While you may have been among the early-risers at brick and mortar stores across the country, many of your fellow shoppers chose a more convenient option this year (not to mention a few more hours of sleep!). That option was going online to find the best deals and an easy shopping experience. Our PayPal Black Friday data showed just that – on Black Friday 2010 PayPal’s total payment volume increased approximately 27 percent compared to Black Friday 2009.

We’ve been keeping a particularly close eye on trends in shopping and this year’s Black Friday data indicated a rise in both online and mobile shopping. Many consumers are choosing convenience for their holiday shopping and using PayPal to take advantage of our easier and safer way to pay to avoid the long lines and parking chaos. Shoppers are also looking for real-time, on-the-go experiences and are turning to their mobile phones. We see supporting evidence for this trend, when we look at the approximately 310 percent increase in mobile payment volume on Black Friday 2010 compared to the previous year.

Here are some more key points from our data:

• PayPal found that the official holiday season began on Monday, November 15, 2010.
• On Black Friday 2010, the busiest times to shop were between 9:00 and 10:00 a.m. PST.
• Black Friday 2010 resulted in 21 percent more total payment volume compared to Thanksgiving 2010.
• PayPal saw 19 percent more payment volume on Black Friday 2010 compared to an average Friday in 2010.

What are the best ways you have found to save time and money for your holiday shopping?

Quelle: thepaypalblog.com