"Record-Breaking $222B Online Holiday Spend Boosted by 'Buy Now, Pay Later' Trends"

Adobe Analytics reported a 4.9% increase in online holiday spending, reaching a record $222.1 billion, driven by discounts and the use of buy now, pay later options. Despite a year-over-year decrease in e-commerce prices, the volume of purchases propelled the growth. Retailers like Walmart and Amazon may benefit from this surge as they await fourth-quarter earnings reports. However, the rise in spending may not predict trends for the new year, as consumers could reduce spending after the holiday season. Cyber Week alone accounted for nearly 20% of the total holiday online sales, and buy now, pay later usage reached an all-time high, contributing $16.6 billion to the season's e-commerce revenue.