’s Mixed Reality slider will also be available on the Dee to regulate how much digital stuff is shown on the display.

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TVs
The premium 2023 TVs from Samsung were also not unveiled until the evening, with this year’s models emphasizing on MiniLED and 8K technologies. Additionally, it added more sizes to its selection and unveiled new soundbars with Dolby Atmos capability at all price points. While this was going on, competitor LG unveiled a 97-inch M3 TV that can wirelessly receive 4K 120Hz content, allowing you to deal with fewer connections in your living room and… more soundbars. Leave it to LG and Samsung to essentially duplicate each other’s actions.

Hisense, a competitor with comparatively smaller TVs, today announced its 85-inch UX Mini LED TV, which has more than 5,000 local dimming zones and a maximum brightness of 2,500 nits. Startup Displace, meanwhile, demonstrated a brand-new 55-inch wireless OLED TV that can be attached to any surface via vacuum suction, doing away entirely with the requirement for a wall mount or stand. You can even live without a power cord thanks to its four inbuilt batteries. Essentially, this is a fully functional, portable TV.

Laptops

We also noticed more HP, MSI, and ASUS laptops. A laptop with glasses-free 3D, a sizable Zenbook Pro 16X with lots of space for thermal dissipation, and a Zenbook 14X with a ceramic build are all products of ASUS. Both of the latter Zenbooks include OLED displays. In the meantime, HP unveiled a new line of Dragonfly Pro laptops that are designed to simplify the purchasing process for customers by removing the majority of configuration options. The Windows version exclusively uses an AMD CPU and has a column of hotkeys on the right of the keyboard that provide shortcuts to camera settings, a control center, and 24/7 tech support, whilst the Dragonfly Pro Chromebook has an RGB keyboard and Android-like Material You theming capabilities. The last of these buttons can be programmed to open a particular program, file, or website.

The first of some audio news is now being presented to us, starting with JBL. The business presented its array of five soundbar models for 2023, all of which will support Dolby Atmos. New true wireless earbuds with a “smart” casing including a 1.45-inch touchscreen and controls for volume, playback, ANC, and EQ presets were also introduced. Nearly simultaneously, HP unveiled the Poly Voyager earphones, which are comparable to the JBL in terms of controls and have a touchscreen on the carrying case. However, the Voyager also features a Broadcast mode that enables you to connect the case to an older device with a headphone port (like while you’re on an airline) via the provided 3.5mm to USB-C connection, so you can view movies during a flight without having to bring along a second set of headphones.

Not only today but also the remainder of the week will see a ton more CES news. I was unable to tell you about Citizen’s latest wristwatch or Samsung’s new, more affordable Galaxy A14 smartphone. Keep checking back for updates on all CES 2023 news.

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Concerns Regarding Free PSVR2 Upgrades Book II of Raised by Moss, Moss

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When Sony’s next VR headset launches in February 2023, the PSVR classics Moss and Moss: Book II will have native PSVR2 editions, but the catch for current owners is that they’ll have to pay full price to play them. There isn’t even a paid upgrade route, Polyarc has confirmed to Push Square, and neither title will be eligible for free PSVR to PSVR2 upgrades.

Due to a 10% PS Store discount, Moss will instead be available for $17.99, while its sequel will cost $26.99. This price is expected to expire soon. As an alternative, you can get them both together for $34.99.

Lincoln Davis, director of communications for Polyarc, provided the following explanation as to why the company chose this course of action: “For PSVR2 owners who previously bought the PSVR versions of the games, cross-buying is not configured for those titles. The appropriate implementation of new platforms for works like Moss and Moss: Book II requires a lot of time and money. And in this instance, the majority of that work was devoted to fine-tuning both games to offer gamers improved experiences that take advantage of the new hardware technology.”

According to the creator, the PSVR2 versions are configured to benefit from all the features the Sony headset boasts of, including haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, eye tracking, and a larger field of view. Additionally, it will utilize a 4K resolution at 90 frames per second with enhanced lighting and texture.

Although they claim to utilise the same features and provide a free PSVR to PSVR2 upgrade, games like After the Fall and No Man’s Sky will. It puts PSVR2 buyers in the frustrating position of having to pay for some titles all over again while receiving free access to others that promise the same exact improvements. If you want to purchase the updated version of a game you already own, Polyarc isn’t even going the Sony route and offering a $10 upgrade path. Instead, individuals who purchase the smartphone on launch day must pay full price.

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